“Hotel Commonwealth had very traditional bones as the cornerstone of the Kenmore Square neighborhood,” says David Ashen of New York-based dash design. In leading the redesign of the Boston hotel’s guestrooms, the firm aimed to modernize the property and better reflect the personality of the area.
Located near Boston University and Fenway Park, the hotel regularly attracts baseball fans, international travelers, and collegiate relations. With these guests in mind, the team chose a concept of modern-prep style. “The houndstooth pattern was a stepping off point,” Ashen explains, a classic pattern made fresh by altering its scale. In standard rooms, over-scaled printed houndstooth curtains separate the sleeping area from the lounge area, while the pattern in a smaller scale creates a playful contrast on lounge chairs. Red baseball stitching on the window curtains and a shot of red on the interiors of nightstand drawers reference Fenway Park.
More Bostonian spirit comes into play in the hotel’s signature suites. “The suites were the most fun to do,” Ashen comments. In the Loft suite, the city’s vibrant arts culture materializes. “The culture is set in an industrial zone with great spirit, which Hotel Commonwealth wanted to capture in this suite,” he explains. “Our hope is that the space inspires guests to dig deep into the local arts scene.”
Built with high ceilings evocative of an artist’s loft, the suite boasts an eclectic mix of materials and an impressive collection of art. “Art is the major design element in this suite,” says Ashen, adding that many of the pieces shown are by art students at Boston University—including a large, abstract mural that hangs behind the headboard in the bedroom. The living room floor has a retro hex ceramic tile that blends with rustic wood. On a background of white walls, a cable hanging system allows for pieces to be hung gallery style and also easily removed and rotated. The dining table is inspired by an artist’s worktable, while classic modern sofas are a sophisticated contrast.
Boston University itself has its own suite and its mascot, Rhett the Terrier, plays the starring role. “My team wanted to bring the personality of the Rhett character, as well as the university’s history, to life,” Ashen says. “The room is very collegiate in spirit.” In the Terrier suite, casegoods are reminiscent of lockers, and a large graphic mural of Rhett covers one wall. A collage of press clippings from the school’s athletic history lines the hall, and images of successful alumni are framed salon-style over the bed.
References to local celebrities continue in the Rat suite, a tribute to the legendary Kenmore Square music club that once thrived on the hotel site. “The Rat suite was great fun to design, since I had gone to the club when I attended college in Boston in the late ’80s,” Ashen says. “The idea was to create a room meant for a guest like me, who is now in his or her 40s and wants to reminisce without compromising on luxury.” Authentic memorabilia, such as the keyboard from the venue’s mainstay musician and the original dressing room mirror from backstage, adorns the suite.
“The furniture plays off the club’s concept,” Ashen explains. The headboard is printed graffiti on leather and storage chests are in the style of boxes used to move a band’s equipment. Facing a wall unit affixed with a stereo system and a collection of vinyl, the lounge area is furnished with a large black sectional that echoes the club’s former interiors.
“We don’t often get the opportunity to get this creative with guestrooms, and Hotel Commonwealth allowed us to think big,” Ashen says. “Our designers really got to dream and have a great time with these spaces.”
