It’s hard to walk around New York City and not see a the newly designed residential towers and developments these days, but lingering around many corners of the metropolis are still pockets of the city’s storied history that can oft be forgotten.
Once such treasure, the legendary Lexington Hotel – which first opened during the Roaring Twenties and is probably most famously known as the place where Joe di Maggio and Marilyn Monroe eloped - has unveiled a new cocktail bar designed by Stonehill Taylor. Named after a distinguished socialite and anti-Prohibitionist Captain William H. Stayton, the Stayton Room is a vibrant throwback to a bygone era.
Located next to the hotel lobby, the bar is an evocative assembly of jewel tones, dark wood, crushed velvet and Art Deco touches that echo the historic scalloped crown moldings that can be seen throughout the hotel.
Contemporary features such as geometric brass orb pendants and molten copper sconces from Tom Dixon deliver a feeling of sophistication that is further reiterated by a dramatic rosewood tambour-backed bar, topped with Rosa Fiorentino granite and set under an arching light fixture.
All aspects of the space have been designed to foster intimacy, be it from the cozy banquettes, arm chairs and tables that pepper the room, to the granite bar counter equipped with an elegant rail, which wraps around the space and offers a perch for guests to observe the action. The lounge’s Jazz Age feel is complemented by a Prohibition Era-inspired cocktail menu and inventively presented bar fare, created by chef Richard Sandoval. §
