Storied design a wonder for Wellington hotel

Naumi Studio Hotel Wellington is a destination. And thanks to inspired design by Material Creative, it’s also a journey in itself.

“We’ve got a good relationship with the client,” says Toni Brandso, who founded interior design studio Material Creative alongside Liv Patience. “This is the third project we’ve done for Naumi Hotels so we really knew their design style and how they worked.”

The hotel group has a strong identity including experiential design and philanthropic programmes.

Toni says one particular brand concept is the Naumi lady. “So we decided to create a narrative around her being this literary bohemian and custodian of the hotel, who fits in with Wellington’s Cuba Street landscape. She's kind of eclectic and has a seafaring husband. They collect treasures from all over the world and it’s curated in this wunderkammer of a hotel.”

The idea was to go all out: maximalist but not chaotic. And the site itself was an inspiration.

“We wanted to pay homage to the Edwardian building, and also the golden, romantic age that it was derived from. So really making the most of the existing ornate moldings, and using dark deep colors that stemmed from that era.”

In the first of two stages, Material Creative has designed guest rooms, the restaurant and bar, and public areas such as a reception, lobby and parlour.

The story begins as soon as you set foot on the carpet in the reception: it’s woven with the bold florals of a painting by New Zealand artist Karl Maughan. “It’s like an Edwardian garden that flows into the rest of the space,” says Toni.

In the adjacent lobby, a large Angus Muir floral sculpture continues that theme. “It's very wild – oversize flowers just hanging over you as you sit at that little banquette seat.”

The parlour joins the reception and lobby with the lounge bar.

“I had just been to Paris, and stayed at a hotel that had this beautiful indoor courtyard where guests waited before they went to their rooms, or to meet up with friends. And it seemed such a lovely idea to have an Edwardian reception room. We designed it to be a light and bright departure from the other deep, moody spaces.”

The breakfast buffet is one of Toni’s favourite areas. “That lilac iridescent tiled buffet table with the chandelier over it. It's just amazing. We had Gartshore, our main contractor, order the Bisazza tiles before they even signed the deal. We couldn't miss out.”

In the hotel restaurant, Lola Rouge, the client showed even more of an adventurous side.

“They pushed us to go deeper. The cuisine is pan-Asian, a little bit spicy, so with every iteration we kept going darker, moodier and more lush.”

The private dining area is floor-to-ceiling red. “We've tried to treat every surface to create an experience around every corner.”

The story of the Naumi woman and her husband continues in the guest rooms above. Each level is a different colour, and as you move down the corridors, the tones change. “So it’s like you’re moving through sunrise and sunset.”

Creating such a fanciful world without going too far takes a strong hand.

“It was fun to design. In the initial stages we had presented two concept options, just to feel out where we're heading. Then once that was signed on, we put together a full concept. Then we had weekly design meetings with our client Gaurang Jhunjhnuwala and the Naumi team to make sure we captured every aesthetic detail, and that everything was also operationally stacking up.”

Of course not every project looks like this, says Toni. “For each client, our goal is to design something that suits them, creating the unexpected and bringing people together. So this hotel really embodies these ideas. People love it and want to be in the space: it feels good.”

Images: Samuel Hartnett