Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1530892
collection of minds and talents. When you tour their home, it's so beautiful and a statement of the push and pull of interiors and architecture. We were inspired by elements of the house, and it will be very obvious where we drew inspiration from." But first, Bunkhouse leaned on the expertise of Austin- and San Antonio- based firm Lake|Flato to create the hotel's structures that would blend seamlessly into the understated architecture of the Montrose neighborhood. The firm devised five two-story buildings with facades of gray Norman brick and ash-wood siding, drawing "on the quiet gray palette of The Menil Collection and the low-rise residential scale of Montrose," says Chris Krajcer, partner at Lake|Flato. Nestled among mature heritage oaks and connected by accessible open-air bridges and walkways, the structures encourage guests to explore the landscape of oaks and collection of plants cultivated from The John Fairey Garden, and designed by landscape firm Ten Eyck. The beautiful views this setting provides helped inform the interiors designed by the award-winning Post Company in collaboration with Bunkhouse. Based in New York and Wyoming, the firm has built a stellar reputation in the hospitality, retail, and residential sectors. "It was intentful for us to think in terms of what one could see from the outside looking in," says Jou-Yie Chou, a partner at Post Company, who has family ties to Houston. "The Menil gave us a lot of early fodder to think about — what the collection and museum has done to define that neighborhood." "We sit down with a client and, over a couple of months, really try and nail down conceptually what a project can be and have that as our North Star," Chou says. "We went into the project with the idea that there would be this super-rigid architecture, and that we'd comparatively have a little bit more fun and a lot more freedom with interiors. The Menil is one of the most preeminent collectors of surrealist art, so we thought, 'How do we augment reality?' Hotels, for us, can be this place of escapism, so there can be a bit of theater within them. Guests are here only for a night or two, so you can make moves that might be surprising or jarring or a little disorienting that may not work for a full-time residence." This theatrical approach is evident from the moment one strolls past the courtyard into the cozy lobby. Transitioning from the burled walnut and Calacatta Viola marble check-in desk to the paneled Augustine Opposite page: A bedroom seen though monochromatic paint colors. Left: Check-in desk. Below: The theatrical lobby. Lounge and Listening Room, the space was designed with separate nooks for intimate conversation. A glass atrium area leads to a sexy lobby bar and lounge with deep-blue walls and Fireclay onyx tile floors. Antique mirrored panels "play with time," Chou says, and reflect the lush landscape of the grounds. The lobby has a collected feel that makes the most of a blend of periods and eras. The room is intentionally divided with theatrical floor-to-ceiling white linen drapery to impart a dreamlike feeling. "With these large floor- to-ceiling curtains, you're passing through all these portals as you go from room to room," Chou says. "There's a lot of movement to break up