ARCHITECTURE / INTERIOR DESIGN

In Situ Design & Carlos Aparicio
Ana Borrallo Acanto Interiors

Given the fact that it’s a 10-storey high-rise described as “muscular Beaux Arts”, it comes as a surprise that the Hotel St. Paul’s interior is so soft and ethereal.

Located in one of Montreal’s hippest quarters, the St. Paul has been attracting the attention of design and architecture aficionados since opening in 2001. One of the city’s first high-rises when it was built back in 1900, the architects and designers Ana Borrallo and Acanto Interiors have chosen to blend the new with the old: In keeping some of the majestic details that reveal its rich history, such as a massive fireplace in the lobby now covered in a layer of translucent Alabaster, and charging the rest with a contemporary design flair. For the interior concept of the St. Paul’s guestrooms, the design team has been inspired by the Canadian landscape. Fire, ice, earth and sky have been used as abstract metaphors within the hotel, wherein alternating floors featuring different colour schemes and interior characterises complete this philosophy.

Earth rooms are solid, grounded and more tactile in their choice of colours, materials and furnishings. The sky rooms are atmospheric spaces focusing on, obviously, light and air. Overall, the furnishings are understated, combining materials such as silk, stone and metal to create a comfortable setting without being too prominent. Windows on each of the hotel’s nine floors of guestrooms face outward affording beautiful views of the skyline and Montreal’s historic Old Port.