Recently, I was given a tour of the newly renovated rooms of Loews Vanderbilt for a 12th & Broad post. And let me tell you, they are fantastic! The rooms are a moody modern design with a nod to the music scene. A style mixture of fashion, old school rock n’ roll, and country music with the comforts of a modern boutique hotel. The touches are subtle, and yet the story is strong.
The design concept behind the room renovations was Traveling Artists. Designers from Simeone Deary Design Group started with a picture of Elvis Costello – inspired by the idea of quieter moments of songwriting and jamming with the band in a hotel room. The lifestyle of a musician on tour is not easy – long hours, months on the road, and the comforts of home lost on generic hotel rooms. More often than not, artists bring items with them to cozy up their hotel stay and give the place a vibe that is uniquely their own. From scarves over lampshades and blankets on the walls to travel memorabilia and décor pieces that bring inspiration. The idea is to forget that one is temporarily living in a box and instead, enjoying the luxury of an intimate space inspired by home and the romance of music. The new rooms at Loews Vanderbilt have captured this concept well. A creative home-away-from-home apartment.
“The design is characterized by details from an artist’s clothing, typically a personal declaration of independence, grit from their worn guitar case, and distressed leather from their cowboy boots. There is a rawness, casualness and coziness to the design reminiscent of their intimate spaces where they strum their guitars and create new song lyrics. Comfortable, lounge seating, textured upholstery, and a stripped down dark interior make up the vibe of the guest rooms.” – Simeone Deary
What I loved most about the rooms is the unexpected details. Instead of going with a loud “theme” and skimping on the décor (a common practice of hotel trickery), Loews Vanderbilt chose a different direction. Quite the opposite actually. Mix & match pillows (inspired by blankets and ponchos), high-style lighting, custom furnishings, nail head studded draperies, one of a kind guitar straps on headboards, luxurious flooring, modern wallpaper, blackout shades, and found-object artwork. The attention to detail is refreshing, and the overall concept is a lot of fun. Not overly styled, just enough personality to make the space feel unique. The hotel understands that today’s tastemakers want more than a room. They want a luxurious location where they can hang out with friends and enjoy the cool amenities.
With the beautiful renovations of the lobby, the wonderful addition of Mason’s restaurant/bar, and now the newly styled rooms, Loews Vanderbilt is definitely making a name for itself.
Photos – NASHVILLE, TN – FEBRUARY 25, 2015: Loews Vanderbilt Hotel Nashville.
Credit: Photographs by Bruce Buck
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Recently I stumbled upon the lovely company, The Wild Standard. The Wild Standard is the producer of fine handmade, limited edition flags from Austin, TX. Every flag is cut from unprimed, 100% natural duck cotton, torn by hand and then locally screened, stitched and grommeted. The company was founded by two friends, Tara and Linsey, who live in two different cities in two different states. They collaborate via phone, email and video-chat and believe some of their best work has been when each is in their own studio.
The Wild Standard produces a minimal modern aesthetic to the classic Americana style. The flags have a classic, timeless appeal (a strong attribute to good design) that allow them to fit into numerous décor styles. Flags have a design history for bold and powerful statements that can be seen from afar, evoking strong thoughts and deep emotions. They are deeply rooted in powerful imagery and can be quite striking in home décor.
Last month, The Wild Standard introduced a new flag design, Nashville. It is simple and quite beautiful. Not overly designed like so many “Nashville” products that scream lower Broad. It’s sophisticated, “subtly calling out the heritage of country music, and Southern style the city is known for”. The Nashville flag is a well-designed product that I, and many locals, would be proud to have hanging in our homes.
1. Nashville Handmade Cotton Flag $120
“Drape this decorative, boldly illustrated cotton flag on empty walls as a minimalist ode to Music City. The vintage-inspired letting does Nashville right, subtly calling out the heritage of country music, and Southern style the city’s known for”. Designed by Ben Kocinski .
2. 1924us Snake Warning Flag $154
“This decorative, boldly illustrated cotton flag makes an important lesson known. Not all snakes rattle before they bite, so we gotta pay attention, stay vigilant and hold on tight”.Designed by 1924us.
3. The Wild Handmade Cotton Flag $154
“Hang this cotton flag to bring a little bit of the wild outdoors inside. This simple decorative flag evokes the complexity of the great blue yonder with two little words – unspoiled forests, starry skies, raging bonfires, and unforgettable moments.”
4. Atlanta on the Rise (pre-sell only at Foster ATL)
“This here is our flagship, designed and produced for our friends at Foster. Great set of folks pioneering the creative citizens of Atlanta”.
Photos via The Wild Standard , Foster ATL and In Honor of Design
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Who doesn’t need these candles in their life?! I mean, really…THEY ARE BADASS!
“At Damselfly, it’s not all about rainbows and butterflies… We want to hit you in the face, right in the nose, with our triple-scented aromas and then in the eyes, with a killer quote.”
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I could tell you a lot of cool things about Christianna Heideman and Damselfly, the creators of this cheeky candle line. But their ABOUT page is so damn perfect, I will not begin to compete. Read below and then try to tell me you don’t want to be Christianna when you grow up. Or at the very least, work at this company (possibly, for free).
Damselfly – About
“THE ONLY PEOPLE FOR ME ARE THE MAD ONES, THE ONES WHO ARE MAD TO LIVE, MAD TO TALK, MAD TO BE SAVED, DESIROUS OF EVERYTHING AT THE SAME TIME, THE ONES WHO NEVER YAWN OR SAY A COMMONPLACE THING, BUT BURN, BURN, BURN LIKE FABULOUS YELLOW ROMAN CANDLES EXPLODING LIKE SPIDERS ACROSS THE STARS.” -JACK KEROUAC
Over the past 13 years, Damselfly has been acclaimed and respected by Australia’s leading fashion houses for it’s intuitive vision, innovate designs and trend changing creations in jewellery and accessories.
Christianna Heideman’s love for the aesthetically rich and otherwordly began at 19 with the creation of Damselfly. After a brief sabitcal breaking in wild unicorns, travelling to the moon and gathering stars, Damselfly has been reinvented. Taking inspiration from the beauty of everyday, Christianna’s design now leads us into the treasures of home wares and beyond. The beautifully mad ones, the creative chaotic ones, all those burdened with the visions of perfection, is where the passion for Damselfly lives.
Welcome to this crazy little world..
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