Hit the streets to discover even more of Copenhagen’s design-centric offerings. Design Museum Denmark (Bredgade 68, Tel: +45-3318-5656, www.designmuseum.dk/en) dates back to 1890 and currently occupies a Rococo building that was once Denmark’s first public hospital. Today, the collection contains Danish design archives, industrial designs from around the world, and an extensive poster collection. If you want to bring a bit of Danish design home, visit Normann Copenhagen’s (Østerbrogade 70, Tel: +45-3527-0540, www.norman-copenhagen.com/en) showroom. Founded by Jan Andersen and Poul Madsen, the brand showcases furniture, lamps and accessories in a flagship store featuring marbled beams, mirror glass, and a bubblegum pink lower level that will take your breath away.
Guestroom at The Foundry Hotel
Nordic cuisine and design intersect at Alouette (Sturlasgade 14P, 1, Tel: +45-3167-6606, www.restaurant-alouette.dk) in the Islands Brygge neighborhood. Discovering Nick Curtin and Camilla Hanse’s hideaway in an industrial factory is half the fun, but their continually evolving fivecourse menu in collaboration with Andrew Valenzuela showcases the simplicity and seasonality of Danish cuisine. Just as much attention has been paid to the surroundings, designed by KBH Møbelsnedkeri and various collaborations. From your initial entrance through a hidden oak door to the unsuspecting greenhouse bathed in natural light to ceramics by Gurli Elbaekgaard and Søren Solkjær’s “Sort Sol” (Black Sun) artwork, Alouette is at once a diner’s dream and embodiment of Danish design.
THE FOUNDRY HOTEL
ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
Head to the mountains to experience crisp air, astounding architecture, and a cultural and culinary scene that is perhaps the best-kept secret east of the Mississippi. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville has had its share of ups and downs. The city committed to paying back its debt after the 1929 stock market crash and was so cash-poor that it couldn’t even afford demolition, thus preserving some of the era’s most exquisite architecture. What’s old is new again as Asheville’s renaissance continues to soar.
Past and present intersect at the Foundry Hotel (51 South Market St., Tel: 828-552-8545, www.foundryasheville.com). Three early 20th-century buildings seamlessly connect with new construction to create an 87- room luxury boutique hotel on a site that once forged steel for the nearby Biltmore Estate. Part of Hilton’s (a longtime supporter of the LGBTQ community) Curio Collection, the Foundry’s industrial charm and attention to detail is irresistible. Its location within The Block neighborhood is at the epicenter of what was once the city’s African American business district. Opinions differ on the area’s gentrification, but the Foundry honors the community’s legacy as part of its mission.
Suite Livingroom at The Foundry Hotel
Reclaimed design elements appear throughout the property. Walking among the hallways feels like a treasure trove of Asheville’s history, with exposed beams, steel-star fastenings, and industrial-style windows framing its imaginative interior. Look a bit closer and you’ll discover artworks that pay homage to Asheville’s past. Highlights include a large-scale illustration of Holman T. Waldron’s With Pen and Camera thro’ ‘The Land of the Sky’ (1902) printed over vintage books, photographs of the foundry during its heyday, historic newspaper reproductions from The Asheville Citizen, and contemporary prints and sculptures.
For those that want to enjoy the great outdoors, The Foundry’s on-site Asheville Supply & Foundry Co. Marketplace can outfit you with the necessary gear, but be sure to return in time for dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, Benne on Eagle.
