Hotel

,

San Francisco

,

USA

Inside Hotel Kabuki: A Taste of Japan In San Francisco

September 9, 2018

by

Editor

Inside Hotel Kabuki: A Taste of Japan In San Francisco

⇒ In the heart of San Francisco, California,

Hotel Kabuki

is the new project of

interior design

and branding firm

MARKZEFF

. The hotel underwent a interiors update that’s heavily inspired by Japanese influences. Today,

Best Design Guides

brings you an inside look at this oriental-inspired

hospitality project

.

“After learning about the culture of the area, and drawing on knowledge of Japanese architecture as well as my own affinity for the beat generation, we were able to reinvent and modernize the interiors of the hotel in a sophisticated way.” said

Mark Zeff

, Principal of his eponymous firm.

While

Eastern influences

are certainly visible throughout the hotel’s interiors, there are also many details that pay homage to San Francisco’s music scene in the 60s, its known hippie culture, and its counterculture movement of the 60s and 70s.

In the lobby, a black and blond colour palette inspired by the Japanese technique of wood preservation,

sugi ban

, sets the tone for the interiors. Carbonized black, alligator skin-textured walls are juxtaposed with blond wood floors.

A Japanese calligraphy-inspired carpet outlines public spaces that have design and cultural books neatly stacked through for casual lounging and perusing. A communal table holds popular records curated by a DJ for different events that take place at the hotel.

Zeff designed two themes for the guest rooms: a vintage Japanese newspaper print and a retro sumo wrestling cards. All rooms are outfitted with

custom furniture

, carpets and fabric inspired by

Japanese aesthetics

, such as shibori-dyed drapery and headboards, patchwork style of borough stitching, and the clean lines of

Japanese woodworking

.

Zeff also worked with a local consultant to source

unique art

and images to expand the Japan-meets-San Francisco vibe even more, collecting graphic Japanese matchbook covers from the 20s and 30s and

historic photos

from San Francisco’s past to complete the spaces.