Imagine lolling away the day in a residential high-rise, all the while feeling like you’re on vacation at a chic hotel. That experience is becoming more possible every day throughout L.A., as many of the city’s top developers are enlisting the help of famed interior designers behind some of the world’s most high-end boutique properties to recreate the same sensibility and aesthetic in their multifamily projects.
Think inviting hotel-inspired environs replete with sculpted furniture that calls out for photo opportunities, local art, plentiful areas for conversing and relaxing, and of course, luxe amenities.
“Developers seem to be most inspired by Ace Hotel and The NoMad Hotel in Downtown L.A.; The Roosevelt, Proper and Kimpton La Peer hotels in West Hollywood; and Viceroy in Santa Monica,” says Alan Tzvika Nissel, principal of Wilshire Skyline, developer of The Line Lofts, a recently opened hotel-esque residential building in Hollywood.
“All of these establishments bring an eclectic and fresh design sensibility to the table that people naturally want to emulate within their home.”
Lending her hospitality expertise to the new Zoltan Pali-designed residential project was Gulla Jónsdóttir, known for her work on the La Peer, Roosevelt and The Mayfair hotels, as well as the Getty Center. Tasked with recreating the feel of a chic hotel, the Icelandic-born interior designer played an instrumental role in designing The Line Lofts’ lobby and common areas, fashioning refined light-filled and earthy spaces by sourcing elegant furniture pieces and artwork from small production designers outside Milan.
Residents also have the chance to furnish their studios and one- and two-bedroom lofts and flats (going for $2,500 to $7,000 per month) with contemporary furniture packages hand-selected by Jónsdóttir.
“You only get one chance at a first impression, so similar to the aesthetic of a hotel, the entrance of The Line Lofts had to look and feel inviting,” says Jónsdóttir, who worked with aesthetic stylist Guerin Swing to custom design a three-dimensional art installation behind the concierge desk to draw all eyes immediately upon entry.
An oversized canoe bench imported from Italian furniture brand Bianco-Bianco occupies the opposing wall and sets the stage for a photo opportunity, while lobby tables and chairs lining the front windows serve as an ideal spot for a cup of coffee, work or conversation.
Armed with the belief that art plays a foundational role in shaping any hotel-inspired aesthetic, Jónsdóttir brought on Hollywood’s own Jesus Banuelos to produce exclusive black-and-white photos of the building’s surrounding neighborhood to serve as a focal point throughout all of the common areas. In the pool lounge, she used an original piece of art and stunning abstract floral photography from the Eric Buterbaugh collection and enlisted a painted mural from Londubh Studio for a pool wall.
The designer also was sure to provide ample gathering areas, with The Retreat featuring a kitchen, library and cozy seating area that opens to the pool and spa deck, and The Sky Lounge presenting panoramic views of the city, a bar for entertaining and reading nook—all with the goal of making people feel relaxed and delighted by the environment, just as they would in their hotel of choice.
“Gulla spends as much time finding inspiration for her work as she does channeling it,” Nissel says of the result. “She curates each project individually, paying careful attention to draw from local talent and tastes. Her furniture tends to be more sculpted than linear, and as a result, warmer and more welcoming.
Her designs cultivate the kind of hotel you’ve dreamed of living in—perfect for residential developers looking to draw on her hospitality experience and apply it to the residential real estate market.”
