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Bar Décor

Hotel Design

The bronze bar at Upstairs at the Kimberly is sheltered by a walnut trellis and English ivy and evokes a feel of the 1940s.

Catering to revelers and romantics alike, the new industrial-cum-opulent Kastel lounge in Trump Soho is putting its mark on the neighborhood with its red-hot design work. Envisioned by Gregory Stanford and Penelope Fischer-White from the Rockwell Group, the bar draws inspiration from the ‘70s and ‘80s art scene (think Warhol andBasquiat).
“We chose materials from the urban streetscape and then combined it with the fashion and style of the people of Soho,” says Fischer-White. “There is a contrast between the large architectural scale of the building and a softer layer that’s really approachable and very intimate.”
Kastel, which opened in May, couples raw, rustic elements like reclaimed wooden walls and a concrete floor with more sultry pieces like copper-clad tables, black velvet banquets and a canopy of sparkling lights. Kastel’s design echoes Soho’s distinctive society of artists and fashionistas—individuals with a keen eye for aesthetics.

Kastel at Trump Soho is inspired by industrial artist lofts.

The color palette is surprisingly monochromatic, highlighting black and other muted tones with amber-colored rosewood tables and geometric leather stools with gleaming steel legs. With Kastel, however, the trick is all in the details, which add a definitive decadence and sensuality, offsetting the somber hues. Behind the bar, guests will find a surface of shimmering squares crafted with glass and mirror, hung on undulating cables. “It’s a little kinetic,” says Stanford. “The operator, [Nicola Siervo], wanted a downtown kind of vibe—that really cool sophistication that is not ostentatious. Kastel is loft and gallery-inspired but the art is really the people that are in the space.”
Inspired by the chic style of the ‘40s and ‘50s, emulating iconic New York hotels like the Algonquin and the Carlyle,Farnaz Mansuri of De-Spec created the Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel as a reinterpretation of heritage and “legacy,” coupled with an unexpected dash of punk. “We wanted an aesthetic that had the classic spirit of New York, older hotels which have slowly become landmarks,” says Mansuri. “We wanted to achieve that kind of longevity, but with ‘a twist of resistance.’”

The Red Room at Hotel Gansevoort channels a European bistro.

Offering a retractable glass ceiling for the more-than-balmy months and a fireplace for the less-than-steamy nights, the space continuously offers sweeping views of the East River and the bustling streets below. Upstairs highlights its rooftop and alfresco essence with a secret garden-esque influence. Green walls of English ivy are coupled with suspended carnival lights and glowing street lamps for an added touch of whimsy. Countering these more playful elements is the highly modern furniture sourced mainly from Moooi through B+B Italia. Mansuri utilized neo-wingback chairs and charred wooden tables for seating, while the come-hither bar is crafted from die-cut bronze intricately carved into a lattice pattern. The metal panels on the wall are an additional edgy element with embossed bronze mixed with steel in a gun metal finish and the cabinetries are of dark walnut, oil finished to a high shine.
 Collaborating on the interior work with Mansuri was Sylvia Tosun of Pentasia Designs while Brian Orter was taken on to design the highly theatrical lighting. Orter created an effect which looks as though guests are standing beneath a tree; leaf shadows fall faintly across the floor.

The neo-Gothic Upstairs at the Kimberly offers a panoramic view of the Manhattan skyline.

Though Mansuri says “it took hundreds of hours of meetings to make sure everyone owned the design and everyone liked it,” in the end they used the very first rendering they presented and have been running at full capacity since they opened June 12th.
While Andi Pepper has designed two Gansevoort properties already, one in the sun-drenched sands of Miami Beach and the other in Manhattan’s meatpacking district, her latest design work at the Gansevoort Park Avenue, which opened this past month, could be the most impressive incarnation of the brand to date. The tri-level rooftop bar and lounge, Plunge, is a pivotal element of the new hotel, serving as a testament to one of New York City’s most illustrious streets, celebrating the sophistication, style and savvy of Park Avenue and the people thriving on its streets. “Different styles have to mix together,” says Pepper. “There are finance people but also fashion people—it’s how the uptown and downtown meld together, how the meat market meets Park Avenue.”
While the space is divided into different “rooms,” the three floors can be combined into one lavish space for private parties. The Red Room is decidedly cozy, featuring warm hues and soft fabrics. Offsetting the cool gleam of the marble fireplace are red faux-leather tufted walls, cream leather banquettes and yellow velvet straight-back chairs. “The bistro mirrors in the antique glass frames mimic the fireplace,” says Pepper. “You can also look at people on the other side of the room. It’s a flirting device.”

The main bar at the Gansevoort Park Avenue features the photography of Deborah Anderson on the bar.

The Blue Room is steeped in 1950s Vegas, featuring an amoeba-like cutout style ceiling, leather vinyl on the walls and banquets, a glinting blue glass column, wooden floors and zebra accent pillows for a playful pop of pattern.  Deborah Anderson’s ethereal artwork of lithe floating woman is also featured prominently throughout the property, adding a sliver of sexiness to the décor.
The main space features an impressive backlit bar coupled with a wall of glass offering unobstructed views of the skyline while whimsical chandeliers, evoking delicate twigs, twinkle from the double-height ceiling. “Plunge really creates a scene at night,” says Pepper. “It has an aura of, ‘something is happening here and I need to find out.’


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