Haworth Hotel is Michigan’s newest design destination - conceived by Patricia Urquiola

This freshly refurbed hotel, located in the city of Holland – once voted America’s second happiest place to live – is amping Michigan’s design credentials under the tutelage of Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola.

The hotel is located on the campus of Hope College and first opened in 1997. It has been renamed the Haworth Hotel and refurbed under the watchful eye of Patricia Urquiola as her first project in Michigan.

Haworth is a ‘living showroom’ under the Spanish architect’s curation, having brought in a stable of revered design brands, including Kvadrat, Poltrona Frau and Capellini, as well as pieces from Haworth – the office furniture business that runs the hotel, and has its headquarters in Holland.

The centrepiece of the Michigan hotel is a swooping, sculptural staircase which leads to its 48 bedrooms and 14 conference spaces. Pale wooden floors and white walls form a neutral backdrop, allowing rattan seating, tub armchairs and sculptural bookcases to shine.

Urquiola has also used clever colour blocking, splashing a communal space in sky blue and its sofas in matching shades. Meanwhile, bedrooms (which start at $151 per night) are daubed in a soothing shade of mint, and conference rooms in earthy terracotta – bold shades that are a visual palette cleanser for guests moving from work mode to relaxation.