In July, the Loews Vanderbilt, located in downtown Nashville, Tenn., wrapped up an extensive six-month renovation that completely transformed the lobby of the 340-room hotel into a multi-functional space for both work and relaxation. Helmed by Simeone Deary Design Group, the new look gathers inspiration from the city’s rich music scene and reflects the cultural heritage of its location. “When we first started this project, our client told us that they really wanted to position the hotel firmly in the heart of the music industry,” says Lisa Simeone, principal and owner of Simeone Deary. “But we didn’t want to do it in an applied way. We wanted the DNA of the lobby to have that musicality and reflect that level of Nashville history.”
Honky Tonkin’
For a high-impact visual, Simeone and her team created a mural on the far lobby wall that depicts a graphic image of country legend Hank Williams playing the guitar from an amalgamation of individual album covers. “It draws you in and starts to give the hotel staff a story to tell,” says Simeone. “You can stand there for hours looking at all the different album covers.”
Cowboy Chic
To achieve a “cowboy-chic” look, Simeone made sure to blend different styles, shapes, and textures when choosing the furniture and accessories. “Modernity juxtaposed to rusticity is always more interesting. When you have too much of one thing, it starts to lose its edge.”
Ring of Fire
As an element that is visible from both the exterior and interior of the hotel, the double-sided fireplace gives guests a subtle peek into the lobby as soon as they arrive. “Rather then get this giant vista of the lobby all at once, we wanted guests to discover the space as they walk in.”
The Great Divide
A custom wooden room divider breaks up the space and helps designate a work area with long live-edge tables, task lighting, and plenty of plugs. “Creating spaces within spaces is a trick that we use,” says Simeone. “The idea of a traditional business center is going away. It’s starting to roll out into the public spaces.”
