Houzz Tour: A Frequent Traveler Makes Himself at Home in a Hotel
A once dark and drab condo in one of downtown Houston’s iconic hotel buildings gets a 5-star upgrade
When his job required frequent and lengthy travel to Houston, a health coach decided to take his stay at the Four Seasons to the next level, or in this case, the 26th.
After: To give his client a prettier and more convenient welcome whenever he enters the 26th-floor condo, Dowell created a fresh catch-all area by the door. They did this by replacing the red rug and more traditional coat hanger with a neutral rug and modern side table.
After: They gave the floors a darker stain and painted the walls a lighter off-white tone. “We chose neutral colors to make sure the room is not a distraction to his clients while they’re in the space,’’ Dowell says.
To get the flooring just right, they applied an ebony stain four times.
Pro tip: Veer toward darker, richer wood tones, Dowell says, if you’re looking to give the room a more comfortable feel.
Wall paint: Agreeable Gray, Sherwin-Williams
Designer Secrets: Pros Share Their Favorite Light Gray Paints
To get the flooring just right, they applied an ebony stain four times.
Pro tip: Veer toward darker, richer wood tones, Dowell says, if you’re looking to give the room a more comfortable feel.
Wall paint: Agreeable Gray, Sherwin-Williams
Designer Secrets: Pros Share Their Favorite Light Gray Paints
The neutral base allowed them to add in a few accent colors, such as the client’s favorite color, green.
Pro tip: Use a neutral base when picking your room’s palette, Dowell says. “You might get tired of green. So, if you have neutral furniture, it makes it so you can easily change things up,” he says. “It also is easier and more affordable to re-accessorize.”
Pillows: Chase Dowell Interior Design
Pro tip: Use a neutral base when picking your room’s palette, Dowell says. “You might get tired of green. So, if you have neutral furniture, it makes it so you can easily change things up,” he says. “It also is easier and more affordable to re-accessorize.”
Pillows: Chase Dowell Interior Design
Furniture: The gray swivel chairs give the room versatility, great for business meeting or movie nights. These chairs also blended well into the gray rug at the center of the room, Dowell says.
The sofa on the back wall was too large for the hotel’s stairwell or elevator. For the team to get it into the room, they had to set it on top of the elevator and have an employee ride up with the couch. Dowell learned that this is common practice when moving furniture into this building and other similar hotels.
Chairs and sofa: Ladco; lamps: Circa Lighting
The sofa on the back wall was too large for the hotel’s stairwell or elevator. For the team to get it into the room, they had to set it on top of the elevator and have an employee ride up with the couch. Dowell learned that this is common practice when moving furniture into this building and other similar hotels.
Chairs and sofa: Ladco; lamps: Circa Lighting
Desk: When in Houston, the owner works out of his office and wanted a dedicated space for work. He had previously owned this desk, and he and Dowell decided to paint it black and add a glass top. Dowell designed the space so the desk could go right in front of the window, allowing the owner downtown views all day.
Desk paint: Tricorn Black, Sherwin-Williams; lamp: Circa Lighting; browse desk lamps
Desk paint: Tricorn Black, Sherwin-Williams; lamp: Circa Lighting; browse desk lamps
Lighting: Because the client did not want shades to cover his view of downtown Houston, the sunlight serves as a main source of lighting for this room. In the evenings, Dowell wanted the room to still have good light, so he included three lamps in the room.
Ottoman: This custom-made ottoman is a versatile piece that can be used for resting your feet or as a work space.
Ottoman fabric: Sheer Perfection Fabrics & Upholstery
Ottoman: This custom-made ottoman is a versatile piece that can be used for resting your feet or as a work space.
Ottoman fabric: Sheer Perfection Fabrics & Upholstery
After: An entertainment center, complete with mini fridge, now fills the wall. Now, the owner can offer drinks to guests and clients when they walk in and he doesn’t even need to leave the room. This feature, while not first part of the design, was a bonus idea the client loved, Dowell says.
They used cabinetry that would match the existing kitchen cabinets, seen around the corner on the left.
They used cabinetry that would match the existing kitchen cabinets, seen around the corner on the left.
Dining Room and Kitchen
Flooring: The updated living room floor leads right into the tile dining room. They kept the tile here and in the kitchen because it was in good condition and still worked with the new design.
Flooring: The updated living room floor leads right into the tile dining room. They kept the tile here and in the kitchen because it was in good condition and still worked with the new design.
Table: They painted the kitchen table black to match the client’s desk.
Kitchen: The rest of the kitchen kept its original look, as it already functioned well and a major overhaul wasn’t in the budget.
Chandelier: Circa Lighting; browse pendant lights
Kitchen: The rest of the kitchen kept its original look, as it already functioned well and a major overhaul wasn’t in the budget.
Chandelier: Circa Lighting; browse pendant lights
Bedroom: Initially, the client didn’t include the bedroom in the project’s scope. He uses this room only for sleeping and didn’t want to put too much time or money into the space. In the end, though, he decided to give it a little update to have a more cohesive look to the whole condo. They got a new bed frame, two side tables, lamps and window treatments.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional coach who travels a lot
Location: Houston
Size: 1,900 square feet (177 square meters)
Designer: Chase Dowell Interior Design
Backstory: In the heart of downtown Houston sits the Four Seasons Hotel, which functions as a hotel on one side and condominium on the other. Designer Chase Dowell’s client inhabits the latter.
The condo owner is a health coach who frequently resides in Houston for weeks at a time. After all the hotel stays, he decided to purchase a permanent option and brought Dowell in to make the space feel more like home. At the same time, the space needed to look and function for professional work meetings with his clients.
Scope: This was Dowell’s first high-rise renovation, but he was able to meet his client’s needs while following the rules of the Four Seasons Hotel.
The hotel’s guidelines:
- No heavy renovation.
- Approval on everything before implementation by the hotel’s lead maintenance employee.
- Redesign work had to take place between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Keeping all that in mind, Dowell went to work updating the entry, living room, dining room and bedroom. They finished the project in six months.Pro tip: For anyone looking to make a renovation in a corporate hotel building, Dowell strongly advises hiring a professional because they will “take care of the red tape stuff.”