For the guestrooms at The Dean in Charlottenburg, we translated the hotel’s overarching language of contrast and restraint into a more intimate scale. As in the public areas, original architectural elements were respected and retained where possible, allowing history to sit in quiet dialogue with contemporary insertions.

Arrival begins in a cocooning vestibule finished in deep red — a continuation of the tone first introduced downstairs. End-grain timber flooring underfoot gives way to softer carpeted spaces, panelled walls and layered textiles. Movement through the room is carefully choreographed, shifting from bold to muted, from structured to tactile.

The headboard acts as a focal point. A central panel in Pierre Frey fabric subtly references the textile work of Anni Albers, paired with a heavily textured wool-blend fabric and an aquamarine accent panel. Monolithic bedside lamps in red Caleidolegno veneer sit atop aquamarine Linolie-stained tables, introducing moments of surprise within an otherwise disciplined composition.

A bespoke ceiling pendant adds a quiet note of irreverence. Appearing at first glance to be delicate porcelain, it is in fact formed from latex — a tongue-in-cheek nod to Berlin’s nocturnal culture. These subtle contradictions reinforce the project’s interest in material play and layered meaning.

Throughout the rooms, artworks and design titles sourced locally continue the sense of curiosity and discovery. The guestrooms are designed not as neutral backdrops, but as spaces that reveal themselves slowly — refined, tactile and intellectually considered.