Hotel designers can face the same sorts of challenges that homeowners do: Insufficient natural light, wide open space that needs to be carved up for a variety of functions, unstable flooring...
That was the case for a design team from two architectural firms, charged with developing a three-level hotel inside a historic train station.
The lower downtown suite, shown above, is among loft-style rooms they created in what had previously been the unused attic of Union Station.
Before it was turned into a high-style guest room, the floor wasn't strong enough to support the weight of people, and the small dormer windows were set high in the walls, meaning the rooms didn't get much light.
Beyond taking advantage of the exposed wooden timbers, vaulted ceilings and other architectural details of the Arts building, the designers came up with solutions to create the inviting design shown.
Here's how they approached the challenges::
Floor height: The new structural floor is about 30 inches higher. Some areas were raised even more so guests can see out of the windows.
Color: Light-colored fabrics and surface materials brighten the space, helping to distribute the room's limited natural light. Warm tones in the furnishings enhance the color scheme.
Space: Elevated areas create a greater sense privacy and division within the room's open floor plan. The change in levels also makes the suites feel more luxurious than the hotel's rail-car inspired standard rooms, which have a consistent floor height.
Variation: Using a mix of woods, upholstery and decorative accents makes the room appear to have been furnished over time, adding to its eclectic appeal.
Local inspiration: The custom wood overlay on the bathroom door was inspired by screens at a nearby antique store. The hotel's varied artwork, including the array of mythical jackalope busts, is by Colorado artists.
Special effects: The rooms have overhead "rain" showers and free-standing soaker bathtubs. The custom-made light fixture was inspired by the people from the Fascination collection. The original chandelier is made of recycled brown bottle bottoms.
