Interior Design, Tommy & Crick
We talked with Australian duo Tommy Tang and Crick King from Blankslate studio, the designers behind Hotel Brummell. —a place that feels less like a hotel and more like the home of someone cooler than you. We chatted about desire, mistakes, and whether anyone’s ever had sex on the rooftop. They told us everything.
What did the hotel look like before you touched it?
A delightful slum in Mumbai smelling incredibly delicious of mould, butter chicken and urine.
Were there any surprising sources of inspiration that shaped the look&feel of the hotel?
Geoffrey Bawa as the master of tropical modernism.
First thing you knew you wanted to change?
We needed a pool!
What’s the weirdest object in the hotel?
Mr Christian Schallert.
Did you steal any ideas from someone else?
No.
What does “sexy” mean in interior design?
When space allows you to behave like a different version of you.
Which material turned you on the most?
The Catalan earth tile wall treatment in the bedrooms.
What’s one thing you regret doing—or not doing?
No regrets.
What’s something in the hotel nobody notices, but you love?
That the shelf in the lobby was salvaged from the original building.
Has anyone had sex in a spot you didn’t expect?
Do you mean when I walked in for a meeting and saw the hotel manager naked?
Do you care what guests think, honestly?
Yes. So much care for the guests.
What’s your current design crush or obsession?
Queenslander houses.