72 | Dazzling interiors breaking the mould Kelly Deeks The attention grabbing interior at Naumi Studio Wellington. Photos: Samuel Hartnett INTERIORS Material Creative NEW COLLECTION by GREG NATALE — NEW WAVE www.designerrugs.nz @designerrugs_nz 1 Grosvenor St - Grey Lynn - Auckland 09 300 6116 Material Creative has done it again, with another stunning, unexpected, and attention-grabbing interior at Naumi Studio Wellington that has not only brought home multiple awards, but has also broken down some more of the traditional New Zealand hotel aesthetic. Naumi Studio Wellington is the third of Material Creative’s partnerships with the Singapore-based design hotel group, having fit out its first location in New Zealand, Naumi Auckland Airport, in 2017/18, then the Dairy Private Hotel in Queenstown. Naumi Auckland Airport was a groundbreaker for New Zealand’s hotel industry, breaking the mould of the traditional boutique hotel experience, and redefining the hotel lobby space with a totally unexpected lounge vibe. “It was really successful and became a hub for guests and visitors to socalise,” says Material Creative co-founder and director Toni Brandso. “Our number one, our top line, is unexpected spaces. We are trying to deliver that unexpected experience. We love colour and we love materiality, using materials in different ways is what really excites us.” Set in the heart of Wellington city, in an early 1900s Edwardian building on the eclectic Cuba Street, this 116-room building, Naumi Studio Wellington, has been transformed into a feast for the senses, captivating its guests with eclectic spaces inspired by seafaring, the literary world, and the fictional Lady Naumi. Lady Naumi is the hotel’s curator, a bohemian character with a merchant sailor husband who captures the zeitgeist spirit, thought, and feeling of the Edwardian era, the bohemian culture of Cuba Street, and the lifestyle surrounding music, art, literary, and spiritual pursuits. “The hotel feels like the home of her Cabinet of Curiosities,” Toni says. Brief specifications to be bold, whimsical, colourful, and intriguing are achieved. Upon entry to Naumi Studio Wellington, maximalism takes over. A large-scale gold leaf floral backdrop, created by The Art Dept, wraps up onto the ceiling and is majestically scattered with lit floral sculptures by Angus Muir Designs. In front are curved bronzed brass reception counters, standing solidly on a field of flowers in the form of a bespoke rug, created by Designer Rugs with artist Karl Maughan. Inside the lounge, guests are immersed in the world of Wunderkammer. Collected curiosities line the walls under dim lighting, it’s a cozy exotic space for travelers to nestle down in a home away from home. The Parlour at Naumi Studio Wellington references the Edwardian heritage of the building. Taking cues from light-filled reception rooms of the period and Parisian conservatories, Material Creative pushed the boundaries with colour and pattern, creating a relaxing space drawing people in like moths to light. The hotel corridors are inspired by Lady Naumi and her husband’s journeys on the Silk Road. Each level is a tonal gradient of one colour. “Mimicking the changes in hue at sunset and sunrise, each corner you turn is a different experience,” Toni says. The Guest rooms are one of four rich colour palettes, weaving through a wonderful homely feel. Each room features a silk thread artwork created by fine artist Hayley Brown of The Art Dept. The headboards pay homage to the architecture of the Edwardian building, inspired by the forms of the turn of the century logo that still adorns the hotel’s facade. Material Creative had one problem on this project - fitting out a hotel in a global pandemic. “We had started work on the guest rooms six months before Covid hit, but the demolition had begun in the downstairs common areas only a month before lockdown so that part of the project proved to be quite a challenge. “We had to re-spec tiles and fabrics as lead times in shipping with intonational lockdowns proved difficult.” The 4 star 116 room hotel is stage one of a two part story, with stage two, the refurbishment of the neighbouring 2002 tower block into 5 star guest rooms now being undertaken by Material Creative and a dedicated team of consultants and contractors. The common spaces are created to service both hotel wings. “Our number one, our top line, is unexpected spaces. We are trying to deliver that unexpected experience.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=