Clarion Hotel Amaranten
‘60s hotel in a new version
A sober, elegant atmosphere that invokes Madison Avenue in the ‘60s, but with a modern outlook and with a touch of both Jackie Kennedy and Mick Jagger. This is what went on in the minds of our interior designers when they created the new concept for Clarion Hotel Amaranten on Kungsholmen in Stockholm.
Maybe it was the older generation that felt most at home when the doors opened again to Clarion Hotel Amaranten in May 2016. The hotel has been given an eagerly awaited new suit, which despite its modern take embodies the same type of elegance and materiality as when it first opened in 1969 – from the ground level and all the way up to the 461 rooms on the floors above.
“One of the first things we found when we started doing research for this project was a fantastic drawing of the original lobby. Obviously, we were over the moon when we found out that the enormous crystal chandelier in the picture was still around, locked away in a storage area for many, many years”, says Josef Zetterman, the interior designer in charge of the project.
Old qualities, new details
The team found and restored the chandelier, which spans approximately three meters in diameter. It has now become one of the lobby’s wow-factors. Below the chandelier, a striking reception desk in brass and oak mirrors its shape and size. Around it, a large and inviting social space unfolds. Extra attention has been given to the flow, ensuring seamless transitions between the hotel’s various activities. We have kept many of the existing qualities of the entrance floor and improved them with new solutions. The concrete roof has been uncovered and painted in a darker shade of the sober grey that we selected for the walls.
Elements of light reflecting bronze, chrome and brass contrast with the warm, dark shades of both fixed and mobile fittings. The original floors of wood and limestone contrast with a new carpet that we designed specifically for the project.
“Our colleague, Sandra Wall, is very good at creating patterns. She developed the design of the carpet inspired by a dress from Yves Saint Laurent from the same era.”
Linda Wedebrunn, Interior Designer
‘60s rock inspired the hotel rooms
All of the nearly five hundred rooms at Clarion Hotel Amaranten now have a new, customized look. Inspired by icons like Mick Jagger in Performance, we have created an exclusive atmosphere with a touch of rock ’n’ roll. Every piece of furniture is specially designed. Sofas feature wooden frames with integrated desks, and wardrobes have built-in lighting in the clothes rails. The overall concept draws heavily from the materials, textures, and colors of the ’60s, but with a modern twist. Details set the tone. Every element, from furniture to lighting design, has been carefully considered to create the warm, exclusive feeling that defines the rooms.
Continental hotel bar and restaurant – with cocktails on tap
Next to the lobby is the new bar, the Tap Room, an extension of the restaurant Kitchen & Table right next door (our first project at Amaranten – and a concept that we have developed further at Clarion Hotel Malmö Live). In the Tap Room, the focus is on innovative service, clean taste experiences and the combination of food and drink. The new bar is one of the focus points of the hotel, with a lot of capacity and flexibility during the day and three full service bar stations. It is open to the public as well as the hotel guests. This is intended to be a destination for food, drinks and atmosphere.
“The details have been super important both for Clarion and for us in the entire project. The common vision for the decoration in the Tap Room has been very specific which is why we have designed all the furnishings ourselves. Our product designers have for example designed a cool bar stool in consultation with Pronova Interiör which comes in two models,” says Linda Wedebrunn, interior designer at Tengbom.
We have also been able to design something that we probably would never have imagined in our wildest dreams: a cocktail tap. This is because in the Tap Room you can order Sweden’s first – and so far the only – draft Manhattan.
“Actually, the only thing that is left is the building and the facade of the hotel, which means that we have made an incredible journey to the goal of raising the hotel to a brand new level. The new bar which is unique in Sweden is the finishing touch.”
Erica Lund, hotel director at Clarion Hotel Amaranten
Conference rooms in old bank vaults
Adjacent to the lobby, the new conference facility takes shape through a close collaboration with Clarion. Together, we have created unique rooms based on the design concept. Several of the rooms face the street, offering passers-by an exciting glimpse of the new environment. Working with older buildings and drawings always brings challenges. Unexpected surprises emerge, but they also create new opportunities. The team preserves solid materials and unique details. At the same time, they introduce new elements that add fresh character. Some of the conference spaces once belonged to a bank. A large vault from that era still stands. It has now been transformed into the meeting room The Situation Room. It may not suit those who dislike enclosed spaces, but for everyone else, it offers an exciting and unique setting.
