“A contemporary expression of luxury that reflects the dynamic spirit of Detroit” is how Jim Looney, CEO and founder of Dallas-based interior design firm Looney & Associates, defines the new 25-story JW Marriott Detroit Water Square. The hotel’s interiors were masterfully designed by Looney and his team, who also have offices in Chicago and Honolulu.
Kaitlyn Totter, a senior designer at the firm, explains that looking into the city’s rich history was key to the interior design. “The city’s legacy of craftsmanship, innovation, and resilience informed our approach to the materials, the movement, and the details,” she says.
For the 601 guest rooms and suites, the team brought in soft neutrals, warm woods, bronze metals, and tactile fabrics, while also adding “subtle shifts in tone, from lighter river-inspired hues to deeper cityscape accents” to create a space that felt both luxurious yet calming, says Totter.
“We want the guests to have that serene sense of renewal when they leave the room — they’ll feel refreshed and connected to the city,” she says of the rooms, which will have floor-to-ceiling windows and waterfront views. “We want them to come back to Detroit.”
When the Hour team took a hard-hat tour, we saw what Emily McDaniel, a senior designer at the firm, calls “a dramatic ceiling element” that resembles a river. It will lead guests through the lobby to a central bar, “where you’ll have these expansive views of the city. It’s a moment that opens up the whole experience and gives you connection back to the city.”
Down the lobby’s grand stairs, guests will discover the new Andiamo Italian Chophouse, which will offer dining both indoors and out. “It was essential for us to include an outdoor terrace because the Detroit River is so central to the experience of this hotel,” says Totter. She states that the warm woods, polished stone, softly patinated metals, and ambient lighting of the dining room, paired with timeless Italian influences, define the restaurant’s experience, complementing the hotel’s refinement while adding its own distinct and intimate feel.
But what truly takes this hotel to dynamic new heights is its ability to be cohesive from the guests’ arrival all the way through each amenity offered (see our previous article “First Look at JW Marriott Detroit Water Square” for details).
“We really begin every project with a very clear design narrative,” explains Casey Bemis, the project manager and the firm’s associate architect. That story becomes a framework that “we can constantly look back to as we move from the larger pieces into each individual amenity so that we can make sure that each space is functional and intentional.” Looney & Associates, which has over 30 years of hospitality experience, worked alongside Detroit’s Sterling Group and Southfield-based architectural firm Neumann/Smith on the expansive project.
Looney adds: “When we were doing our research, we got to go to a baseball game [at Comerica]. We did walking tours. It was very personal. We didn’t just land in Detroit and look at architecture. We got to meet people and really be immersed in a personal way.” All of this, he says, contributed to a space he hopes Detroiters will connect with.
“We want the hotel to be experienced on a lot of levels,” he says, pointing out that the spaces are designed not only for conventions or big group meetings but for locals and visitors alike. “This is going to be a big social hub in Detroit.”
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