Hotel Belmont in downtown Vancouver sports a bold and playful design scheme

Tasked with transforming a 1910 building in the Granville Entertainment District of downtown Vancouver into the Hotel Belmont, global firm CHIL Interior Design—the hospitality studio of B+H Architects—aimed to break free of conventional design norms by reviving the structure’s historical details in “bold, cheeky, and unexpected ways,” says Carolyn Kaczmarek, senior associate at CHIL Interior Design.

For instance, in the 82 guestrooms, traditional crown molding juxtapose modern details, like the rich blue vertical accent stripe that begins above the vinyl-upholstered headboards, continues across the ceiling, and extends back down the adjacent wall. “This creates a grand statement as guests enter their rooms, yet still maintains a very classic and balanced sense,” explains Kaczmarek. The color palette, dominated by blue and yellow, nods to the Belmont family crest. And in the guest bathrooms, showers are sheathed in traditional black and white mosaic tiles, but with a playful spin—they’re configured to read “No Diving” across the floor.

Unexpected, eclectic moments permeate the property’s interiors

However, renovating a more than a century-old building provided the design team with many challenges, including a small guestroom footprint. As a solution, the designers highlighted the white walls and removed traditional style closets, resulting in a brighter feel.

CHIL also revamped the lobby, reception spaces, and corridors with more eclectic moments. Take the lobby’s soft pink glow or the charcoal and mint green cross-patterned carpet that lines the hallways. “In the past, it was common for hotels to implement carpeted baseboards for maintenance purposes,” says Kaczmarek. “We brought this dated detail back but took it to another level.”

Kaczmarek adds: “Our goal was to create elegant yet quirky moments for guests to experience as they travel throughout the space. This was such a unique and refreshing project for us.”

The 82 guestrooms, including the Belmont Suite (shown right), boast a blue and yellow color palette