Project spotlight
Noelle, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
Nashville, TN
The Tribute portfolio is a family of independent boutique hotels bound by their Indie spirit and heart for connecting people and places.
Photos: Emily Dorio
Design: Dryden
Purchaser: Carver & Associates
Infusing local charm with luxurious furnishings
Meet a team member
What is your position and tenure at Bryan Ashley?
I am a Project Developer, and I’ve been with the team for a year and a half.
What’s your favorite part of your role?
I enjoy many parts of my role, but completing and submitting the final quote to the customer is my favorite. When everyting comes together it gives me a sense of accomplishment.
What is your favorite pastime?
I enjoy going to the beach, spending time with friends and my daughters, and going places with my husband that we haven’t been to.
Noelle, tucked inside a completely renovated 1930s building, isn’t your standard renovated hotel. Rather, it doubles as an art experience. Local artists designed the space and the art, drawing on inspiration from notable Nashvillians. As soon as you walk in, you’ll notice the vibe is different as you see cool art and playful displays mingling elegantly with the original architecture.
The check-in desk is inside the gift shop, and the coffee shop is a work of art in itself. With 224-rooms, the Noelle offers guests a truly authentic art-driven experience curated by leaders of Nashville’s thriving creative community. With quaint rooms, marble bathrooms and hand-crafted furniture, every aspect of this boutique hotel infuses local charm with luxury.
Alma Alicea
Creative we love
Lorine Hanson, NCIDQ VP of Interior Design Steelman Partners
About Steelman Partners
Established in 1987, Steelman Partners has positioned itself as the leading entertainment architecture firm. Steelman Partners, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international firm specializing in the multi-disciplinary facets of entertainment architecture, interior design, graphic design, planning, theater design, 3D design, and lighting. The company currently has international offices in Zhuhai, Macau, Ho Chi Minh, Amsterdam, and Phnom Penh.
Steelman Partners embraces all aspects of the design process from project viability, revenue projections, site location, thematic considerations, conceptual design, programming, and supporting the client’s marketing efforts.
What are a couple of questions that are really important to ask before engaging in a design project?
What is the project scope and expectations for the schedule; this will enable our firm to implement proper staffing and ensure we are able to provide the best team for the job. Budget is also very important to define at the very start of the project so all parties are on the same page from the beginning.
What is the most memorable hospitality experience you’ve had?
My most memorable experience has to be my very first project in Las Vegas, Toby Keith’s Bar and Grill at Harrah’s Las Vegas. This is memorable for many reasons — the project scope, the seasoned owners group, and the amazing team at Steelman Partners who made the project such a huge success. I will never forget the lasting colleague, vendor, and consultant relationships that have shaped how I manage through projects to this day.
Any words of wisdom for new designers?
Never be afraid to fight for your design and always keep creative ideas in your back pocket. Having an arsenal of design concepts, details, and finish materials will allow you to bring so much to the design table; even if an idea is not right for this project, it may work for the next. Never stop creating for the next project in your future!
“Never stop creating for the next project that is in your future!”
Lorine Hanson
Where do you find design inspiration?
Everywhere! Although much of my inspiration for patterns, textures, and color theory originates from the fashion industry, I keep up on the latest design trends, innovative materials, and finish details to consider for future projects.
What is one thing that our industry often gets wrong in hospitality design?
That we have unlimited budgets! Hospitality designers are able to design within a set and sometimes very tight budget. If additional value analyses are required after the design concept is approved; we are able to provide insight and direction on how to keep the same concept without sacrificing the original design.
About our cover
Graduate Cambridge
As the first Graduate Hotel to open in Britain, this 4-star boutique 148-room hotel has the best views in Cambridge and is surrounded by the beautiful River Cam. The hotel’s design is “rooted in storytelling” and acknowledges Cambridge’s rich history including a giant hanging model of the DNA double helix - in celebration of Rosalind Franklin who helped uncover the secrets of DNA at the University. Splashes of Cambridge Blue adorn the guestrooms along with bedside built-ins in the design of iconic punt boats while classic desks give each room a studious feel. Beyond the guestrooms, the team at Bryan Ashley also crafted various tables, benches, sofas, and lounge chairs throughout The Garden House, bar, lounge, and public space areas.
Coming soon
May 2-4, 2023
The most comprehensive U.S. hospitality event of its kind, HD Expo + Conference features the latest products and innovations from leading manufacturers, and educational insight from industry visionaries and rising stars alike.
Strawberry Cheesecake
• (3) 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups chopped fresh strawberries
Directions
Crust:
Visit the Bryan Ashley team at booth #3918 and be inspired by our custom designs.
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
Sauce:
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam or preserves
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
12 fresh strawberries to garnish
1. Mix the crumbs and butter, and press into the bottom of a springform pan.
2. In a food processor, mix the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Pulse in the strawberries, leaving some larger pieces.
3 Pour into the pan and bake for 50 minutes or until barely set in the center. Chill thoroughly before slicing.
4 To make the sauce, heat the strawberry preserves with water and lemon juice. Cool before topping the cake. Garnish with a fresh strawberry. Ingredients
For more inspiration from our parent company, visit ofs.com/imagine-a-place
From OFS Cool Springs, Chef Aimee Blume
Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
