In Lenox, Mass., Life House has opened the Life House, Berkshires—a reimagined 1970s-era retreat inspired by combining the lodge styles of the past century with modern materiality and forms.
Relaxed Aesthetic
The exterior is rendered in oat-colored wood shingles juxtaposed with dark gray trims. The property is intended to create a fluid experience between the indoors and outdoors with a wraparound patio that houses the guest-only fire-pit lounge—a natural extension of The Club Room, the on-property restaurant and bar. The custom half-moon sofas (upholstered in Ikat patterns of autumnal hues) are paired with plush armchairs in eggshell canvas.
The property’s Library Lounge and lobby have wood-paneled walls accented with free-floating library shelves stacked with vintage books; green velvet couches are matched with custom-designed armchairs and window-seats on either sides of the fireplace; and the diamond-shaped hardwood floors have vintage rugs from the 1970s. The 28-foot ceilings have custom Murano glass chandeliers handmade in Venice by Sogni di Cristallo and hang above the bar millwork that showcases a marble countertop and leather upholstered panels. While forest green velvet high stools line the bar counter of The Club Room, window-pane banquet seatings provide a more intimate setting for couples and small groups dining together. The hand-painted mural that decorates the walls has been designed by artist Lei Xing whose art is showcased at several Life House properties.
The indoor-outdoor experience continues with the placement of the 64 guestrooms, which are all exterior facing and unfold along open-air corridors. This nod to the 70s lodge style allows for a connection with the natural environment. Every room has a color palette of mossy greens alongside warm creams and autumnal rusts; custom wardrobes with glass doors have pleated fabric panels featuring prints designed by the Life House in-house design team; and custom lampshades, inspired by the marble paper backing of old books, sit atop secretary-style desks. Collage artwork by Annie Lynch, whose pieces present black-and-white portraits of female figures with superimposed aerial photographs of local landscapes, are hung alongside framed poetry by artist Russell Markus, who used an antique typewriter and vintage paper to produce each artpiece.
“We always strive to connect our guests not only with each other but with nature as there’s rarely a better way to develop a sense of universal belonging than to be alone in the wilderness," Life House Founder & CEO Rami Zeidan said in a statement. "In some ways our House in the Berkshires was loosely inspired by Thoreau’s Walden Pond and offers a perfect balance of both with breathtaking hiking, local farms, and a cozy living room, bar & restaurant to settle back into after an adventurous day."
The announcement of Life House, Berkshires follows the brand’s recent openings of Life House, South of Fifth; Life House, Little Havana; Life House, Lower Highlands in Denver; and Life House, Nantucket. The brand will be launching several more hotels next year across the country and beginning to grow into international territories as well.