Citadines Islington — Photo by The Ascott Limited
Citadines Islington — Photo by The Ascott Limited
Citadines Confluent Nantes — Photo by The Ascott Limited
Citadines Ramblas Barcelona — Photo by The Ascott Limited
Citadines Arnulfpark Munich — Photo by The Ascott Limited

We asked Citadines apart’hotels to share the secrets behind the designs of three very different Citadines properties, along with tips to help us recreate those designs in our own homes.

Artistic genius

The famous French novelist and poet Jules Verne spent his childhood in the bustling maritime city of Nantes, sparking a fascination for travel which later inspired him to write his adventure novel, ‘Around the World in 80 Days’. Situated just minutes from the city centre and main tourist attractions, the playful design of Citadines Confluent Nantes apart’hotel pays homage to Verne’s whimsical tales. There are spacious and stylish communal areas and a focus on rest and cocooning. Large black and white pencil-sketches, featuring the iconic elephants and hot air balloons from Verne’s novels, march and sail across the walls in the bedrooms, and splashes of tropical colour pattern the fabrics.

Stéphanie Baconnais, Residence Manager, Citadines Confluent Nantes says: “Taking inspiration from what’s around you is a clever way to anchor a place to its location and provide an interesting talking point for guests. Think about the history or essence of your location and add hints to reflect that, to spark imagination, whether that’s seashells for a coastal location, specific colours to reflect the environment or nods to a famous novelist in the form of prints on the wall. You can create a mood board to see how all your elements work together.”

Natural style

The fully equipped studios and apartments in the newly renovated Citadines Arnulfpark Munich draw their inspiration from the natural environment - the urban green spaces in and around Munich as well as the lush valleys and rivers of the surrounding Alpine foreland beyond. In the lobby, varied natural-toned floor coverings separate the reception, seating area, breakfast area and lounge, giving the impression of a winding path through a park landscape. In the refurbished breakfast area, pops of brilliant green and yellow are set against earthy tones and dark wood to enhance this natural theme, and a Bavarian beer garden-style table finishes the look.

Hamburg interior designer Doris Zimmermann of raumdesignkontor.de based her design on local inspirations such as the ‘Englischer Garten’, one of the largest inner city park landscapes in Europe: “The aim was to create the atmosphere and moods of the park with its many possibilities of use such as relaxation, sports activities and nature experiences in the public area of ​​the hotel,” she says.

Steal this style idea by bringing plants both large and small inside and using contrasting textures and natural materials such as wood, bamboo, cork and stone. A green wall, if you have the space, is an eye-catching way to bring the outdoors in.

Colour me beautiful

Colour played a leading role in the interior design of Citadines Islington, the newest addition to the UK Citadines portfolio. This apart’hotel is decorated in vibrant pastel hues, with statement lighting and furnishings contrasted with soothing neutral tones to create a relaxing ambiance.

The apartments and communal areas feature a colour palette of Prussian blue, eggshell blue, and blush pink. These are set against a backdrop of warm European oak flooring, and honey-toned aged-brass light fittings, which provide the perfect foil to make the colours pop. The apartments also feature striking bespoke blue and white monochromatic screen-printed wallpaper.

Citadines Ramblas Barcelona, located in the centre of the vibrant and colourful Catalan capital, takes its design inspiration from the famous Ramblas streets surrounding the property. The primary colour is a mustard yellow, which works well against the soft green / grey backdrop and the black accents. The paving of much of the city is made from a hexagon concrete tile that was designed by Gaudi himself. This pattern, as well as Gaudi’s mosaic concept, was incorporated into the design of Citadines Ramblas Barcelona. Hilary Lancaster, CEO and Creative Director for Fusion Interiors Group who has completed several interior design for Citadines says: “The interior design for Citadines Barcelona was inspired by the hexagonal Gaudi-designed tiles paving the streets of Barcelona and the colour and vibrancy of his artwork and his architecture. Barcelona is such a vibrant city, we wanted to bring this energy into the design while maintaining the Citadines personality that the guests know and love”.

To give your home a refresh and to lift the spirits, add a playful twist by experimenting with bold colours. You can add this to your own space with vibrant colours including blue, yellow and red, mosaic tiles or vases, and rustic clay pottery. If you don’t want to commit to painting a whole room, you could paint a single feature wall, or simply add a new rug, cushions or chairs in bright and bold colours which can easily be changed or moved around to fit your design over time.

About The Ascott Limited

Since pioneering Asia Pacific's first international-class serviced residence with the opening of The Ascott Singapore in 1984, Ascott has grown to be a trusted hospitality company with more than 940 properties globally. Headquartered in Singapore, Ascott's presence extends across more than 220 cities in over 40 countries in Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the USA.

Ascott's diversified accommodation offerings span serviced residences, co-living properties, hotels and independent senior living apartments, as well as student accommodation and rental housing. Its award-winning hospitality brands include Ascott, Citadines, lyf, Oakwood, Quest, Somerset, The Crest Collection, The Unlimited Collection, Preference, Fox, Harris, POP!, Vertu and Yello; and it has a brand partnership with Domitys. Through Ascott Star Rewards (ASR), Ascott's loyalty programme, members enjoy exclusive privileges and offers at participating properties.

A wholly owned business unit of CapitaLand Investment Limited, Ascott is a leading vertically-integrated lodging operator. Harnessing its extensive network of third-party owners and in-market expertise, Ascott grows fee-related earnings through its hospitality management and investment management capabilities. Ascott also expands its funds under management by growing its sponsored CapitaLand Ascott Trust and private funds.

For more information on Ascott's industry record of 40 years and its sustainability programme, please visit www.discoverasr.com/the-ascott-limited. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.

About CapitaLand Investment Limited

Headquartered and listed in Singapore, CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI) is a leading global real estate investment manager (REIM) with a strong Asia foothold. As at 30 September 2023, CLI had S$133 billion of real estate assets under management, and S$90 billion of real estate funds under management (FUM) held via six listed real estate investment trusts and business trusts, and more than 30 private vehicles across Asia Pacific, Europe and USA. Its diversified real estate asset classes cover retail, office, lodging, business parks, industrial, logistics and data centres.

CLI aims to scale its FUM and fee-related earnings through fund management, lodging management and its full stack of operating capabilities, and maintain effective capital management. As the investment management arm of CapitaLand Group, CLI has access to the development capabilities of and pipeline investment opportunities from CapitaLand's development arm.

As a responsible company, CLI places sustainability at the core of what it does and has committed to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions for scope 1 and 2 by 2050. CLI contributes to the environmental and social well-being of the communities where it operates, as it delivers long-term economic value to its stakeholders.

Visit http://www.capitalandinvest.com/ for more information.