The Royce Hotel in St Kilda, Melbourne by SJB.

Set on Melbourne’s city fringe on St Kilda Road, The Royce Hotel has recently undergone a major makeover since changing hands at the end of 2017. Architecture & interiors firm SJB were first involved in Royce Hotel renovations some 12 years ago, and were invited back by the new owners to revamp the prototype suites.

The project encompasses SJB’s reinterpretation of what was once Australia’s first ever Rolls Royce car showroom. Now heritage listed, the property has a distinctive mix of 1920s and Spanish Mission architecture with beautifully preserved facades.

Continuing our partnership with Kohler, we spoke to SJB Interior Design Director, Andrew Parr, about the design approach for the project, which borrows from the opulent Rolls Royce brand identity from the overall vision through to minute details. Kohler believes that hospitality is about creating a memory people want to repeat, with guests craving unique experiences. Undoubtedly, stays at The Royce would fall into this category.

Related: Unpacking Nic Graham’s Design Approach for W Brisbane.

Presidential Suite bathroom features the innovative new Kohler Components Basin Set in polished chrome, Purist Bath Filler in polished chrome and July-Viteo bathroom accessories. SJB selected the Kohler Tube Spout with Oyl Knurled tap handles as a nod to the 1920s design intent.

New Kohler Components Basin Set Tube Spout with Oyl Knurled handles in polished chrome. Photo by Glenn Hester.

Presidential Suite bathroom features Oyl Shower Top Assembly with Knurled handles in polished chrome from the new Kohler Components tapware range and July-Viteo accessories.

Queen Signature Suite bathroom features the Englefield by Kohler Evora wall hung toilet suite, new Lynk Flushplate in polished chrome, new Kohler Components tapware Tube Spout with Oyl Knurled tap handles in polished chrome and July-Viteo accessories.

One of Australia’s leading interior designers, Parr has been setting the standard for high-end residential and hospitality projects for more than 20 years. “On hospitality and high-end residential projects, I’m often asked to bring new ideas into the design. This is something I really enjoy as a designer as it grants me the freedom to experiment and push some boundaries,” he says. “That said, part of being a good designer is ensuring your selections – even the unorthodox ones – are aligned with the client’s vision.”

Andrew founded the SJB’s interior design arm in 1994 and has made it his life’s work to ensure the SJB legacy is a valuable one. “I want to look back over my work and know my projects have stood the test of time – with enduring quality and design that remains relevant,” he says.

Similarly, a good hotel is built to stand the test of time, as have the bones of the Royce Hotel building. Successful hotel design involves a delicate balance of top-notch hospitality and homely atmosphere, with both spaces for people watching and privacy, and sometimes incorporating commercial elements. Or more simply, as Parr puts it, “somewhere equal or better than your own home!”

Presidential Suite Bathroom features new Kohler Components Basin Set with Oyl Knurled handles in polished chrome and Purist Bath Filler in polished chrome.

Taking lead from the luxury car from which it is named, The Royce Hotel is sophisticated and sound, opulent and unapologetically glamorous in the way the 1920s did best. Rather than a full-on recreation of the building’s original Art Deco incarnation, SJB’s intention was to give a subtle nod to Deco; taking cues from the original features of the building while keeping things deliberately light.

Amongst other hotel renovations helmed by SJB, Parr says the standard of luxury and classic detailing at The Royce sets it apart. According to Parr, the most challenging aspect was restoring the 1920’s cornices and ceilings, and the level of intricacy they bring to the hotel rooms definitely pays off.

Along with the cornices, panelling and high ceilings accentuate a slightly old-world feel. The colour palette throughout is predominantly ivory, slate, silver-grey and charcoal, with inky blue accents. Bespoke lighting features chrome detailing that harks back to the luxury cars once on display in the showroom. Mirrored surfaces enhance the polished chrome finishes, making the rooms feel shiny and new, at the same time as being clearly deferential to the Art Deco period.

Signature Suite bathroom features the new Kohler Components tapware Tube Spout with Oyl Knurled tap handles in polished chrome.

Detail view of the Signature Suite bathroom with new Kohler Components tapware Tube Spout with Oyl Knurled tap handles in polished chrome. Photo by Glenn Hester.

Signature Suite bathroom features the new Kohler Components tapware Tube Spout with Oyl Knurled tap handles in polished chrome. The shower features the Kohler Wall Elbow and 300mm Round RainCan showerhead with Katalyst air technology.

The bathrooms feature more specific references to the Rolls Royce showroom, such as shell motif wall tiles echoed from elsewhere in the building. Parr says Kohler fixtures and sanitary ware were pivotal in echoing the classic 20’s aesthetic over time. The Royce is the first Australian hotel to feature the new Components range by Kohler, a line of interchangeable tapware elements in a range of mix and max modern and minimalist options.

“The bathrooms are a classic palette of white and black marble deco-inspired vanities. Black glossed lacquered shutters reflect against custom sconces and fan-like tile designs,” says Parr.

More chrome detailing on the marble vanity units is subtly reminiscent of Le Corbusier’s classic Grand Confort armchair, designed in 1928, the same year the car showroom opened its doors.

The bathrooms “were tough yet beautiful in their classic chrome and black,” says Parr.

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[Images courtesy of SJB & Kohler. Photography by Nicole England, unless noted otherwise.]