Following up as an “encore” to the first Bentley Suite at the St. Regis New York, visionary design firm Wimberly Interiors has unveiled its second Bentley Suite to coincide with the opening of the St. Regis Istanbul. Designed to reflect the balance of high performance and sport within a luxurious envelope, the Bentley Suite Istanbul is inspired by the legendary Bentley Continental GT. The suite incorporates Bentley details and finishes to create the ultimate experience for the luxury audience, and in particular, for connoisseurs of the Bentley brand. According to Liana Hawes Young, Lead Designer and Creative Director at Wimberly Interiors, the design team drew inspiration for the Bentley Suite from the St. Regis Glass House genre, positioning it with the Continental GT model. Both brands are hallmarks of performance and luxury, which translate seamlessly into a super suite. “Within the Bentley family, the Continental customer is an affluent and younger audience who responds to the ‘the luxury of spontaneity’. The vehicle itself has strong curves – sporty and sculpted elements throughout, that play beautifully with the modern architecture of the St. Regis Istanbul property”. In addition to Young, the Wimberly Interiors design team included Noel Cuvin, Creative Director; Marina Pulliam, Senior Designer; and Devon Dickerson, Designer.
Specific design elements begin the moment guests enter the Suite. The highly reflective entry, accented by mirrored ceilings and rich, lacquered walls of dark figured Eucalyptus, create a “jewel box” arrival moment. Many design details evoke the Bentley brand including a special light installation based on the Adenauer Forest section of the Nuremberg Track in Germany, where the Formula One Grand Prix is held, and where Bentley’s are test-driven. The fixture is made of a curved ribbed glass, inspired by the headlamps on the Continental GT. Each individual glass element creates a curve that mimics the curves in the track layout. There are numerous design elements inspired by Bentley details – however, care was taken throughout the design process to avoid overt use of the Bentley logo or specific branding elements. The goal for the design team was to create a beautiful space that some guests may associate with an enduring luxury marque of Bentley, while others will simply enjoy the timeless style and design of a living space that exemplifies the luxuriously modern St. Regis Hotel brand.
