Like many design aficionados, I have been a fan of Kelly Wertsler for quite some time.  Her hotel and restaurant designs are so glamorous! In fact, I lunch at BG restaurant in New York City several times a year, or whenever I get the chance, not only because the food is fantastic but because I love the atmosphere that Kelly created over-looking Central Park.

 

I visited Kelly’s website in preparation for my trip to Los Angeles last month because I was planning to stay at the Viceroy in Santa Monica and wanted a refresher course on what the property looked like.  I had not been to the KWID site in quite some time and was surprised to find some amazing photos of projects I had not seen from Kelly!

Some of Kelly’s work is taking on a more timeless and subtle aesthetic and as much as I am a fan of her hip, retro vibe, I have to say some of these sophisticated rooms are a welcome change to me! I think that one of the biggest challenges for celebrity designers is to constantly be tweaking your style just enough to keep things fresh while staying true to the signature style that gained the designer acclaim.

Here are a few of the spaces I love and though there is still a Kelly touch to them, I would not necessarily have pegged them as the designer’s work. I think it is a good thing!

 

When I was in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of staying at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica, one of Kelly’s most recognized designs! My husband and I enjoyed cocktails in a poolside cabana one afternoon (it was a 60 degree day, chilly by LA standards), had dinner at Whist one evening and then more cocktails in the lobby bar on Saturday night!

We stayed in one of the amazing suites with an ocean view. It was every bit as chic and cool as you would think from all the photos of this amazing hotel in Kelly’s books and on her website. And the service at the hotel was top notch! Champagne or Cider and hot hand towels upon arrival, a beautiful fruit tray and bottled water in our room as a “thank you” for staying in the suite, and fantastic service in the restaurants and bars. I will definitely be visiting the Viceroy Santa Monica again because of the service. Werstler’s designs are the icing on the cake!

So whether new projects or not-so-new, I am still a fan of Kelly’s designs and look forward to enjoying them around the country (and around the world) for years to come! I highly recommend you visit her website to see her latest and greatest projects and if your travels take you to cities with her designs, you must see them in person! I promise you will enjoy them even if they are not your personal style!