The 2025 HD Awards Project Winners
LIFESTYLE HOTEL
Rivet House, Athens, Georgia
Long before it was a hotel, the 50-key Rivet House was an abandoned denim mill, so “we preserved and repurposed key elements of the original structure—from industrial beams to vintage denim references,” says owner Jessica Whitley, who also designed the property under her eponymous studio. “I focused on contrast and harmony: raw textures meet soft, luxurious finishes; historic bones are layered with modern gestures. The design celebrates Athens’ heritage while introducing refined, sensory details that invite both comfort and discovery.”
These include shou sugi ban walls, fluted oak vanities, and bespoke creamy denim drapery. Like the exposed brick and oversized wood beams salvaged from factory days, the stone—handlaid marble in the lobby, natural travertine in the guestrooms, and Michelangelo and Tortuga quartzites in Osteria Olio restaurant—feels as if it’s always been part of the property. “From the beginning, it was important that this not only be a beautiful destination for visitors,” adds Whitley. “It’s more than just a hotel—it’s a thoughtful restoration and a new community anchor, grounded in place, memory, and possibility.”
Architecture Firm: Studio BNA Architects, Athens, Georgia | Interior Design Firm: Jessica Whitley Studio, Athens, Georgia | Owners: James and Jessica Whitley | Operator: Indigo Road Hospitality Group | Purchasing Firm: ADM Associates