Stoneleigh Reopens After $36 Mil Renovation

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. October 14, 2008

MARCH 14, 2008. Located in the vibrant arts and entertainment center of Uptown Dallas, Texas, the glamorous Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa debuts this spring after significant interior restorations. Principally led by luxury interior architecture and design firm ForrestPerkins, the renovation of The Stoneleigh preserves the hotel's original Art Deco elegance while incorporating modern elements, making it once again an impressive landmark that continues to attract sophisticated travelers and discerning Dallas denizens. An award-winning venture, The Stoneleigh also recently received Dallas Business Journal's 2007 Award for Best Rehabilitation and Reuse Project.

Originally built for $1.5 million, The Stoneleigh was the tallest luxury hotel west of the Mississippi when it opened in 1923. The building's Art Deco-splendor led it to be the hotel of choice for visiting dignitaries, performing artists and leading celebrities from the 1930s through the 1980s, such as Judy Garland, Frank Lloyd Wright, Andy Warhol, Elvis Presley and stars of The Metropolitan Opera. Listed as one of the "Historic Hotels of America" with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Stoneleigh Hotel is an icon of Dallas society.

ForrestPerkins' expertise in making luxurious spaces that resonate with guests and locals alike is impeccably demonstrated once again with The Stoneleigh. The firm was commissioned to refurbish the hotel's lobby and lobby lounge, ground floor ballroom, 170 guest rooms and suites, as well as to create a new full-service spa and a glamorous new roof-top ballroom, The Grand Salon. "From the moment you enter The Stoneleigh's luminous modern interior," says John Langston, Managing Director of The Stoneleigh, "you are captivated by Deborah Forrest's eye for luxe detail. Forrest Perkins has recreated and ignited the glamour of The Stoneleigh once again."

With extensive experience in the restoration and renovation of luxury, historic hotels-such as The Hermitage Hotel and Union Station Hotel in Nashville, TN; and the Palmer House in Chicago, IL-ForrestPerkins' sophisticated approach is evident throughout this elegant Dallas gem. Many of the hotel's original details were retained, staying true to renowned designer Dorothy Draper's original Art Deco touches such as the brushed steel and brass stair rail, the marble columns and polished mahogany and ebony millwork in the lobby.

According to the firm's principal, Deborah Lloyd Forrest, FASID, "for the Lobby and Lobby Lounge, we took our cues for color, materials and detail from the existing rosso levanto marble columns and stair railing, creating an unexpected scheme of emerald green, platinum and amethyst." The stylish art deco inspired custom furniture and rugs, dramatic green silk draperies trimmed with rhinestones tied back with huge cut glass "diamonds"and crystal chandeliers dripping with emerald green beading lend an air of glamour in which everyone feels special. "Sitting in the lobby lounge, champagne glass in hand, you can imagine Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers wafting through on their way to the Grand Salon" says Forrest.

When The Stoneleigh opened its doors eighty five years ago, it was destined to become the premier hotel for distinguished travelers, design aficionados and high-society elites. The recent renovation infuses The Stoneleigh with modern attributes, rekindling its iconic status and escalating this landmark hotel into a new chapter of its storied history. Deborah Lloyd Forrest remarks, "We are proud to have been instrumental in ushering The Stoneleigh into a new era of glamour and style as the premier luxury boutique hotel in Dallas."