Claremont
with Makkas Workroom
Photo Credit: Erin Little
In 2020, our longtime interior designer partner, Laura Keeler Pierce, was approached by the new owner of the soon-to-be Claremont Hotel in Southwest Harbor, Maine, to team up with their Creative Director, Krista Stokes, to design an expansive 24-room hotel and 12-cottage retreat, totaling over 50 accommodations. She immediately reached out to our workroom, then located in Framingham, to partner on the fabrication of all the soft furnishings. It was a large, complex project, so we were grateful to be brought in early on in the process.
I still remember the phone call: “Manny, we have an opportunity to take on a large project.” And I can speak for myself and for the team back in the shop, there was a real excitement around it, a challenge we were pretty fired up about. Because we already had extensive experience in the hospitality design industry, we were able to offer tremendous support and insight.
The project had a quick turnaround, and, being 2020, we were also dealing with COVID-related production issues. The project began in September 2020, and we installed it in May 2021. It was a timeline only possible because the world was literally shut down. We had the bandwidth to put all hands on deck, but at the same time, we were incredibly challenged by delays because the world had shut down.
Photo Credit: Erin Little
Working alongside Laura, we fabricated window treatments, pillows, and headboards with beautiful fabric combinations. The headboards really made the rooms' design unique, but also introduced some logistical challenges. They were unique and rather large in size, so we had to store them in the back hallway of our workroom, and when it came time to install, we had to strategically plan out how to move them up some of the hotel’s narrow staircases.
One design approach that worked in our favor was that the draperies were approximately 60 inches long, not full-length. They were designed to sit just below the window apron. Shorter panels are significantly easier to fabricate and handle, so our team was able to move through production fairly quickly.
Photo Credit: Erin Little
To maintain consistency across a project of this scale, one thing we do is dedicate focused production time to just this project. This approach ensures everyone is working with the same thread, stitching the pleats the same way. There are no inefficiencies associated with stopping, starting, and switching hands.
The installation took place over four to six trips from Framingham to Mount Desert Island, around 5 hours each way. Looking back, the Claremont Hotel project was a tremendous springboard for the busiest four to five-year period in my business's history. That project was the beginning of a very, very intense period. It was great work.
It was a massive undertaking and challenging in the best way possible.
Collaborators:
● Laura Keeler Pierce, Founder & Principal Designer, Keeler & Co.
● Krista Stokes
● The Claremont Hotel
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