Copyright forbes
Kelly Wearstler, designer of the Proper Hotels. David Roemer Kelly Wearstler’s design essence blends rich interiors, layered with mixed themes of soft and hard, old and new. Immersing history, architecture, culture, and emotion. The Proper Hotels have become a living, breathing reflection of her work. Each property holds Wearstler’s belief that beauty lives in tension with the most magnetic spaces are ones that make us feel something. Downtown Proper Hotel The Ingalls Wearstler has made her designs across the Proper portfolio feel unified yet distinct. Wearstler credits philosophy, not formula. “The cohesion comes from our core philosophy rather than a template,” she says. The magic lies in the mix- raw and refined, global and local, structured yet spontaneous. Each hotel feels like a chapter in a continuous story, but written in its own dialect. The mission of our studio has always been to put forward progressive concepts grounded in a shared history.” That dialogue between opposites forms the heart of her design vocabulary. Every Proper Hotel becomes a case study in that balance where a sensory narrative of very material, every object, every line holds a story. For Wearstler, collaboration is essential to this storytelling. “For every project, we have dozens of collaborators — craftspeople, artists, art advisors, landscape architects — who all help us actualize our vision. The amalgamation of these experiences ensures that our aesthetic output is forever evolving. It’s an evolution that feels both distinctly her and entirely site-specific. There’s no one-size-fits-all formula — just an endless curiosity about how place, people, and design can harmonize.” Santa Monica Proper Hotel Mathieu Salvaing MORE FOR YOU At Proper Hotels, Wearstler’s approach begins with context then she layers in color palettes, furiture, art work, etc. “Every Proper location begins with a deep sense of place — its architecture, cultural cues, and existing environment,” she explains. “From there, the narrative evolves into something more holistic,” she shared. At Santa Monica Proper, that narrative is pure California with the easy, sun-washed fluidity weaving the indoors and outdoors. “The architecture embraces this with floor-to-ceiling windows that blur the boundary between inside and out, allowing natural light and ocean breezes to permeate every space.” The result is a living embodiment of the West Coast’s golden-hour glow. Austin Proper's Grand Staircase. The Ingalls In Austin, the design plays a soulful ode to local lore and craftsmanship. Goldie’s bar wraps guests in a cocoon of timber and fabric, while Kappo Kappo, the hotel’s intimate dining experience, draws inspiration from the local creative scene. “We collaborated with Delta Millworks to develop proprietary timber finishes and sourced vintage dead-stock tiles from Portugal,” she says. “The space feels as personal as a dinner party, blurring the line between public and private, restaurant and home.” Wearstler holds particular affection for those that transcend design and become experiences. Austin also holds the grand staircase — wrapped in a mosaic of vintage runners — becomes a sculptural centerpiece, a literal weaving of past and present. Then there’s the cypress wood paneling, charred in the traditional Japanese Shou Sugi Ban method — a detail that adds not just texture, but narrative. It’s this interplay of surfaces and sensations that makes a Proper space feel alive. Each project is part design laboratory, part love letter to its surroundings. The San Francisco Proper leans into the city’s moody sophistication; Downtown LA Proper channels its adaptive reuse heritage — a 1920s-era landmark reborn with contemporary flair. San Francisco Proper Hotel Manolo Myllera When it comes to sourcing for Wearstler it is both instinct and archaeology, “It’s an ongoing process that blends personal relationships, global exploration, and local discovery,” she explains. Her world is one of constant motion in the search for the perfect piece — galleries, art fairs, dusty auction houses. But her work is just as anchored in the local, commissioning artists to create site-specific works that weave each hotel into the cultural fabric of its community. “Every object must carry character, texture, and a story,” she insists. “It’s what gives each space its soul.” Wearstler’s next chapter is as cinematic as her interiors: a Lake Tahoe resort once owned by Frank Sinatra, where she plans to weave together history, landscape, and craft. “We’ve just launched an open call for California artists to collaborate on site-specific works,” she shares. “The vision is to layer history, craftsmanship, and contemporary design in a way that feels immersive and deeply connected to the surrounding landscape.” And beyond Tahoe? Six more Proper properties are on the horizon — each destined to stretch the boundaries of what “hotel design” can be. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
