If walls could talk, Chateau Marmont’s would be the first to nab a book deal and a Ryan Murphy–produced anthology series. Perched high on Sunset Boulevard, the 1929 complex designed by William Douglas Lee began as an apartment building. It soon became an inn and a celebrity magnet. The hangout and hiding spot has operated on a continuum of drama and intrigue over the years, housing F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dorothy Parker, Hunter S. Thompson, and many others.
The Chateau’s vintage-inspired interiors reflect the building’s timeless status, but how might a designer renovate it to speak to the celebrity culture of today? To find out, AD PRO asked two of the city’s top designers.
I think it would be a blessing and a curse to be asked to touch that place. Looking at the lobby and main areas, I think what’s great about it is that it’s almost not designed in a sense—there are a lot of selections that aren’t fashionable or of a modern taste. It’s sort of an eclectic mix of some Spanish things, Victorian pieces, and overstuffed furniture. I think that’s part of the charm of it.
If I were to do something, it would almost be like a temporary installation—similar to how, in a grand home for the summer, you would do slipcovers to change the mood in an impermanent way. What I would love to do is slipcover all the upholstery. You would still see the structure of the piece. Maybe the fabric is a red stripe ticking to unify everything. It would look quite modern.
For the summer, I would bring enormous potted trees into the space. Really overscaled, so they become big canopies you’re sitting under. I would also bring in wicker and some occasional pieces: ottomans, tables. Or you could keep the lamps and change the shades to wicker. Maybe the maroon rug stays, and you bring in some sisal area rugs to overlay, so you still see maroon on the perimeter. Those elements would really transform the space. And it would literally be there for two months, and you could put it all back.
