25bh | i d e a s to s h a r e
The Santa Monica Proper Hotel takes a high design approach to beach chic
ROOM ENVY
elly Wearstler, the grand high priestess of American interior design, has done it again with this fabulous space at the Santa Monica Proper, her latest hotel decorating project. The first thing that strikes you in this library-slash-lounge is the density of object. Floor-to-ceiling shelves groan with rare art and design books, wall space is packed with assorted works of art and hanging sculpture in varied media, and the bold, somewhat bloated, furniture fully fills out the space, maximising comfort and a sense of ease. The overall effect is something like an Aladdin’s cave of interest, and as such the room was appropriately named ‘the grotto’. The key theme running through this space is materiality and texture. The palette is a
13 8 | 2 5 B H AU G US T 2020
subdued mix of neutral beiges and browns, but is brought to energetic life with varied use of timber, fabric, stone and rough paper wallcoverings. Such soft, cloud-like seating could look unbalanced against anything but the hardest of surfaces, so Wearstler places them with a limestone-toned rock coffee table, the pieces maintaining a relationship through their similarly curved forms. The space is finished with subtle references to Santa Monica’s coastal nature: a beach painting focal point, rope detail on artwork and a seashell vase tie the frenetic but harmonised space together. Oh, and, we couldn’t end without mentioning that rather fetching plaster stool at the front. We’re not sure whether that’s to draw you in or keep people away for a spot of quiet reading time… FO R STO C K I STS G O TO W HER E TO B U Y
FEATURE PATRICK HAMILTON COURTNEY
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