Living Rooms
Author:Abigail StoneThe new Kimpton Mirador Pacific Grove in Pacific Grove heralds a exciting chapter for the coastal town
Pacific Grove has long been overshadowed by Carmel, Pebble Beach and Monterey, the trio of coastal towns just under a hundred miles south of San Francisco that anchor the northern end of the Big Sur Coastline. “Pacific Grove is a small coastal town with a strong residential character,” says Narrative Design Studio’s Shannon Niehenke. “Much of its charm comes from the fact that it hasn’t changed dramatically over the years, but that also means there was a lack of places to stay beyond its collection of historic Victorian bed-and-breakfasts.”
While plans for a new hotel had been in development for close to two decades, previous proposals had been rejected as being too large or overly commercial. “They wanted something that felt timeless and authentic to the area,” Niehenke explains. “Fortunately by the time we came on board, a vision for something boutique in scale and rooted in the distinct qualities of the area had started to take shape.” A series of wild coincidences pointed to Narrative Design Studio as the perfect fit for the project. Niehenke ticks them off as she speaks: “I’d worked with Kimpton’s creative director while I was at NICOLEHOLLIS. She’d heard I’d started my own firm and called me up. Not only had I grown up in the area but the first architecture office I’d interned at was on the exact block that the hotel was built on.” It felt like kismet.
“We aimed to strike a balance between sophistication and warmth, with spaces that felt both refined and approachable,” Niehenke explains. “We wanted to create a place that felt felt welcoming to both visitors and residents.” Corralling local artisans helped to foster a sense of ownership within the community. “It was important to us that the hotel reflect and celebrate their creative spirit. Plus, incorporating their work gave the interiors an authenticity that helps to connect guests to the community.”
One example of this are the guest room’s ceramic installations. “Kimpton envisioned ceramic artwork as a key feature, but rather than referencing the more traditional ceramics often associated with the area’s Victorian bed-and-breakfasts, we decided to take a contemporary approach, commissioning artist Vanessa Cowdrey to create a series of textured ceramic pieces finished in blue-green washes inspired by the colors and movement of the nearby ocean. The result feels both artistic and deeply connected to the coastal landscape.”
The response has been overwhelmingly positive. “At the beginning of the project, I’d casually asked people what they thought about the hotel. The consensus was that they were concerned with how the project would fit into the community,” Niehenke admits. “But as the project neared completion, that sentiment began to shift and there was a growing sense of excitement about what it could bring to the city. Since opening, new businesses have emerged nearby, and many locals view the hotel as part of a positive new chapter for the town. They describe it was feeling more like a welcoming living room than a traditional hotel lobby.”
For more information or to book your stay, visit the Kimpton Mirador Pacific Grove‘s official site.