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A slightly different makeover!

She is successful but humble, classic but daring. She loves culture and travels all over the world. Her home, a welcoming, inviting and relaxed space, is a reflection of her soul, and filled with beautiful details and unique objects from all the corners of the earth. Her name is Kristina and she is an affluent attorney in New York – and what we call a world citizen.

When Lydmar contacted Nude Ateljé and asked them to submit a pitch for a makeover of the entire hotel, Nude brought in Kristina as a model. Very much a real person, Kristina is furthermore a close friend of Eva-Lotta, the owner and creative director of Nude Ateljé. With Kristina personifying the project, Nude presented an extensive mood board to the Lydmar that brought together all the key elements of the project.

In the Lydmar pitch, Nude chose three key words to guide their work going forward: Elegant, Culture and Bold. The different words, or rather layers, which Eva-Lotta prefers to call them, represent different aspects of every room. Elegant is symbolised through the furniture, which is a selection of modern classics as well as Eva-Lotta’s designed furniture pieces that are made specially for Lydmar. Culture is represented in the art collection of Lydmar, as well as in the rugs and lighting, one-of-a-kind objects, which are given prominence in some of the rooms. And finally, Bold refers to the choice of fabrics, often inspired by the world of fashion. Tailormade products such as cushions and curtains are sewn up in fabrics often seen on the catwalks. In room 215, we can for example sink our feet into Alexander McQueen’s “To die for” rug.

“My work brings me all over the world but there is something special about running alongside the Hudson.”

The world of fashion has been inspirational in the makeover in a number of ways. Belgian designer and fashion creator Dries van Noten is a personal source of inspiration for Eva-Lotta. “His designs are incredibly classic, with idiosyncratic British tailormade style, while at the same time being extremely bold. I love how he works with colour, and I find his work extremely inspiring.”

The renovation project was presented to guests invited to Lydmar’s 10-year anniversary party on October 10. However, the renovation in itself is not related to this milestone. Neither is the makeover being done to make the hotel trendier, or create a new style or find a new audience. Quite simply – it is time. The idea started to take shape last year, when Nude Ateljé was commissioned to revamp Lydmar’s signature suite. The result was highly appreciated by the hotel and guests alike, and after that the conversation with Nude continued. Now it is time for the rest of the hotel to be given the same type of lift. “The complete DNA of the Lydmar is gathered in that suite, and now we will use certain elements and details in the other room types, reinforcing and distilling the identity,” explains Eva-Lotta.

“For the Lydmar, it is important to point out that we are not aiming to be something else or something new,” says Maria Maruska, CEO at Lydmar. “We have fantastic guests, who return again and again, both in terms of hotel guests and restaurant guests, we do not want to be anything other than what we are today – a discerning choice for discerning guests, yet improved and reinforced. They have high demands and know what they want, both when it comes to interior decor and level of service. Something we have chosen to meet with a very personal touch in everything we do. Our staff does not wear strict uniforms when they work, and we are happy to share tips about our personal favourites when it comes to bars, night clubs, shopping, day trips, and so on, regardless of price bracket or trend factor, which often lack importance for our guests. They are more interested in finding the authentic and are genuinely interested in knowing where our locals hang out and why. We try to give our guests the feeling that they are coming home to a close friend,” explains Maria.

In the interior, this is manifested in unique objects of art as well as the everyday items such as board games, found all over the hotel, which are very popular. “Our guests are high-performing and when they stay with us, one of their primary goals is to find a level of harmony, so they can relax and enjoy themselves. In order for them to do so, we need to deliver, on all levels, which I believe we really do and are passionate about. Guests of the Lydmar leave content and happy, largely thanks to the hard work of our dedicated, fantastic staff.”

“I want my guests to feel relaxed and at home, the only problem is… they never want to leave!”

But getting back to the more surface elements of the Lydmar’s work, namely the interior decor, there is yet another layer that Eva-Lotta has chosen to work with: a material selection that gives patina. Wood, stone and metal, are recurring materials chosen both for fixed and movable furnishing details. The reason quite simply is that these materials only get better with age and create an ambiance of timelessness. Such as in room 214, where sensational bedside tables in coffee-coloured granite were crafted. “We have had a fantastic opportunity to tailor different solutions thanks to the individual craftspeople and ateliers that we work with,” explains Eva-Lotta. For the Lydmar’s guests, this is particularly meaningful, as they are so comfortable in themselves that they do not need to be surrounded by lots of logos to confirm their choice.

Talking about ambiance and harmony, naturally the Lydmar’s very own signature scent, created by celebrity-fave scent designer Azzi Glasser, played an important role in Nude’s work with the interior. “It was important that our pitch was in harmony with the scent. We drew inspiration from the scent, and our choice of products as well as the feeling they portray needed to be in harmony with the scent,” explains Eva-Lotta.

A major part of the work has already been completed. The entire planning stage and all decision making regarding individual room finishes has been ongoing for a longer period of time. Now the project is entering a new phase. The implementation. Nonetheless, Maria is not concerned that guests might be disturbed by the work. “We will be working on one floor at a time, which will be totally closed off to guests. Of course, this will mean that fewer rooms will be available during the revamp. But this what we believe is the best solution for our guests and the end result. The entire project will be completed in the early summer of 2019 and naturally we are extremely excited to find out what our guests think,” Maria concludes.