Fender Katsalidis designs suites for The Darling
Fender Katsalidis has completed the design of 16 bespoke suites at The Darling, a boutique hotel within entertainment precinct The Star Sydney.
The project scope began as a light-touch FFE exercise, before expanding to include renovations of the sleeping, dwelling and corridor areas, and detailed art curation and bespoke furniture creation.
The suites’ redesign has centred around the core principle of offering a restful and restorative stay, in conjunction with touches of playfulness and joviality that coincide with the hotel’s location. Layered design elements allow guests to uncover new facets of the suites’ design as they pass through the space, for instance bold red hues subtly woven through furniture detailing and artwork.
“Working closely with the client, we have been able to align our goals, sharpen the overall vision, and drive the necessary holistic approach to deliver something bigger and more meaningful for Sydney,” says Catherine Allington, Associate Principal at Fender Katsalidis. “Our goal with the refurbishment of the two levels is to offer captivating experiences and one-of-a-kind memories through design. With this intention, each guest suite is reimagined to have its own unique visual and sensory journey creating distinctive moments that oscillate between playfulness and respite.”
She continues: “The deluxe penthouse suite with the all-red karaoke room is unrestrained in its playfulness, so this is counteracted with an equally enhanced atmosphere of restfulness through the hues of soft greys and sages in the bedrooms.
“Slight variations were also applied to the interpretations of each suite as we were working with many existing finishes being retained. Applying this nuanced approach created experiential vignettes and a level of personalisation that sustains a continued sense of discovery and excitement for recurring guests.”
“The team at The Darling and Fender Katsalidis worked closely together in redefining the essence of luxury accommodation, uncovering the connection between guest and establishment and the interplay of design and experience,” says Mario Naim, Director of Hotels at The Star Sydney. “We are proud to continue investing and expanding what we offer at The Star to drive visitation and attract even more people to our beautiful city of Sydney.”
