~45,000 SF
Interior/Exterior Design
Full Renovation of a 38-room hotel, built in 1947, that spans 3.5 acres and includes a satellite seven-room courtyard across the street.
In collaboration with John Janulis of Lightning Bar Collective, we wanted to reimagine the property for the new generation of sojourners flocking to the desert, revitalizing the LA-to-Palm Springs connection popularized in the 1950s. For this project, a mix of mid-century and Spanish styles brings a sense of history, while a revitalized taste for art, music, and style keeps one foot in the present. We chose black-and-white Portuguese tile throughout, making a strong statement and setting a refined tone that is carried into the guest rooms, each of which is unique and outfitted with a blend of vintage and modern furniture pieces. Oil paintings of iconic personalities like Debbie Harry, Bob Marley, and Charles Bronson, painted by artist Juan Casas, adorn the walls, reminding one of the desert’s cultural kinship to the nearby entertainment mecca. New bathrooms with floor-to-ceiling tile and glass panel showers offer the decadence of modern amenities, as do the built-in mahogany wet and dry bars throughout the property. More than one hundred palm trees are scattered across Villa Royale, and more than 650 plants were brought onto the grounds to augment our design. We wrapped the property in a hedge of ficus, lending a sense of privacy and inclusivity to a garden compound that you never want to leave.
Design: John Janulis - Lightning Bar Collective, An Ellipsis Design
The bar, Del Rey (next page) was meant to feel like a true Rat Pack-era hideaway...