PROJECT HIGHLIGHT: Hotel Boulderado
The Hotel Boulderado, located in Boulder, Colorado, has enjoyed a long history of shindigs, cocktail hours, and hauntings. Originally opened in 1909, it was ready for an overhaul. Jayna Kline Barber headed the team that transformed the space in 2017, preserving its legacy while updating amenities to attract guests and community members to this one-of-a-kind boutique hotel.
The hotel’s new experience begins with custom awnings and freshly painted trim. Throughout the entire lobby space and mezzanine above, custom rugs were designed to emulate the look of a worn, antique oriental rug interpreted in a watercolor style, with warm soft colors to replace the former burgundy floral floorcovering. Beginning with the arrival experience, the front desk found a new home in the former gift shop, and was custom designed and built to look like a piece of furniture, with fixed drawer fronts covered in faux leather. This allowed the Lobby to enjoy more functional seating groups. Embroidered wallcovering adds a Victorian-esque vibe. A fireplace facing the new front desk was uncovered and restored. The lobby-facing fireplace was relieved of its nineties-era rose granite cladding and outfitted in a glazed reclaimed brick tile better fitting to its era of inception. The old front desk was converted to a community table with historic safe and key boxes that now act as artwork. Historic mosaic tile flooring was restored throughout. Original mahogany wainscoting was rehabbed. Textural wallcovering with silver accents was paired with updated lighting to create luminance in the formerly dimly lit public space.
The voluminous lobby space is capped with a stained-glass dome that sits above the third floor, and the previous furnishings seemed under-scaled and lost. New furnishings were selected to create tighter, more inviting seating groups that create a buzz when well occupied. Console tables with lamps, and high-backed chairs are strategically placed to add rhythm. Selected furniture and fixtures have contemporary palettes and fabrics that complement and harmonize with the original mosaic tile flooring and rich wood paneling.
Ultimately, this hotel is a prime example of how modernization and preservation can work together to revive tired spaces. It has received accolades including the 2018 IIDA Best award for the PLAY category.
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