The recent renovation of the Hutton Hotel in Nashville, Tenn., points to an important trend: using design to create a distinctive sense of place.
Music City has experienced a hotel construction boom in recent years, making for a more competitive market. The owners of the Hutton, a downtown boutique hotel, remodeled some common areas to appeal to prominent musician clientele.
As part of the project, two Writers Rooms were added to the hotel grounds, just steps from the main building.
The two spaces, at 379 sf and 422 sf, share kitchen and dining areas and can host up to 15 people at a time. The rooms are decked out with studio recording equipment so that visiting musicians can tinker with new songs and record them. It’s an ideal situation for a musician spending several days or more in the city.
Studio 11 Design collaborated with Red Light Management and singer/songwriters Dierks Bentley and Ryan Tedder on the project. Bentley, drawing from his Arizona roots, suggested Saltillo tile, refined rustic elements, and layered Navajo area rugs for one of the rooms. Tedder’s contribution included natural materials, a loft-style feel, and unobstructed daylight for the other room.
The hotel also added a 300-person performance space, for intimate shows.
Curated artwork and antique furnishings throughout the hotel reflect country music luminaries and local history.
This type of authentic regional flavor is something travelers are looking for, says Kellie Sirna, Principal and Co-founder, Studio 11 Design. Accordingly, employees will have another duty: “Hotel staff members are going to become storytellers as they provide background on the various pieces,” says Sirna.
Related Stories
Hotel Facilities | Nov 3, 2020
Hotel made from CLT opens at Fort Jackson, S.C.
This project used over 4,100 pieces of cross-laminated timber. It's the fourth CLT hotel in the Army's housing portfolio.
Hotel Facilities | Oct 27, 2020
Hotel construction pipeline dips 7% in Q3 2020
Hospitality developers continue to closely monitor the impact the coronavirus will have on travel demand, according to Lodging Econometrics.
Smart Buildings | Oct 26, 2020
World’s first smart building assessment and rating program released
The SPIRE Smart Building Program will help building owners and operators make better investment decisions, improve tenant satisfaction, and increase asset value.
Hotel Facilities | Sep 22, 2020
‘Lifestyle’ is adding new color to the select-service hotel sector
A new WATG Strategy white paper examines the design characteristics of the blending.
Giants 400 | Aug 28, 2020
2020 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms
The 2020 Giants 400 Report features more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Coronavirus | Aug 25, 2020
Video: 5 building sectors to watch amid COVID-19
RCLCO's Brad Hunter reveals the winners and non-winners of the U.S. real estate market during the coronavirus pandemic.
Hotel Facilities | Aug 14, 2020
5 strategies for creating safer, healthier hotel experiences
As hotels begin to reopen, the focus on health and safety takes priority while working to preserve the guest experience.
Hotel Facilities | Aug 5, 2020
Renovations could be hospitality’s stopgap for next few years
Modular and prefab construction are already more prominent.
University Buildings | Aug 2, 2020
R&D hubs, modular-built hotels, and an award-winning student center on the August 6 “The Weekly”
R&D hubs, modular-built hotels, and an award-winning student center on the August 6 “The Weekly”
Hotel Facilities | Jul 30, 2020
Las Vegas’s Circa Resort & Casino will feature contactless technology throughout
The resort is slated to open in late 2020.