How to bring Hotel Phillips’ art deco style to your home

I recently toured Hotel Phillips, the 1931 art deco hotel on West 12th Street in downtown Kansas City. I was writing a story about its recent restoration by a couple of Chicago hotel developers.

The pair had fallen in love with the building at first sight. They loved its rich history and original architectural details: the dark walnut paneling, lacy wrought iron railings and ornate facade. After the story ran, reader Diana Abitz emailed to let me know her grandfather Jesse Lauck, an architect, was commissioned by developer Charles Phillips to design the Hotel Phillips, once the tallest building in town at 20 stories high.

After meticulously restoring the hotel, the new owners hired designers to decorate its lobby, 216 rooms, Tavernonna Italian Kitchen, Kilo Charlie coffee bar and P.S. Speakeasy with textiles and furnishings that are contemporary, yet reference the hotel’s original art deco design.

There are plush fabrics including velvets and leathers, and brass light fixtures that lend an appealing modern contrast to the historic architecture. Many materials were custom-made to pay homage to the hotel’s heritage, including wallpaper and metalwork in graphic designs and hexagon tile flooring.

Like a lot of upscale, boutique hotels, the look throughout Hotel Phillips is soothing yet interesting, modern yet timeless and it offers great inspiration for residential decorating. We’ve found several items to help you create a similar feel in your own home.

This story was originally published February 17, 2017 at 12:00 PM with the headline "How to bring Hotel Phillips’ art deco style to your home."