Eliza Jane
New Orleans, LA
Interior Design
The Eliza Jane is a 196 room boutique hotel on Magazine Street just outside of the city’s French Quarter. Completed in March 2018, the hotel is built within seven historic warehouses that stand distinct on the outside but have been internally conjoined to create luxury accomodations. The Eliza Jane Hotel falls under The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, which is a unique collection of historic urban gems, that maintain their distinct character, while also featuring contemporary designs. The management company, HRI Properties imagined a concept of creating a quintessential New Orleans hotel, and they turned to Stonehill Taylor to interpret what that meant for the location.
Highlighting the building’s historic features was priority in order to create a unique experience for guests. The team stripped away the previous tenants’ décor and revived the existing brick and metalwork throughout. While Stonehill Taylor wanted to honor the building’s past, the designers also wanted to make sure they achieved a sophisticated contemporary aesthetic in the hotel. The hotel features original iron columns, timber framing, and masonry arches in addition to much of the original historic brick, plaster, metalwork, and woodwork in the walls and ceilings.
Small arched passageways join the restaurant and hotel through the interior courtyard. Inspired by the influence of Spanish architecture in New Orleans, the courtyard is located within the center of the hotel and is surrounded by original brick walls and abundant, overgrown foliage.A black-and-white patterned cement tiled fountain with a Venus-inspired sculpture by local artist Brent Barnidge takes centerstage with a neon “Bisous” sign above, reflective of New Orleans’ playful sensibility.
The hotel’s restaurant, Couvant, is housed within the original bitters factory that manufactured the famed Peychaud Cocktail Bitters. The restaurant combines classic New Orleans style and French flair in an industrial space. Upon entrance, guests are met with a charming black-and-white tiled floor in the front lounge with bar-style seating along historic windows looking out onto Magazine Street. The classic brasserie unfolds into a more modern space, with concrete flooring throughout the main dining area. A sweeping 300-square-foot bar made of oak and repurposed newel posts rounds the corner, connecting the two spaces.
