Luxury hotels these days out-do themselves to out-“design” one another with decidedly mixed results. While many are impressive, few are inspiring in terms of ideas you might deploy in your own perhaps more modest domestic context. A hotel we visited in Aspen last week made me want to, well, get a room.
Ladies and gentlemen, start your tear-sheet files.
The beamed atrium ceiling, the silver chandeliers, the color scheme, the mix of periods- art media-objects-textures, the leather chesterfield sofas, the lucite tables, the crystal obelisks, the scale of the sconces, the framing of Mr. Jerome’s portrait, the tile floor. And that’s just the lobby.
Finally laying my eyes on the fab new re-design of the venerable Hotel Jerome was another highlight of our Aspen trip last week. There is sooo much to say about it that I’m going to restrain myself to brief design notes and links to more info should you desire.
The adventurous and innovative Las Vegas-based designer Todd-Avery Lenahan and his TAL Studio are responsible for the wonderfulness here, walking the fine line between respect for tradition and relevance for today, with just the right amounts of deference and bravado.
Says the designer on his website, “We believe the world to be neither “contemporary” nor “traditional” in a specific sense, and neither do we believe that a design or a designer’s body of work should be defined with such limitation.”
Nor did designer Lenahan succumb to the tired ol’ Western clichés so tempting in these parts, and yet he honors our universal affection for them. In the living room, Cowboy meets Le Corbusier, and and the whole room wants to giddy-up. Sconces on columns and pretty pleated rectangular lamp shades are–if I may say–luminous details. Elsewhere the objects, art, and styling conveying the feeling more of a stylish private house than a hotel–which one imagines was the point.
Here’s a YouTube video of the designer discussing his vision and work on the Hotel Jerome.
I confess His Grace and I did not go to the dining room just to look at it. I had one of those amazing burgers that drips a little down your arm when you bite into it and your eyes roll back in your head and your husband thinks you are going to have a seizure.
Here’s the Auberge Resorts Magazine feature on the Jerome’s renovation. I thought for sure the estimable HotelChic.com would have weighed in on the Jerome by now, but I didn’t see it. Do keep an eye on HotelChic if you don’t already. They’ll treat you to the most exotic and beautiful accommodations in the world, and you don’t even have to pack. Talk about high-end travel.
Have another look at this leather wrapped chair. Great looking and probably even better with wear. We like that about leather.
- Hotel Jerome leather dining chair.
The floor is interesting as well. I’m not sure if the stripes are painted or inlaid. I was well into my burger by then and could not be distracted by such terrestrial concerns.
For a more on the Jerome’s cuisine, here’s a glowing report from GabbyGourmet.com
And I’d be remiss to omit the hotel’s charming, gracious, not-one-thing-gets-by-him General Manager Tony DiLucia. A longtime friend of His Grace’s family, Tony was also my dinner companion at a swell soirée in town hosted by my wife-in-law. (If you missed that post, click here.) And here is Tony–who’s spent nearly half his life at the hotel!–talking about his experience there.
I’m ‘on ski off into the sunset now… See y’all in a few days… Let me know if you find out about that chicken watercolor artist. Thanks.
Photos by Frances Schultz except as noted.
Love this. Great minds must think alike today:) My blog post is on The Hotel Jerome too.
http://www.theenglishroom.biz/2013/03/21/aspen-on-the-horizon-hotel-jerome-renovation/
Take Care-
Holly
Oh Holly I love it! Thanks so much for writing and I’m jumping over now to read your take on it! Brava!
I love it!
Thanks, Susan!
I want to live here! Beautiful post.
I need those butter yellow Chesterfield sofa, and the chairs, and the chickens and the …loved it all. Thanks for the post xo, Lissy Parker
Thanks Katie and Lissy!
Frances
Loved seeing this! The last time I was in the Jerome it was a wonderful dump and the Eagles walked into the bar ..oh those were the days. It is fabulous!!! Could not be better. Just stunning!
Love that Jane! Did you get a Peaceful Easy Feeling? 😉
I am sure your joie de vive moment with the burger was much more like Meg Ryan in the “I’ll have what she is having” scene in When Harry meet Sally… Gorgeous decor!
Ha! V funny Paige ! Wish I had thought of it!
love it
I can not wait to visit the next time I am in Aspen. It looks outstanding.
I found a print at the One King’s Lane site that looked like one of your chickens at the Hotel Jerome. The artist was Bella Pieroni. You might want to google her.
Thank you Diane! I did Google Ms Pieroni and her work is very similar in gesture and style to the mysterious chicken artist at the Jerome – good eye! I am told, however, that the chicken artist lives in Vermont (I think) and Ms Pieroni appears to live in Britain. Hmmm. Perhaps she summers in Vermont?
Just returned from visiting the lovely Hotel Jerome. The photos here do not even begin to capture the fabulous interior! The overall feel was “Elegant West”. Asked several of the hotel staff about the new wall color but no one knew.
It is great, isn’t it Laurie?! I will see if I can find out abut the wall color. Where exactly are you talking about? Thanks so much for writing, too!
Hi Frances!
Do you know who manufactures both types of pendants featured in the dining room? The glass pendants (lanterns) and the shade pendants against the windows are just beautiful.
Thank you!
Hi Gigi! I’m sorry I don’t. I’m sure if you contact the Jerome designers (link to them in th epost), they will sort you out. Thank you so much for writing! Best, Frances
What a fabulously cozy destination! Fantastic article! Would you happen to know the paint used in the Living Room?
Dear Kathleen, how kind of you to write, thank you. I do not know the color, but I bet if you contact the Jerome they can track it down for you. Good luck 🙂 Frances