Splendid Palace Hotel unveils Ottoman-inspired redesign
Splendid Palace Hotel, an Istanbul property constructed in the early 20th century by Müşir Kazım Pasha, has seen its grand dame aesthetic rejuvenated by Athens and Saigon based design practice Studio Noor. Inspired by a combination of the hotel’s location, classic Luchino Visconti movie sets and Agatha Christie novels, the scheme blends historic references with contemporary accents.
To achieve an authentic restoration, the studio undertook an extensive research project studying the structure’s history and examining photographs and references from the hotel’s archives. Interviews were also held with members of the family who have owned the hotel since 1908, while projects of the same era were also reviewed, including studies of other hotels in Istanbul, Cote d’Azur and the Italian Riviera.
Throughout the building, shades of Basque red accentuate key design features. Initially deployed on French shutters on the hotel’s façade, an internal staircase and the inside of the public telephone booth in the lobby, the colourway accompanies a custom-designed ottoman sofa upholstered in a Jim Thompson fabric, while red screens and lanterns in the winter garden channel a modern twist on Ottoman flair. The lobby further features a gilded Louis XV sofa, an easel sourced from an antiques market in Athens and an antique gilded marble table. The original lighting in the lobby was also re-polished and reconditioned, while furniture pieces were reupholstered in light coloured linens.
Much of the furniture comprises original pieces found in the hotel, its storerooms and attics, originating from Establissement Austro-Ottoman d’Ameublements (Est. 1867). These pieces were lovingly restored by Studio Noor’s team of artisans to peel away layers of lacquer applied throughout the years. They were then reupholstered in a range of contemporary fabrics to introduce a touch of modernity.
Unique objects and decorative items including antique silver were sourced from antiques dealers in Istanbul and on Studio Noor buying trips to flea markets in Athens, Portobello Market in London and antique dealers in Vietnam. These include two dramatic oversized blue and white vases at the entrance to the bar sourced in Vietnam. The linen drapery is custom-designed and was inspired by photographs of hotels in Greece. A large square table in the centre of the lounge features a collection of found objects, books and magazines.
Studio Noor also designed a new bar towards the back of the lounge area, and repainted the wall in a rich blue tone to complement the colour palette of the furniture and accessories in the room. The space includes a selection of rugs in faded blue, cream and grey tones. Many of the lighting features found in the hotel are original but the chandelier in the bar area was custom designed with resin beads containing Turkish tealeaves and manufactured in Vietnam.
Throughout the rest of the hotel, Studio Noor has paid considerable attention to the display of the artwork. Most of the smaller oil paintings were commissioned in Vietnam and feature Ottoman artists such as Hoca Ali Riza and depictions of other seaside views from the region. Elsewhere, a large reproduction of an 18th century Italianate Bosphorus and Golden Horn view now hang above the reception of the hotel. All painting reproductions were aged by hand using craft techniques.
For the design of the hotel restaurant, Studio Noor opened up the space by removing existing large cabinets and adding sleek new buffet counters. The chairs were re-stained in a blue and grey colour palette and reupholstered in a matching fabric reminiscent of Bayadere, which was fashionable in the Ottoman Empire at the time the hotel first opened. New curtains were added to the space as well as new tables with wrought iron feet, while the tableware used in the restaurant is the hotel’s original silverware from Christofle. Studio Noor also repolished and reconditioned original chandeliers that feature in the space, while clusters of small reproduction paintings hang on the walls, adding extra character to the space.
