Visitors may not realize it, but there are many European inspired elements surrounding them at The New York Palace. As we continue to upgrade the hotel, our teams are working hard to maintain the integrity of the original architecture at the hotel, while incorporating new and modern themes.
With a renovation of this magnitude, it is not uncommon for our staff and consultants to travel around the world looking for specific pieces to be used in the final project. In our case, Stella Bok, Project Designer at CHAMPALIMAUD, and team members ventured to marble quarries in Verona and Carrara, Italy to find unique marble pieces that would blend with our overall theme at The Palace.
In Verona, the group chose a pinkish color marble that matches the famous, landmarked Verona fireplace, displayed on The Palace’s second floor mezzanine. The fireplace is only the second work of its kind created by the great American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
Carrara, located on the western coast of modern day Tuscany, is not just a town known for its artistry, but also for the name of the popular white-gray marble found there. The designers specifically chose this color to complement the pattern and existing pillars in the main lobby. The quarry in Carrara is the same place that the famous Italian Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo worked out of for his David sculpture.
Overall, the designers were inspired to choose the pattern and color scheme, based on the floor from a Cathedral in Milan, using rose, gray, white and black colored stones. The intent is to simplify the colors of the original and evoke a more contemporary look, while adding warmth to the interiors.
“Much of the stone is native to Italy,” says Brenda Hilgers, Project Director with The John Hardy Group. “The first container of stone is currently on a ship from Italy to New York and will be installed in the reception area later this month.”
Stay tuned here for more updates on the marble pieces as they are installed.