The playfully irreverent hotel brand, Freehand, has fittingly brought its free-spirited aesthetic to the heart of the Big Apple.
Occupying the historic George Washington Hotel in the city’s Flatiron neighbourhood, originally built in 1928, Freehand New York exudes the same vibrant textures and warmth that have made it a favourite in Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago.
For New York, the the Sydell Group reprised its long-standing collaboration with Roman and Williams, who has mixed restored original aspects of the building’s interiors with custom-made furniture and fixtures, found objects and accents that speak to the American craftsman aesthetic and site-specific artwork commissioned from Bard College’s Live Arts Program.
While an embodiment of the neighbourhood’s past and present, Freehand New York leaves its own mark with its stylish bar and culinary offerings. Local tastemaker Gabriel Stulman is not only behind its restaurant, Simon & The Whale, a charmingly nostalgic, seafood-focused spot, but also a living room-esque café concept and refined bar that doles out small bites and classic cocktails, both located on the mezzanine floor.
In spring, the brand’s signature bar, Broken Shaker, which was first launched in Miami, will move in to the hotel’s rooftop.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
23 Lexington Avenue
PHOTOGRAPHY
Adrian Gaut
-
Teenage Engineering introduce the OP-XY sequencer, an ode to Teutonic sounds and styleA dynamic performance sequencer, the Teenage Engineering OP-XY is the latest highly desirable piece of kit from the Swedish electronics firm
-
Expandable Trailers delivers instant luxury accommodation on wheelsThe new Expandable Mansion is a truckable structure that'll transform the remotest location into a restful retreat
-
First look: Matthew Fisher opens the doors to his first gallery in ManhattanHistory, design, and environmental consciousness converge at M. Fisher in New York City, offering an experience that is as meaningful as it is visually striking
-
Midtown Manhattan restaurant Ánimo! takes its cues from Mexican morning ritualsJordana Maisie Design Studio creates a minimalistic yet referential setting for Ánimo!
-
The Beachside hotel on Nantucket is ‘a love letter to the American summer’The Beachside on Nantucket is a laid-back hotel designed by Parts and Labor Design studio, part of the Wallpaper* USA 400 consortium
-
Fall in New York? Artist Francesco Clemente and chef Daniel Humm have designed a destination bar worth making the trip forFrancesco Clemente has created a suite of magical friezes for the Clemente Bar, which opens at Daniel Humm’s Eleven Madison Park restaurant in New York this week
-
Sleep like a Prince at Airbnb’s Purple Rain house in MinneapolisAirbnb introduces the newly restored Purple Rain house, a tribute to Prince’s musical genius and the movie and song’s 40th anniversary
-
The new Los Angeles restaurants to book now: savour surrealism and revel in Japanese brutalismExplore the best new restaurants in Los Angeles, from Muse, a French-Italian opening in Santa Monica, to Rokusho, an intimate omakase experience in Hollywood
-
One&Only’s portfolio of ultra-luxury escapes reaches out to new horizonsFrom the Maldives to Mexico, One&Only’s resorts and private homes around the world offer exceptional stays in idyllic locations, soon to include a first USA property, designed by Olson Kundig
-
Four days after opening, a playful New York restaurant has SoHo abuzzThe Corner Store’s inventive fare is the talk of the town – and for good reason
-
So & So’s Piano Bar is Hell’s Kitchen’s new best-kept secretSo & So’s Piano Bar in New York City provides a seductive backdrop for nightly live music performances that celebrate the ‘high-low’
