The LA-based design studio was approached by the developer, Aimco, to collaborate on the interior design of their first boutique hotel. Having impressed with its work on The Ramble Hotel in the downtown Denver River North Art District. Avenue Interior Design was brought on board to add its creative vision and design expertise to the developer’s project.
Director of Design & Projects, Denise Pan, and Senior Project Designer, Bessie Shen, said that Avenue Interior Design’s goal was to design spaces which “guests could come back to time and time again and have a different experience.” Interiors needed to both welcome the University of Colorado’s medical community and exude the spirited essence of the American West, and these intentions were salient throughout the crafting of the hotel’s social club, signature restaurant, lobby bar, ballroom, meeting rooms, private club lounge, and guestroom.
In the guestrooms, Avenue Interior Design strove to implement “four unique design schemes – something you rarely find in hospitality.” The hotel is a place for everyone to rest recover, and rejuvenate, and this inclusivity was at the forefront of each area’s design.
The astounding landscape of Colorado is a fundamental inspiration for the interior’s American West theme. The decor rhymes with the colors and textures of the scenery, with saturated jewels and neutral colors contrasting beautifully to mimic the wonderous diversity of the region’s terrain. Marble tile features throughout with distinct fine veining akin to Colorado Yule marble, a historic local material. Along the lobby floors and guestrooms corridors, timeless plaid patterns can be found, their inlaid tile patterns introducing a vivid energy to these spaces. Textiles and rugs continue the Western theme throughout, and leathers fuse this motif with a luxury standard of comfort in both public spaces and guestrooms. Four on-theme guestroom schemes work to make every guest feel as though they are experiencing something unique and individually fashioned, and the addition of Southwestern details throughout the property establishes a consistency which lives and breathes in every room. Not to mention, The Benson Hotel & Faculty Club is home to the second largest collection of Western art in the state, bringing the culture and liveliness of this area into the hotel.
Shipment delays threatened to delay the project, but Denise and Bessie said the team’s continued collaboration with Aimco, Tryba (architect), and Hyder Construction (contractor) allowed them to “consistently find innovative solutions that were best suited for the project’s completion and success.”
At Bray Whaler we specialize in the procurement of furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the hospitality industry. With over 37 years of experience, our firm has procured over $5.5 billion of furnishings and operating supplies for resorts, boutique hotels, multi-family destinations, restaurants, urban luxury, and commercial spaces.
We take a team-based approach with our vendors and designers, and love to collaborate and come together to avoid any industry shortcomings. We also pride ourselves on our transparency and communication with our clients, which keeps them coming back to us time and time again.
On the Benson Hotel & Faculty Club project we bought custom furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the property. Project Director Maggie Halmo commented: “I’ve been at Bray Whaler for over 13 years, and it’s always special to be a part of a unique property, especially one that promotes community and brings people together. Luckily, we do a lot of custom work, so we see new designs and concepts in the furniture in our community. Benson is also in our backyard in the Fitzsimmons, CO area.”
She concluded: “It feels special to be part of one of the country’s oldest and largest hospitality purchasing firms and very powerful to be a women-owned company.”
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