Adjacent to one of the world’s busiest airports, the DoubleTree by Hilton Atlanta Airport handles a lot of traffic and was recently in need of a full renovation. Huntington Hotel Group tapped two design firms—Distinctive Hospitality Designs for the public spaces, and MatchLine Design Group for the hotel’s 220 guest rooms—to handle the 151,000-square-foot overhaul.
Having been brought in after the onset of the project, the members of the design team at MatchLine had their work cut out for them. With Distinctive Design Group’s inspiration boards for the public spaces in hand prior to any installations taking place, MatchLine set out to create a cohesive design statement for the guest rooms that blended with the rest of the property.
“The other firm had already set the stage a little bit in the public areas, and then we were brought on to do the guest rooms and the guest corridors,” explained Lesley Hughes Wyman, principal and owner of MatchLine. “We made sure that our design was still connected so it didn’t look disjointed.”
Drawing inspiration from the hotel’s surroundings, both Wyman and co-owner and principal Tamara Ainsworth incorporated artwork from local artisans and infused guestroom floor corridors and private rooms with imagery reminiscent of magnolias, the Fox Theater, and the city skyline.
“We wanted to bring a little locality to it, especially with it being right there at the airport,” Wyman said. “There’s a lot of artists and art communities in Atlanta, so we tied that into the corridor portion, and then as you get into the rooms, we used the locality in the artwork with some actual abstract photography of the area.”
Corridor carpeting was selected from a collection designed by Farmboy Fine Arts in collaboration with Shaw. Guestroom bathrooms appear white and bright with quartz countertops and large electric mirrors. Bedroom areas offer guests comfortable slate gray sofas with blue piping adding a pop of color and intrigue while creating a clean, tailored aesthetic.
Anticipating a wide variety of travelers, MatchLine specified products, furnishings, and finishes that were at once durable, yet warm and inviting to ensure that guests of the hotel could relax in style and comfort—even if just passing through.
LIGHTING
TEXTILES
ART
CARPET
FURNITURE
ART
Bob Liepsner & Associates
MIRRORS
VINYL
Photography by Azure Tackert / All Things Hospitality
About the Author
Robert Nieminen
Chief Content Director
Chief Content Director, Architectural Products, BUILDINGS, and interiors+sources
Robert Nieminen is the Chief Content Director of three leading B2B publications serving the commercial architecture and design industries: Architectural Products, BUILDINGS, and interiors+sources. With a career rooted in editorial excellence and a passion for storytelling, Robert oversees a diverse content portfolio that spans award-winning feature articles, strategic podcast programming, and digital media initiatives aimed at empowering design professionals, facility managers, and commercial building stakeholders.
He is the host of the I Hear Design podcast and curates the Smart Buildings Technology Report, bringing thought leadership to the forefront of innovation in built environments. Robert leads editorial and creative direction for multiple industry award programs—including the Elev8 Design Awards and Product Innovation Awards—and is a recognized voice in sustainability, smart technology integration, and forward-thinking design.
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