Chicago Penthouse
A 12,000-year-old Japanese finish inspires contemporary elegance.
The designer of this full-floor penthouse apartment in the Hyatt Hotel building on Michigan Avenue asked Pretorius Studio for a unique interior look. Their vision was to make the walls out of an exotic dark wood with a highly polished, glossy finish, inspired by the ancient Japanese art of urushi lacquer, which produces a uniquely brilliant glow. Creating its effects requires a skilled hand, especially over such a large surface as an apartment interior.
Elaborate hand-painting with a dramatic payoff.
We worked to match a specific urushi sample that had a dimensional horizontal striated texture, a subtle woodgrain and a cashew lacquer finish. In our efforts to replicate the smooth brilliance of its finish, we created many samples and ultimately used a combination of Swedish putty applied to the walls to create a horizontal raised texture, followed by a series of paints and glaze layers to achieve the woodgrain effect.
Once our final finish sample was approved, we finished the walls in the foyer, living room and dining room to mimic the depth and luster of urushi lacquer. We airbrushed the paints and glaze layers in order to eliminate the risk of brush marks that would mar the brilliance of the finish. To add a final layer of sheen, we hand buffed the walls with piano polish. Pretorius Studio worked with the designer, architect and builder to complete the labor-intensive project most efficiently.
We completed the luxury look by covering the corners of the apartment walls and millwork with aluminum corner brackets finished in our studio to look like aged bronze. For the foyer ceiling, we painted a trompe l’oeil mural inspired by a Roman coffered ceiling. The mural itself was leafed and painted in our studio and applied on-site, where we also leafed and distressed the plaster crown molding to match. Our work gave the apartment a dramatic ambiance that is truly one of a kind.
The original urushi lacquer finish on this antique Japanese table served as an example and creative inspiration for the space. We recreated its look and feel on the penthouse walls.
“By applying our finishes to all architectural elements by hand, we’re able to build layer upon layer of tones and textures that transform spaces like this home into one-of-a-kind, immersive luxury.”
