Elizabeth Hotel, The Music Lovers’ Dream In Fort Collins

Elizabeth Hotel, a 164-room boutique hotel in Colorado, opened in December 2017, on the edge of Old Town Fort Collins. The beautiful project celebrates the local music community with Bohemian Companies – the for-profit sister company of the Bohemian Foundation, which heavily invested in the music and art scene throughout Fort Collins. Having this in mind, the hotel will feature local art from students, professors and musicians, including music that will carry through the building.

The Elizabeth Hotel also pays tribute to “Auntie” Elizabeth Stone, owner of the first hotel in Fort Collins and considered as the city’s “Founding Mother”. She had amazing qualities which made her earn the affectionate nickname of “Auntie” like her delicious cooking, her great sense of humour and generous hospitality. Elizabeth Stone was known for her boundless energy. On her 81st birthday, townspeople and four generations of the Stone family held a dance in her honour at the Masonic Hall. As the music plays a big part in Fort Collins’ nowadays, the Elizabeth Hotel will keep her alive in every melody, from top to bottom every day of the week.

The project was an excitement for the interior design studio DLR Group and the architectural language spoke with soul and history. To help to elevate the personality of the charismatic project, MAYA Armchair from BRABBU was the perfect solution of the juxtaposition of elegance and female energy combined with contemporary style. DLR Group explains their challenge:

What was the main inspiration for this project?

Love of music is inherent in the Fort Collins community, and so played an integral role in inspiring our design for The Elizabeth Hotel. One of the cornerstone amenities of the hotel is its lending library where guests can check out musical instruments, equipment, and records. We created spaces that would complement those musical foundations, infusing acoustic design into every part of the hotel to enhance the audible experience.

What is your favourite feature of the whole design?

The entire design feels rooted in the community’s identity. From the artwork that welcomes you as you arrive, to the individual signature suites that each embody a different aspect of Fort Collins’ heritage, I love how we were able to work with the client and our partner firms to create a travel destination that connects locals and visitors to the fabric of the city.

In what way did BRABBU’s piece complement the space?

Our design for The Elizabeth Hotel offers a balance of feminine and masculine aesthetics, which was enhanced by our use of the BRABBU piece. The overall feel is one that is both familiar and elegant, and feels handcrafted in every way.

GET THE LOOK – MAYA ARMCHAIRS

What was the biggest creative challenge for you?

We really wanted to make sure that what we were creating felt authentic – that it would give guests a unique experience equal to the uniqueness of the city. We knew how important The Elizabeth Hotel would be to the local community, and we felt a lot of pressure to make sure every design choice would accurately convey the city’s personality. That challenge ultimately produced a design that is as distinctive and inviting as Fort Collins itself.

Architecture by Denver-based 4240 Architecture and interior design by DLR Group balance feminine filigree details, intricate metalwork, and cast-plaster ceiling ornamentation with masculine accents of raw and aged wood. It is filled with local art. The 130 original pieces on display throughout the hotel—curated by Denver-based art advisory firm NINE dot ARTS—celebrate music, nature, and local artists, especially those with a connection to Colorado State University. Nearly four dozen of the artworks displayed in the hotel’s guest rooms and public spaces were produced by a CSU alumnus or professor.

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