Today, I had the opportunity to speak with Deborah Forrest of ForrestPerkins, the company that is working on the renovation project at the Stoneleigh. She had some interesting news to share regarding the vision for the project, art to be featured in the hotel, and details regarding the spa.
The above images are, from top to bottom, a digital rendering of the hotel’s lobby design and photos of the newly-designed king size bed and restroom.
Here’s a look at the complete interview:
D: What is the overall vision for the Stoneleigh Hotel renovation project?
DF: The main vision is to take an important period in the life of the hotel and really represent that through the interior lobby, ballrooms, and guest rooms. That particular period being the Art Deco period in the 30’s, a very glamorous time that was an important time for the hotel. The Stoneleigh had been built in the 20’s, but it had an undergone a renovation in the 1930’s that introduced beautiful Art Deco elements that still exist in the hotel today. For example, the stair from the lobby up to the second floor, and the details like the columns in the lobby, crown molding, and the way the metalwork is detailed throughout the public areas. So, we took our cues for the design of the furniture, carpets, and fabrics from that period.
At the same time, just as the Art Deco period was a very modern way of interpreting the historic qualities of the hotel at the time, it still holds true today. We are re-creating a period, but we’re also bringing it into the 21st century, taking a modern approach.
D: Based on the extensive list of properties that you’ve worked on in the past, including the Union Station hotel, a historic property in Nashville that your company revitalized, do you bring any inspiration to this project from your previous work?
DF: Well, with our projects, the inspiration comes from the building itself, and from the city that the building is in. For example, with the Stoneleigh, all of the interior architectural inspiration was from the building itself, and the artwork will reflect it’s location with several Texan artists.
D: Is there going to be a separate gallery near the lobby?
DF: The whole hotel is basically a gallery. Art plays a very important part of the overall sense and sensibility of the hotel. There will be a combination of historic artifacts and photographs, as well as paintings throughout the hotel that reflect the property itself, as well as Texas.
D: In regards to the guest rooms, there will be two different design schemes, correct?
DF: Yes, each of the schemes have lively and complex combinations of patterns. One of the schemes is a very sharp scheme of crisp coral red with grey, ivory, and black accents. The other scheme is a combination of turquoise with a cinnamon brown and ivory. They will have a very contemporary look, yet still incorporate colors that were popular and would have been appropriate in the 1930’s as well.
D: Do you have any details about the Spa that is opening?
DF: Yes, the spa is an intimate, very comfortable and beautiful spa that has separate relaxation areas for men and women. The treatment rooms are comfortable and spacious, and include several private treatment rooms as well as a duet massage room. The spa is designed to be used mostly by hotel guests and residents in the Stoneleigh Tower Residences. It will feel very professional, very personal, and very private in the lower level of the hotel. The spa will be reached by a beautiful stairwell that descends from the hotel lobby. The convenience of being able to go down from the lobby to get a spa treatment, massage, or a facial will be valuable for hotel guests.
D: How will the residents at the Stoneleigh Tower Residences access the spa?
DF: There will be a direct connection from the Residences over to the spa via an underground tunnel.
D: Having mentioned the details about the historical artifacts of the hotel, have you come across any historical facets of the hotel through the process of the renovation project?
DF: Well, the hotel had a number of pieces already in their collection, which include photographs and some artifacts which we will be integrating into the design scheme.
D: When I spoke with Anne Sasso last month, she mentioned that she came across several secret passageways that the original owner had installed in the Penthouse.
DF: Yes, it’s fascinating, and that’s been part of the lore of the hotel for many years. It’s very interesting, because this hotel was owned by private individuals for a number of years, so it’s always been sort of a home away from home, and a home for the owners. The original owner lived on the top floor, in the Penthouse, and it really was his home.
D: I find it interesting that, for example, Isaac Tigrett, founder of the Hard Rock Café, lived in the Penthouse and he had Led Zeppelin, Dan Akroyd, and Stevie Ray Vaughn up there. There really have been a lot of different people coming through the Stoneleigh.
DF: That penthouse is probably one of the more prominent suites in an urban hotel that I know of, because it’s been used for so many years. After it was a private residence, it was then a suite for individuals and dignitaries to stay in, and it also has been used for so many years as a wedding venue, meeting, and social space. The Press Club of Dallas had its meetings there for many years.
So, many people who live in Dallas, myself included, have been to the Penthouse on numerous occasions for a variety of different types of functions. So, it’s a very well-known entity for many people in Dallas, and that’s kind of fun because people tend to feel ownership for hotels like this that have been part of there lives here. I think a lot of people feel a very special place in their hearts for the hotel, and for the Penthouse, for that reason.
D: How is the project coming along at the moment? I understand February is the target date.
DF: It’s looking good. We are installing furniture in all of the guest rooms right now and it’s certainly moving along. It will really be something when the grand opening takes place in a few months.
