Freehand — Chicago, USA

Having established a reputation for boutique accommodation with a remarkable devotion to site-specific detail, the Sydell Group – whose properties include New York’s NoMad hotel – have now turned their attention to the Windy City. Working with long-time collaborators, design firm Roman and Williams, the newly opened Freehand Chicago – the second in the company’s hip hostel series after Miami – celebrates the city’s Midwestern heritage with a string of evocative communal spaces and rooms located in a restored 1920s Art Deco building, set among the high-rises of the downtown River North neighbourhood. The designers imbued the interior with a layered feel, using a combination of textiles, leather and wood to create a cosy, lived-in atmosphere, as well as using a mixture of vintage and custom-designed pieces inspired by regional craftwork traditions. In addition to the inviting private and shared rooms, the property plays host to a second location of acclaimed craft cocktail bar Broken Shaker, as well as an outpost of artisanal coffee purveyors Café Integral.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
19 East Ohio Street
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
Mika Cars wants to build the Mino, a sporty, ultra-compact electric two-seater for the open road
An evolution of Mika’s Meon electric beach buggy, the little Mino is an ultra-light EV with big-car aspirations
By Jonathan Bell
-
Beck on his orchestral shows: 'It's something that can't be simulated by AI'
Following two nights at London's Royal Albert Hall, Wallpaper* meets Beck and conductor Edwin Outwater to hear how the pair brought to life Beck's back catalogue with an 80-piece orchestra
By Jordan Bassett
-
Formula 1 in photos: 100 memorable moments
A new book, ‘Formula 1: The Impossible Collection’, marks 75 years of the motor-racing championship – a history full of tenacity, triumph and tragedy
By Bridget Downing
-
Ghanaian cuisine has a story to tell at Washington, DC restaurant Elmina
The new restaurant is chef Eric Adjepong’s colourful ode to the recipes he grew up loving
By Sofia de la Cruz
-
Fancy a matcha-beer cocktail? Visit this dashing new LA restaurant
Café 2001 channels the spirit of an American diner with the flow of a European bistro and the artistry of Japanese cuisine
By Carole Dixon
-
Visit this Michelin-star New York restaurant that doubles as an art gallery
Artist Mr.StarCity is exhibiting his emotionally charged yet optimistic ‘Bloomers’ portrait series at Frevo, a Greenwich Village hidden haunt
By Adrian Madlener
-
With glowing honeycomb-shaped booths, this futuristic Japanese restaurant is ramen heaven
After a successful U.S. expansion, Kyuramen touches down in Los Angeles.
By Carole Dixon
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the world
Celebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
By Léa Teuscher
-
Seven things not to miss on your sunny escape to Palm Springs
It’s a prime time for Angelenos, and others, to head out to Palm Springs; here’s where to have fun on your getaway
By Carole Dixon
-
At Linden Los Angeles, classic New York comfort food gets its due
The restaurant, inspired by a stretch of boulevard bridging Brooklyn and Queens, honors legacy, community and pleasure
By Carole Dixon
-
This atmospheric New York restaurant was designed to be a ‘beautiful ruin’
At Leon’s, classic Italian fare comes with a North African accent and with a side of family history
By Anna Fixsen