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| 1 Gold cotton velvet will cover the banquettes in the main dining room; 2 Dining room chair fabric for the veranda; 3 Jerusalem gold marble floors used in the veranda and the butler’s pantry; 4 Buttercream leather on the main dining room chairs; 5 A McGuire “Laura Kirar” dining chair for the veranda section of the main dining room. Samples: Elizabeth lavin; Illustration courtesy of the Mansion |
What with the new Ritz-Carlton grabbing all the headlines and reservations—not to mention the chef—it’s little wonder that the Mansion on Turtle Creek has opted for a total face-lift, from dining venues to rooms, sparing no expense. The $20 million re-design promises sleek lines with a contemporary edge. According to Mansion’s director of sales and marketing Tracy Fitz, the vibe is very much like you’ve just inherited your grand-parents’ New York City brownstone and filled it with works by hip artists, the likes of David Bates, Lance Letscher, and Christopher French.
Updating a diva can be daunting, and there were more than a few raised eyebrows when the Mansion made the announcement that neither jackets nor tablecloths would be required in the main dining room. (How anti-Ritz!) But, honestly, who needs linens when you have Massar striped wood grain on custom tables?
As for the Mansion’s signature peach color, director of design and construction Eileen Madigan, ASID, plans to keep it. She was recruited from Washington D.C. (where she had just bought a home) and is overseeing the makeovers of the Mansion’s dining spots. She plans to retain the classic peach tones and the dinner jacket requirement in the more formal, 22-seat Chef’s Room, located in the original oak-paneled library.
In the main dining room, the walls will be golden yellow, covered with striated plaster and raw silk. It’s the perfect backdrop for the new taupe, streamlined settees by Vaughan Benz of Los Angeles. To achieve comfort perfection, Rosewood employees flew to LA to test the seats before signing off on the style and production. Lighting in the main dining room consists of custom, white, hand-plastered chandeliers and wall sconces from Apsara Interior in East Hampton. Madigan found some items locally, such as a Persian rug and the Chef’s Room dining chairs by R. Jones—both from ID Collection.
Some of the world’s finest china, crystal, and linens have been chosen, including crisp Egyptian cotton cloths and napkins by Rivolta, Raynaud china designed by Thomas Keller (superstar chef of The French Laundry), Riedel crystal, Ercuis silver flatware, and Thistle & Bee sterling silver napkin rings bearing a turtle. Fresh roses will be everywhere, including the yellow rose of Texas in the Chef’s Room.
Because the Mansion is a historic landmark, noted historical consultant Marcel Quimby is enhancing key architectural elements such as the fireplace mantel carved by Swiss artist Peter Mansbendel and the stained glass windows bearing the coats of arms of the barons who witnessed the signing of the Magna Carta. Both are in the Chef’s Room. Quimby is also overseeing the new driveway and landscaping with the assistance of land- scape designer Caye Cook.
Even the bar will project a hipper feel, sporting amber and cognac tones, new lighting from consultant Craig Roberts, and millwork by Watson & Cochran and Storgio Ventura.
The dining redo is slated to be complete by mid-fall; in the meantime, meals are being served in the Promenade. After the holidays, San Francisco design firm Babey Moulton Jue & Booth will begin renovation of all 143 guestrooms, suites, and public areas. In addition to a new color palette from parchment to cappuccino, they, too, plan to use the Mansion’s signature peach throughout.
