Some people say the success of a hotel lies in impeccable service. Others think it's all in the attention to detail: from the care put into rooms that ooze sophistication without lacking the nonchalant comfort of a real home to covetable amenities that pamper guests while traveling abroad, and a truly mouthwatering, beautifully served gastronomy offering that puts local culture and customs center stage. Recently, though, I have come to think that color itself may have something to do with it — and, trust me, you'll think so, too, after seeing The Dean Berlin.
A newcomer on the capital's hospitality scene, The Dean Berlin takes the artsy-cool vision of the namesake Irish hotel group to continental Europe for the first time. Launched in Charlottenburg in February, the stay competes with the best hotels in Berlin, largely thanks to British interior designer Rachael Gowdridge's infectious creative vision. Not only that: with its pastel-led choice of colors, it might have just given us a shortcut to a home that feels as quirky and inspiring as it feels fresh.
A Look at The Dean Berlin — Where the City's Vibrancy Steps In
Simply looking at the collectibles-filled interiors of The Dean Berlin, a peaceful escape where the city's boldly expressive culture and its rich history converge, you wouldn't necessarily be able to tell that the 81-room hotel takes over a 19th-century building.
And that's not only due to the large amount of collector-worthy objets d'art that populate its shelves, including an iconic Telegono Lamp by Vico Magistretti for Artemide, a post-modern, biomorphic sculpture by Eva and Peter Moritz for IKEA, and a rare, glazed, oversized teapot, interspersed with paintings and illustrations.
Collectively titled Wanderers, the creations showcased inside the property were handpicked by independent curator Thom Oosterhof to reflect Berlin's "ever-shifting rhythm and the people who move through it". Gathering contributions from a handful of local artists, the curation marries the characterful spirit of the city, as do the hues that cover the walls it sits on.
To make The Dean Berlin ultra-contemporary is the irreverent color scheme Gowdridge picked: a sublimely orchestrated mix of sensorial browns, red oranges (or, simply, reds), seashell pink, and chartreuse, as well as aquamarine, greens that faithfully embrace the big color trends of the moment.
In a city like Berlin, where many of the high(est)-end establishments boast a style that, drawing from brutalist architecture, is neutral-toned, minimalist, and severe, this addition to the capital's travel industry makes for a welcome and welcoming alternative.
Red, Green, Pink — An Unexpected Combo for a Stylish Interior Twist
We know northern European destinations like Berlin can risk feeling a little gray. And that's precisely why Gowdridge's chosen palette works wonders at The Dean Berlin.
To reflect the German hub's electrifying feel, the designer leaned on acidic tones of green — including lime, forest, and mint — paired with fire red surfaces, playful, checkered floors, and touches of rose and bright pink across all decor and accessories.
These are colors she has also woven into her maximalist reinvention of The Netty, a recent project for which Gowdridge transformed Oxford's Victorian-era public toilets into a two-suite, jewel box of a stay.
If the natural colors part of the scheme, also referenced across the soft, velvety seating and cushions in the common areas of The Dean Berlin, are 'biophilic' shades known to be calming, the reds and pinks feel rather uplifting.
Combined, they strike the balance between peaceful and energizing interiors; a blend that feels made for hotel design, and for guests to enjoy throughout their leisure time. But who said these can't come in handy inside your home, too?
Compared to other areas of the house, incorporating brighter colors in the bedroom can feel like more of a commitment, and understandably so.
What if my sleep routine gets disrupted by it? What if I get tired of it? How will I get rid of this? are just a few of the questions I have heard people ask themselves when debating whether or not to paint theirs.
Stop scrolling! I have studied the decor of The Dean Berlin so you didn't have to, and a pair of sculptural candleholders like the ones featured above are sure to bring an edgy touch to everyone's living room.
There's a Vico Magistretti lamp in the hotel, and it makes the lounge area immediately more elevated. This 1966 alternative by the same designer, created for Artemide, awaits your study, bedroom, or shelves.
Ever thought that, no, your living room isn't dull, it just lacks a design-worthy sculpture? If you haven't, I had. And after spotting this chrome one by Eva and Peter Moritz for IKEA, I know what to shop next.
Take that Dean Berlin Feel Home With You — or Dare to Be Brave
The Dean Berlin shows you how even the most unexpected of hues can be styled together and to a pleasing effect with... caution. For example, darker hues like the bordeaux and musk green shown above are exclusively brought in through attentively layered furnishings and decor, rather than applied directly to the walls.
Reds, which welcome guests upon entering the suite in a cocooning vestibule, and greens are balanced off via off-white tilework and careful insertion across ceilings and mirrors, again, largely appearing like statement inclusions in both the lounge area of the room and the bathroom, as opposed to a totally color-drenched look.
All around the hotel, the vibrancy of patinated plaster walls bounces off the sheen of the original mosaic floors, while the lived-in timber elements appearing here and there grant the address a home-like sense of place.
Together with the stay's iconic color palette, these time-traveling echoes capture the beauty that lies in designing across eras and genres — and call for us all to be braver with the choices we make inside our homes. Now, if you can excuse me, I am going to look for ways to give my bedroom that Dean Berlin look... starting with these Romesco, Phorphyry Pink, and Sap Green paints by the trusted color gurus at Farrow & Ball.
Book your stay at The Dean Berlin.
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