New Kid on the Block: Warren Street Hotel

I have already covered the restaurant and bar at the Warren Street Hotel, the new Firmdale boutique hotel between Greenwich and West Broadway. See that post here. Then last week I was given the tour of the hotel itself — and I am sad to say it is likely the last time I will see inside a room there, maybe ever. But it was fun while it lasted.

The whimsical and detailed decor is the work of designer Kit Kemp, who founded Firmdale with her husband, Tim, and who with her team (which now includes two of her three daughters) is responsible for why the place looks so incredible. There is not a petal in a bouquet or a soap dish or a book spine on a shelf that is not carefully considered. And one room is more beautiful than the next. Her interiors are what I would call a cozy maximalist — they are filled with texture, color and pattern, yet somehow it comes together to present as warm and welcoming. If interior design is your thing, it is worth a visit.

The hotel itself was designed by Stonehill Taylor, the Chelsea architecture firm that also designed Firmdale’s other city hotels: The Whitby and Crosby Street Hotel.

Kemp was there when I toured, and said, with a wink, that the Warren Street Hotel was her favorite of her 11 hotels.

“My favorite is always the last one I’ve done because I’ve been working on it so intensely,” she said. “The Whitby always says, ‘come stay with us’ plus my hairdresser is next door. But this is wonderful.”

I am not a hotel aficionado by any means — I will take an Airbnb every time in would-you-rather. But it seems to me that most hotels apply the same decorating theme throughout, with occasional variations on the theme. Here, every room is different. And maybe that doesn’t matter if you only get to stay in one, but it sure is fun when you tour.

If money is no object (and it has to be to stay there — the starting room is $925) then I would go for the north-facing suite with the terrace. It has an expansive view over the neighborhood, even from inside. (NB: I did not look in any rooms lower than the sixth floor; those are bound to be different in terms of light and views.) The top-floor residences — there are 11 — are for stays longer than 30 days.

Some remarkable features: the oak doors of each room are a good two inches thick — I can’t say I have ever seen a door like that. Many of the walls are upholstered, which must add to the sound-dampening. There is custom art throughout; on the eighth floor, a series of framed prints spell out Warren St.

The hotel is small — there are 69 rooms and not a lot of common spaces — but the drawing room for hotel guests only is special. Would make a great holiday party room for a small group, NB. The back of the restaurant, which they call the Orangerie, has a skylight, making it especially nice for brunch. Starting in March, they will be serving afternoon tea back there as well.

It’s worth going by just to take a stroll through and note the art — the staff at the front desk and the door are very welcoming. There is some significant art there — Tony Cragg, Gareth Devonald Smith, Sanaa Gateja, Cristián Mohaded — as well as incredible crafts. The pottery in the orange recesses in the Orangerie is by Martha Freud, a descendant of Sigmund Freud. They are impossibly charming. (That’s a little fairy in the one above.) The ceramics on display were custom made for the hotel by Robina Jack; Kemp so loved the designs that she replicated them for wallpaper.

Much of the furniture, textiles, wallpaper and carpets are Kit Kemp Design, and I have a soft spot for the ‘Rocking Robin’ lighting throughout. You’ll see it as lamps, sconces and chandeliers in nearly every room, and in multiple colors. And of course it’s all for sale.

 

6 Comments

  1. I wouldn’t stay there, even one night…and not because of the price. It just, well…ugly!

  2. The decor is lively, interesting and different. I’m so tired of beige and grey. The colorful rooms are refreshing.

  3. Wow. Amazing. I get it’s not for people that like minimalist textures and tones, but it’s a breath of fresh air in a sea of predictable hotel colors or spa aesthetics. The details are so interesting, the art is incredible. It’s whimsical and boutique. I walked through the lobby and instantly smiled. Nice addition to the neighborhood, IMO.

  4. Glad the hotel is finished. It is certainly unique and not your run of the mill hotel decour. I really don’t care for maroon and reds generally this is not really my aesthetic. I typically wouldn’t care too much except at $1K a night I would absolutely want to like my hotel room. I guess no photos of the bathrooms?

  5. Welcome to the neighborhood!!! Wishing you lots of success!!

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