Unveiling a new hotel in a building that’s a well-known local site always means treading a fine line between respecting its former incarnation and making the right statement for now. The pressure is even greater when that building was already a hotel. So, for the launch of the Magnolia Hotel St. Louis (in the 1925 building that used to be the Mayfair Hotel), interior designers Feltus Hawkins Designs and architectural designer Guy Thornton Design knew they needed to find an aesthetic that suited the architecture while still giving off a modern feel.
They looked beyond the obvious 1920s references for inspiration and found it in the hotel’s exterior architecture and its famous guests. The limestone finish and dentil molding provided the beginnings of their vision board for the hotel’s interiors. The finish is echoed in the fireplace in the Living Room space. A clean color palette in the rooms uses mostly neutral shades to provide a timeless backdrop. Lemon accents brighten the rooms.
However, the team also wanted to bring in some of the glamor the hotel’s original guests were known for. For the Cary Grant suite, the team wanted a more opulent look. Black hardwood floors bring drama. Honey-gold drapery evokes old Hollywood. Pale creamy tones enliven the effect.
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