Located in the neighborhood of SouthPark—six miles from the core of uptown Charlotte, Canopy by Hilton Charlotte SouthPark will be the first Canopy hotel in North Carolina, providing guests with an experience inspired by Southern heritage and local design elements. Opening in Spring 2020, this 150-room hotel offers an upscale, yet hospitable, environment reflected through its interiors as a natural extension of the community.
Wilson Associates’ New York studio drew design inspiration from a gracious Southern home with English origins that still resonates today in a lifestyle of relaxed formality—where comfort and graciousness are key elements of the South. The design team is led by Associate Design Director Rafael Berkowitz and Senior Design Manager Kevin Caulfield. Together, they crafted interior spaces that meet the needs of youthful-minded travelers looking for a unique experience and well-designed contemporary spaces.
Upon entering the foyer in the lobby, guests are greeted by an elegant console and beautiful flower arrangement, which leads to the reception desk. The lobby has been conceived as the grand room of the “home”, which features layered textures and a white-washed color palette for a fresh, clean and casual atmosphere—similar to traditional Southern residences. The neighboring Canopy Central Cafe & Bar offers a comfortable arrangement of modern and traditional furniture set around an open fireplace. Ideal for social gatherings, Canopy Central provides a residential- inspired communal table as well as movable table and chairs, adorned with touches of traditional fabrics and pops of color. This space showcases a marble countertop bar and a faceted mirror wall along with traditional plate ware at the cafe. Bridging the gap between the outdoors and indoors, the Cafe & Bar is connected to the Verandah.
The hotel provides 150 “Just Right” guest rooms, including 16 suites, that showcase a modern spin on Southern traditional bedrooms. The design highlight of the accommodations is the Canopy bed, inspired by the traditional half tester bed, which is reinterpreted as a sculptural, wooden modern version of draped fabric canopies. In keeping with the Southern style theme, the guest rooms provide Canopy’s signature “uncloseted” open wardrobe with Southern louver screens as the main element to define this brand component. Traditional and contemporary furniture pieces are mixed in the guest rooms to provide a residential feel—all anchored by an area rug with a vibrant pattern and colors, inspired by a commonly used technique of flame-stitch fabrics.
The Southern residential inspired aesthetic continues throughout the extensive meeting and event areas, totaling 9,000 square feet. The design of the grand ballroom and smaller breakout rooms draws inspiration from a home study and library with rich finishes and curated artwork from local artists. Additionally, the carpeting features North Carolina tartan-inspired patterns and colors—tying back to the roots of SouthPark. The layout of the event spaces ensures that the grand ballroom is connected to the terrace while the elegant butler’s pantry supports both the event space and garden terrace.
The fitness center’s design captures the energy of the space by offering a playful use of colorful wallpapers that have “traditional” prints with a twist — unexpected contemporary “objects” not found in its original versions are inserted in the patterns.
About Wilson Associates
At Wilson Associates, we seek to redefine the creative industry by inspiring, enriching, and engaging the human experience. For nearly 50 years, our dynamic talent and collaborative spirit have inspired and created some of the world’s most iconic, avant-garde spaces, among them the Conrad Koh Samui; The Venetian Las Vegas; Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve; and the Armani Hotel Dubai. Wilson Associates has a strong international footprint, with more than 300 team members and design hubs in 10 cities: Bangkok, Dallas, Dubai, London, Los Angeles, New York City, Paris, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo.
