October 16, 2018
DCA client Mark Zeff has been nominated by the Boutique Design New York trade show for this award, on behalf of his interior design work at Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco.
As founder and Principal of his interior design and branding firm, MARKZEFF, designer Mark Zeff recently led the completion of a $28 million revitalization for Joie de Vivre of their iconic Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco’s lively Japantown district. The work was completed in June, and DCA is pleased to announce that the project has earned Mark and his firm, including Project Interior Designer Stacie Meador, a nomination for the hotel industry’s prestigious BDNY Gold Key Award. Winners will be announced in November at the Gold Key Awards Gala during BDNY, one of the most innovative and exciting hospitality trade shows in the world.
Hotel Kabuki is a very unique, 1960’s pagoda-style building with a spectacular view of the city and up-close views of some of San Francisco’s finest cultural offerings. Taking influence from the counterculture movement of the 60’s and 70’s in the region as well as the hotel’s location, Mark fused the bohemian with the Japanese to update the interiors of the historic property with a modern edge.
“After learning about the culture of the area, and drawing on knowledge of Japanese architecture as well as my own interest in the beat generation, we were able to reinvent and modernize the interiors of the hotel in a sophisticated way,” Mark summarized.
He developed two different room styles, each featuring custom furniture, carpets and fabric to reflect a cohesive aesthetic; the first has wallcoverings featuring vintage Japanese newspaper print, while the second references retro sumo wrestling cards in a wallcovering that lines the closet. Subtle hints of Japanese influence are found in many facets of the decor, but are fused with a bohemian and urban sensibility.
Furniture, carpets, and fabrics used in the interiors that were not custom made were bought from local designers and artisans, displaying an eclectic mix of California culture in the vintage and new, simple and complex. For all their projects, Mark and his team seamlessly integrate high quality craftsmanship, handmade items, custom furniture, lighting, and hardware with the latest technology, earning the company a reputation for delivering cutting edge design. MARKZEFF has an extraordinary presence, both nationally and internationally: past projects range from infusing Hotel Van Zandt in Austin, Texas with an innovative “elegant cowboy grunge” to creating the standards for Hilton Worldwide’s new global lifestyle brand, Canopy. Residential projects include designing homes for clients like Hilary Swank, Annie Leibovitz, Alexis Bittar, and Gabriel Byrne.
Please check out a few images of the MARKZEFF team’s work at the Hotel Kabuki below!
