The St. Regis New York has become a celebrated jewel of Midtown Manhattan. Built in 1904 by the affluent Astor family as a luxurious destination for New York City’s high society, the hotel’s Beaux-Arts architecture epitomizes Gilded Age opulence. Over the past century, its walls have housed luminaries from Andy Warhol to Salvador Dalí. This glittering past inspired the elegant 21st-century redesign by award-winning design studio Champalimaud Design, complemented by a new art program curated by our Hospitality Art Advisors.
The Astors’ penchant for grandeur—chinoiserie, diamonds, and grand entertaining—can be felt in the details of the hotel, from elaborate ceiling cornices to crystal chandeliers. In turn, drama and fantasy shaped the curatorial vision, interpreting the Astor family history through contemporary art in glamorous and unexpected ways. The color palette for the suites and public spaces draws from Mrs. Astor’s love of precious gems, so our team layered jewel-toned abstract paintings throughout these rooms, complemented by gold-flecked paintings and sculptures that capture the radiance of the Gilded Age.
The art collection also celebrates the hotel’s theatrical roots, referencing the flamboyant designs of Joseph Urban, the original set designer who transformed the St. Regis entertaining rooms into a stage for the elite. In another tribute to the matriarch, floral still lifes by Saatchi Art artist Jacco Hinke and Sage Barnes bloom, drip, and morph. The paintings are an expressive nod to Mrs. Astor’s favorite flower, the American red rose. In their movement, color, and form, these works reflect the same sense of spectacle that has long shaped the hotel’s identity.
Between dark and sparkling colors and dynamic compositions, the hotel’s curation and design invite guests to revel in the drama of the St. Regis legacy.
Painting: Cabana Club by Adam Devkota
Nineties Summer by Karolina Zglobicka
Please contact us at trade@saatchiart.com if you’d like to work with our advisory team for any hospitality, luxury residential, commercial, and healthcare projects—we’d love to hear from you!
