At the entrance, the large, bold wall made entirely of green marble welcomes customers with neon pink lettering that reads ‘and breathe’. The knockers on the doors to the rooms are decorated with deer, elk and bees.
The luminous structure of the Areti hanging lamps features little birds ‘resting’ on the stem, while a series of dragonflies forms the pattern reproduced on the Kit Miles velvet that covers the chairs upholstered by Danish firm Gubi.
Duo Alex Michaelis and Tim Boyd elegantly present a playful, eccentric ‘retreat’ for Kimpton De Witt, a renovated gem in the heart of Amsterdam that belongs to the Kimpton hotel chain, placing particular emphasis on liveliness and a light-hearted style.
The designers and their team were able to turn these concepts into reality together with Ave Bradley, global senior VP, design and creative director of all of Kimpton’s hotels, creating a concept defined by references to the animal/vegetable world, along with distinctly architectural elements.
It is a deliberate reference to the Dutch city’s traditions. ‘Flora and fauna’ are combined with wood-pannelled walls, oak floors, large windows profiled with aluminum and tailored marble-clad vertical surfaces. The ground floor has been redesigned with the aim of creating a visual connection with the street, making it easier for guests to access the lobby and a series of common areas furnished with Arflex, Zanotta and Moroso sofas, Cassina armchairs, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna chairs and Muuto poufs.
The striking reception features blue floor tiles – made using the ancient encaustic method, whose graphic design pays homage to Delft’s traditional local majolica –, a fireplace entirely tiled in white in the center of the room and a bench with cushions that marks out the perimeter. What was formerly the lounge, the building’s central point, has been redesigned as a winter garden that is able to bring natural light and fresh air to the very heart of the building and to act as a ‘terrace’ to the adjacent House Bar.
The bar – a very aesthetically impressive space – boasts ornithological wallpaper, specially designed by Michaelis Boyd, which covers the ceiling, alternating with original beams – another tribute to the Dutch Renaissance. The setting is framed by magnificent velvet chairs and bar stools designed by Cappellini. For the bedrooms – 274 including 15 with particularly distinctive features – two different layouts and color palettes were chosen to offer different experiences thanks to the use of oak wood for the floors, marble for the bedside tables and fabrics for the beds’ headboard.
A specially designed brass structure shapes the walls, seamlessly modifying their design and function by turning them into a chest of drawers, suitcase holder, storage shelf, clothes rack and mirror. Geometry reigns in the bathrooms, which feature hexagonal tiles and elements custom-designed by Michaelis Boyd.
