NEW HAVEN, CT — When guests walk into Mr. C Beverly Hills hotel for the first time, they might not immediately identify the subliminal elements that give the space its natural air of refinement. That’s by design. Architect and designer Marcello Pozzi was originally called to draw upon subliminal design features and flourishes to infuse it with a yacht-like atmosphere. His fine touch was requested again when the hotel added a spa to its portfolio of amenities a year later. To accentuate the nautical and elegant atmosphere, Pozzi specified ASSA ABLOY Rockwood decorative door pulls for the intimate Mr. C Spa & Beauty.
Each inch of the 700 square-foot spa reflects what Pozzi describes as his heightened and very Italian understanding of the importance of hardware.
“Door hardware goes with a space like a pair of shoes goes with an outfit,” he says. “It may not be the first thing you notice, but door hardware often completes a space.”
Like the hotel, the Mr. C Spa & Beauty relies heavily on travertine and flush wooden paneling, the latter of which especially contributes to the spa’s maritime aesthetic. With a firm belief that the tactile qualities of hardware play a major role in a guest’s experience, Pozzi pushed beyond the aesthetics of the space in search of a finish that dovetailed with the spa’s ambiance on an emotional level. The first time he saw it, he knew the polished chrome finish was the perfect fit.
“An important detail was the Rockwood pull’s round ends,” he said. “Flat ends feel more public and appropriate for office buildings but in hospitality, the roundness is warmer and more inviting.”
Pozzi believes the Rockwood door pulls, along with the flush and sleek surfaces that characterize the spa’s lobby and six luxurious private rooms, are what give the Mr. C Spa & Beauty an effortless sophistication that mirrors the parent hotel. “It’s these details that infuse the space with emotional warmth that is often missing from contemporary architectural design,” he says.
Rockwood’s decorative pulls are part of ASSA ABLOY’s Good Design Studio - your resource for beautiful doors, frames and hardware from ASSA ABLOY Group brands. Visit online at www.thegooddesignstudio.com.
