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Home Studios refreshes The Wren pub on NYC’s Bowery
CategoriesInterior Design

Home Studios refreshes The Wren pub on NYC’s Bowery

By Zarkon Group,

Brooklyn-based Home Studios has remodelled a bar and restaurant in New York’s East Village, using dark wood and velvet seating to retain a “worn-in and aged appearance”.

The Wren on the busy Bowery thoroughfare has become a neighbourhood staple since opening in 2012, but was ready for an interior revamp.

Entrance area of The Wren with walnut wall panelling and hardwood floorsEntrance area of The Wren with walnut wall panelling and hardwood floors
The Wren has been remodelled in a way that retains its rustic charm

Home Studios refreshed both levels of the upscale pub, including the upper-floor dining and drinking area, and private lounge downstairs.

“Despite the changes in the city and the evolution of the neighbourhood, The Wren has maintained its timeless appeal, offering visitors a glimpse into the past and an authentic pub experience,” said Home Studios, led by founder Oliver Halsegrave.

L-shaped bar with a marble counter and surrounded by wooden stoolsL-shaped bar with a marble counter and surrounded by wooden stools
The L-shaped bar has a marble counter and is surrounded by GAR Products stools

Across the main level, dark and moody materials have been used to retain the pub-like quality of the spaces, assisted by the exposed wooden ceiling beams and columns, and hardwood floors.

Either side of the entrance, black-painted, booth-style benches are installed against the walnut wall panelling, creating cosy nooks for pairs or small groups to occupy.

Chocolate-coloured velvet banquette featuring ribbed cushionsChocolate-coloured velvet banquette featuring ribbed cushions
Towards the back, a chocolate-coloured velvet banquette features ribbed cushions

The bar area features an L-shaped marble counter surrounded by GAR Products stools, opposite black wainscoting that runs below vintage-looking wallpaper.

Towards the back, a long banquette is dressed in ribbed cushions that form the seating and backrests, all wrapped in brown velvet.

Row of custom mirrors alternated with disk-shaped sconces above tablesRow of custom mirrors alternated with disk-shaped sconces above tables
Custom mirrors alternate with disk-shaped sconces by In Common With

Custom arched shaped mirrors mounted on the walls alternate with disk-shaped sconces by In Common With, against a beige textured plaster backdrop.

A variety of other sconces throughout were sourced from lighting brands including O’Lampia, Shades of Light, Allied Maker and Rejuvenation.

U-shaped both below two windowsU-shaped both below two windows
Guests can choose from a variety of booths, two-tops or standing areas

“With a worn-in and aged appearance, the space now exudes a moody winter-like atmosphere,” said Home Studios.

Downstairs, the mood is even more “sultry” and intimate, thanks to darker surfaces and a variety of dim, warm lighting sources.

The bar counter is made from Black Portoro marble and the wood floors are also stained black, while the banquette upholstery is a lighter tone than found on the upper level.

Between the two floors, guests can choose from a variety of seating or standing spots for enjoying their beers, cocktails and bar food.

Banquette below walnut panelling and candle sconcesBanquette below walnut panelling and candle sconces
In the private area downstairs, the mood is more sultry and the banquette upholstery is lighter in colour

“Home Studios has seamlessly blended nostalgic and rustic charm throughout The Wren’s interior, creating an inviting and distinctive ambiance that pays homage to the bar’s storied history,” said the team.

Home Studios is no stranger to refreshing beloved establishments, having completed interiors for The Bird in Montauk and The Pearl in Nantucket.

Downstairs area featuring dark-stained floors and a black marble bar counterDownstairs area featuring dark-stained floors and a black marble bar counter
The downstairs area features dark-stained floors and a black marble bar counter

The firm also recently turned a conference centre in Northern California back into a luxury hotel, as originally intended by the property’s founder: the inventor of the radio.

The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

Reference

Home Studios uses local materials to renovate Northern California hotel
CategoriesInterior Design

Home Studios uses local materials to renovate Northern California hotel

By Zarkon Group,

Brooklyn-based Home Studios has turned a conference centre in Northern California back into a luxury hotel, as originally intended by the property’s founder: the inventor of the radio.

The Lodge at Marconi sits on a 62-acre site next to Tomales Bay, within the picturesque Marconi State Historic Park – a 1.5-hour drive up Highway Route 1 from San Francisco.

Double-height lounge space with large windows and a red striped sofaDouble-height lounge space with large windows and a red striped sofa
Home Studios created a variety of lounge areas across Lodge at Marconi to provide an informal atmosphere

Designed for Nashville-based company Oliver Hospitality, the hotel occupies a historic property that was first built by Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian physicist who invented the radio in 1896.

“Home Studios found inspiration in the property’s storied history – particularly in the pioneering spirit of Guglielmo Marconi, who worked with a New York-based engineering company to build the property’s initial building, a luxury hotel, in 1914,” said the design team, led by Oliver Haslegrave.

Hotel reception counter clad in oxblood-coloured tilesHotel reception counter clad in oxblood-coloured tiles
The reception counter is clad in oxblood-coloured tiles from Heath Ceramics

It took 17 months to overhaul the complex of blackened-wood buildings, which are topped with mono-pitched roofs of different heights and opposing directions.

The architecture is similar to that of The Sea Ranch Lodge further up the coast, which reopened in 2022 after its own extensive renovation.

Dining room featuring brick flooring, blue-green tilework and eclectic contemporary furnitureDining room featuring brick flooring, blue-green tilework and eclectic contemporary furniture
The Redwood Dining Hall features brick flooring, blue-green tilework and eclectic contemporary furniture

Home Studios looked to the iconic site – famed for its modernist style and sensitive land planning – for cues when developing the Lodge at Marconi’s 45 guest rooms and suites, which occupy freestanding buildings across the wooded site.

“Borrowing design language from Sea Ranch’s ‘living lightly on the land’ credo, the rooms blend into the environment and boast a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere,” the team said.

A series of coloured wooden cubes mounted on a wall above banquette seating and dining tablesA series of coloured wooden cubes mounted on a wall above banquette seating and dining tables
Artworks in the restaurant, including a series of coloured wooden cubes, were created in collaboration with Lukas Geronimas Giniotis

The hotel complex is made up of eight indoor and outdoor spaces, laid out “like a summer camp” to accommodate different activities in each area.

In the reception block, guests arrive to a series of lounges and other communal spaces that create a more informal setting than a traditional hotel lobby.

Bright guest suite with a double bed, day bed and blue lounge chairBright guest suite with a double bed, day bed and blue lounge chair
The bedrooms are bright and airy, with materials and colours that subtly reflect the hotel’s natural surroundings

A check-in counter is fronted with oxblood-coloured tiles by Heath Ceramics, which was founded in nearby Sausalito.

More of the company’s tiles, this time in blue-green hues, line the lower walls of the restaurant known as the Redwood Dining Hall.

Shower with colourful patchwork of tiles from the 1960sShower with colourful patchwork of tiles from the 1960s
Three of the guest room bathrooms feature original tiles that date back to the 1960s

Red bricks are laid in a basketweave pattern across the floor, contrasting with the bright blue bases of the custom dining tables, while warm cedar panels and beams cover the ceiling.

A mural comprising four-panel linen screens and a series of wood cubes mounted on a wall was made in collaboration with California-based artist Lukas Geronimas Giniotis.

The guest rooms are bright and airy, with the colours of the natural surroundings subtly reflected in the furnishings.

Some have cosy loft spaces, while larger suites feature a dedicated workspace and sitting area.

Buildings clad in blackened wood and topped with monopitched roofsBuildings clad in blackened wood and topped with monopitched roofs
The accommodations are split across several buildings clad in blackened wood and topped with monopitched roofs

“Northern California’s rugged environment served as a design influence, and is reflected in the natural woods and earth-tone textiles that adorn each room and weave together a cohesive connection throughout the property,” Home Studios said.

“Three guest room bathrooms feature original tile dated to the 1960s when the hotel served as a rehabilitation facility known as Synanon.”

Wooden chairs surrounding a fire pit with blackened wood buildings in the backgroundWooden chairs surrounding a fire pit with blackened wood buildings in the background
The property includes multiple outdoor areas for gatherings and events

Across the property, the indoor spaces are afforded scenic views of the forest and the water through large windows.

A variety of gathering and event spaces are available to guests both inside and out, including wooden chairs positioned around fire pits among the landscape designed by Bay Area firm Dune Hai.

View through the trees to Tomales Bay at sunsetView through the trees to Tomales Bay at sunset
Lodge at Marconi sits atop a hill overlooking Tomales Bay in Northern California

This is Home Studios’ third hotel project, following the Mediterranean-influenced Alsace hotel in Los Angeles and the boutique Daunt’s Albatross motel in Montauk.

The firm’s other recent projects include a revamped bar and restaurant on Nantucket, an Italian eatery close to Harvard University and a townhouse renovation in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

Reference