Behind the Asian contemporary interiors of China’s Grand Bay View Hotel in Zhuhai is designer James Lee, who founded L’Avventura & Associates in 2014. The collaborative creative group brings together designers from around the world to work on hospitality and residential projects. An East-meets-West interior design approach was taken for the design of the public areas.
Subtle touches of gold and a mix of textures help to channel a sense of understated luxury.
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East Meets West Interiors
The Grand Bay View Hotel Zhuhai was inspired by cross-cultural Western and Eastern references, geometric patterns and traditional Chinese motifs, and it features nautical touches (as it is a waterfront hotel) exemplified by details like pearl-like metal facades and blue fabrics and carpets.
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To welcome guests, Lee and partner Craig Nealy recreated an underwater setting in the intimate lobby. “I wanted to create something that was fun, that created the feeling of living really within the sea,” says Lee.
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Both romantic and Zen-like, the spaces feature translucent screens, and untreated wooden panels and layers. “This is really about expressing a new Asian luxury that is elegant and subtle,” he adds.
“The design plays with the nature of light, of intimacy and our sense of time and history, and I’m happy that we managed to create something that is so true to that concept.”
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Impressive artwork, such as this light installation, abound within the common areas in the hotel.
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White and black marble were used to give the bathrooms an opulent feel.
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The guest rooms are tastefully designed, with the use of bold lines and contemporary colours.
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This article was first published in Home and Decor in April 2019.