American studio Avenir Creative has completed the renovation of a historic hotel in Montgomery, Alabama, restoring three buildings based on local heritage.
Near the riverside, the 117-room Hotel Trilogy Montgomery has reopened after an extensive overhaul by Chicago-based Avenir Creative.
Three buildings—two early-20th-century warehouses and a Greek Revival mansion built in 1851—combine to create a seamless interior flow totaling 72,000 square feet (6,690 square meters) while preserving the character of each.
“With a commitment to honoring Montgomery’s past while embracing a bright future, the hotel provides a welcoming, inspiring and inclusive space for all,” said Avenir Creative.
Created in a four-story, red-brick building on Coosa Street, the new main entrance ushers guests into a spacious atrium that leans entirely on the warehouse aesthetic.
High ceilings with exposed wood beams, white brick walls, exposed services, ductwork and metal-framed partitions add to the industrial aesthetic.
The wooden reception table, which looks like a giant antique megaphone, is placed in front of a large library shelving unit with an escalator.
A mix of antique and contemporary furniture creates an eclectic feel that continues into the adjoining lobby lounge.
“The hotel was designed as a tribute to the region’s multicultural history, as elements throughout the hotel are drawn from materials and motifs important to the city,” said Aviner Creative.
“The back wall of the reception desk has a wood pattern inspired by the architecture of church windows, representing King’s Memorial Baptist Church where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was a big part of the community.”
Guest rooms have high ceilings and full height windows, and rooms on higher floors enjoy city views.
The bedrooms’ subdued palette of greens and grays contrast with the brighter chairs and rugs, while the floors are either maple or pine and the walls are decorated with works by local artists.
In the palace part of the hotel, which was originally built for a prominent local merchant, Corinthian capitals and ornate plasterwork give a completely different aesthetic.
The hotel’s restaurant, Kinsmith, is decorated in deep blues and greens across richly patterned wallpaper and textiles, while the interior of the bar mixes olive green leather banquettes, purple velvet draperies and sand-coloured walls – all colors also found in the stone bar counter.
“The Montgomery House Bar draws from jazz influences with chandeliers resembling trumpets and banquettes of rich fabrics creating a relaxed jazz lounge environment,” said Avenir Creative.
The corridors have checkered floors, and there is a gallery of photographs and old artwork at the top of the stairs. Various meeting rooms with mirrors and gilded chandeliers also occupy this section of the hotel.
On the roof, an expansive terrace called Waterworks offers plenty of casual outdoor seating among potted plants, plus craft beers and Southern-influenced small plates.
Dark colored furniture matches the exterior of the building and the pergola on which the string lights are hung.
Across the American Deep South, former warehouses in what are now major tourist spots have been slowly transformed into preserving original industrial hotels.
In New Orleans, The Eliza Jane Hotel occupies a series of similar buildings near the historic French Quarter.
Photography by Wade Hall.