Peek Inside Atelier Ace's Artful New Orleans Guesthouse and Bar
Quiet elegance is the modus operandi at New Orleans' boutique hotel Maison de la Luz. That's not surprising, considering the architectural and interior design of the luxe guesthouse was conceptualized by in-house creative studio Atelier Ace in collaboration with Los Angeles-based designers Studio Shamshiri.
Its speakeasy-esque cocktail lounge, Bar Marilou, is the inaugural import from Parisian hospitality group Quixotic Projects, known for Paris hotspots Candelaria, Le Mary Celeste, Les Grand Verres, and Hero.
Located steps from its sister Ace Hotel along a hip block of the Warehouse District, Maison de la Luz repurposes the city's 1908-built City Hall Annex; its bar occupies the structure's former library. Guests of the Maison are granted priority access inside the bar through a hidden bookcase entrance, and are invited to make use of the amenity spaces next door at the Ace, including its rooftop pool and fitness center.
Black-and-white flooring meets a historic grand staircase to welcome visitors into a plush, velvet-studded lobby. Guest only common rooms with refreshments complement the overall aesthetic with twists—such as Egyptian art and masks in the "living room", and a blue-and-white, sunlit breakfast room draped with custom wallpaper that resembles traditional delft pattern from afar, but reveals itself to be a motif of underwater plant-life up-close.
Each of the six-story hotel's 67 guest rooms, as well as the shared spaces, are adorned with custom furniture and finishes, as well as artwork and collectibles by local Louisiana artists.
Inside the nuanced suites, accessed by silk-tasseled keys, the details are memorable. New Orleans-sourced antique items punctuate the 340- to 620-square-foot rooms, which are furnished with bespoke wallpaper and Christopher Farr x Shamshiri rugs.
In the light-filled, pale-hued bath, the glass-walled shower is adorned with a sculptural snake as a handle. Bedside glass boxes contain unique curiosities by local artist Clare Crespo, including hand-stitched velvet hearts and drawn playing cards.
"We dreamed up a 'woman of the world' who has traveled and immersed herself in numerous cultures, collecting pieces which help define her vision along the way. Upon return from her travels, she opens up her guest house, a space filled with precious personal findings," says Pamela Shamshiri, design principal and co-founder at Studio Shamshiri.
Mirroring Maison de la Luz's "high-touch finish with a bit of mischief," Bar Marilou infuses the designers' French heritage with local New Orleans flavor. The bar also features a collection of curated books as a nod to the building's bones as a city library. Within the 102-seat venue, a hidden speakeasy bar accommodates 12 guests.
"Maison de la Luz is a traditional, refined respite, imbued with elements of luxury, grace and a bit of rebellion," says Kelly Sawdon, chief brand officer at Atelier Ace. "In creating the hotel, we wanted to cultivate moments of surprise and unexpected design, but in a space that radiated comfort, warmth and traditional Southern hospitality."
