The LOLA Hotel, New York City

As the old saying goes: out with the old, and in with the new. What was once Manhattan's Hotel Thirty Thirty, in Midtown, is now the home of the savvy and stylish LOLA Hotel. A multi-million dollar renovation has been orchestrated by Highgate Hotel, with the design help of famed photographer Matthew Rolston. We caught up with Rolston in Hollywood last spring for a walk through of his newest hotel of the time, The Redbury. Rolston expressed his desire to make his designs “appeal to a young, creative crowd and for the design experience to feel ‘theatrical’, a little bit like actually being in one of my photographs or music videos.”

While constructing the design, Rolston worked closely with Highgate's go-to designer Susan Jaques. Conceptually, Jaques "embraces a design aesthetic that is inspired by old Hollywood glamour and iconic femme fatales," an idea which manifests itself into the sultry and moody design of the Lobby, which she spearheaded.

The property, originally built in 1903, carried a unique history. " A respectable women’s residence, the property known as the Martha Washington played host to screen starlets Louise Brooks and Veronica Lake among other fashion forward women ahead of their time, each eager to take Manhattan by storm. The property's unique history informed the redesign of LOLA."

“My vision for the hotel lobby marries its storied history with a glamorous design aesthetic evocative of the modern day femme fatale,” expressed designer Susan Jaques. “LOLA, a playful and provocative character that I created to embody the property’s personality, served as inspiration for the redesign that Matthew and I worked together to achieve.”

Employing a bold amethyst color palette with smoky charcoal hues, eye-catching fabrics and strong, statement pieces, Jaques designed the captivating lobby lounge appointed with one-of-a-kind velvet-mohair chairs, leather half-moon shaped sofas and an oversized marble topped coffee table.  Renowned for his innovative use of light, Rolston chose a striking Jason Miller chandelier for the hotel’s vestibule and created a spectacular “Icon” chandelier installation for the lobby lounge using over eighty individual Tom Dixon globe fixtures.

 (Photographs: Courtesy of Hotel Lola)