You don’t have to ask about the ethos of Hyatt’s JdV brand. It’s in the name, an acronym for joie de vivre. Dan Mazzarini, principal and creative director of BHDM Design in New York, describes the global JdV identity as “vibrant, bubbly, bright and celebratory.” These descriptions certainly apply to BHDM’s recently completed Wild Palms Hotel in its technology-centric Silicon Valley portfolio. You know what else fits that description? Aperol Spritz. In fact, a vintage ad for the trendy aperitif set the tone for a five-year renovation. “It is one of our smallest and longest projects,” Mazzarini continues. His company has left its mark on hospitality interiors from Atlanta and New York to Honolulu. .
BHDM was commissioned to redesign the public areas (lobby, food and beverage outlets, conference zones, and hallways) of a two-story hotel totaling 16,500 square feet. (The 207 keys had been updated over the years as they changed hands.) The property had an “easy, breezy, midcentury California feel,” Mazzarini said. says Mr. The main asset they inherited was a loft-like two-story lobby. However, it lacked a strong connection to the adjacent dining lounge and outdoor pool, let alone an overall sense of unity.
The back of the custom MDF desk at the front features 3D painted wood artwork by Tilde Greenup, inlaid with ombré vinyl circles.
Working with staff designers Sheila Cahill and Matty Obermeyer, Mazzarini initially devised a less ambitious, more subdued solution. But COVID-19 put the project on hold for two years, and when it restarted, the team pivoted. “We changed the story to be optimistic,” Mazzarini recalls. “We needed a drink too!” So the team combined the Aperol Spritz allusion with an apt tagline: “62 Years and Sunny.” This is a dual purpose, representing the local climate and the hotel’s decade of existence.
To maintain clarity, the walls that separated the reception, lobby and dining functions have been demolished and structural work carried out. Upon checking in, guests find themselves in a unique and enjoyable space with unobstructed access to the pool. The interior is full of messy circles (think bubbles and beach balls) in cheerful colors, including sunny yellow, clear sky blue, and rosy pink. A custom mobile of acrylic discs takes center stage in the loft-like lobby, while a painted wood sculpture artwork by Tilde Greenup provides a backdrop for the reception desk, an MDF structure inlaid with ombre vinyl. Cabana stripes and poolside-appropriate furniture reflect the indoor-outdoor environment. Extending the vibrant theme to the to-go dining lounge at the rear of the lobby is a punchy graphic wallcovering. Like the powder-coated aluminum face lamp designed by BHDM. It was truly bizarre.
Walk Through The Wild Palms Hotel
The pillars of the dining lounge, which connects to the new lobby, are covered in fluted ceramic tiles. Custom-configured iridescent acrylic discs fill the volume of the double-height lobby. Below, a custom rug and coffee table anchor the seating area, which is illuminated by a wicker floor lamp. The MDF stair railing, perforated to repeat the circular theme, extends to the parapet of the second-floor overlook. Each building in the hotel has a different door color to help you find your way around easily. The pool, which is now visible from the public spaces, is adorned with vintage solid iron ‘face’ chairs.
Product sources from before: Wolf-Gordon: Custom murals, banquet upholstery (lounge), sofa fabric (lobby). AMTREND: Candelabra bracket (lounge), orange table (lobby). HBF Textile: Blue pillow fabric (lounge, lobby). Color Code Company: Candelabra (Lounge). The Division 12: Blue Chair. BLUDOT: Cafe table, ottoman. Ash New York: Upholstered Chair. Schumacher: Striped chair fabric, pillow fabric with fringes. Moroso: Sofa. Kvadrat: Sofa fabric. Translux: Custom face lamp. Hedge House Furniture: Wooden Cocktail Table. MOWAX Visual: Wall decoration, mobile (lobby). Stylex: Sofa. BD: Yellow chair. Grand Rapids Chair Company: Red Chair. My home: Martini table. Crates and barrels: bookcases, ceiling fixtures (lounge), side tables with angled base (lobby). Visual comfort: lamp (reception). Tomnak: Column candlestick (lounge). Hong Kong Living: Tree lamp. Petit Pomme: Floating ring (pool). BUSINESS & PLEASURE CO.: Umbrellas, towels.
Entire product source: Royal Tie: Custom Rugs. Breton Architects: Architect of Record. Phil Stein Design Collective: Art Consultant. San Jose Woodworking: Factory. MARTIN SIGN CO.: Custom signs. GIDEL & KOCAL CONSTRUCTION CO.: General contractor.
