V Starr Interiors Displays Signature Energy at Midtown Athletic Club
V Starr Interiors designed the Tennis Lounge at Midtown Athletic Club and the V Suite at the new Hotel at Midtown at the Club’s flagship location in Chicago as part of its landmark renovation. The spaces designed by V Starr Interiors draw on Principal and CEO Venus Williams’ passions as a tennis icon and creative entrepreneur, from tennis to hospitality, family, and fashion. The Tennis Lounge features bold color and diagonal lines that promote an active atmosphere while the V Suite utilizes calming whites to relax guests after a strenuous match
Tennis icon and entrepreneur Venus Williams was awarded the opportunity to work with another icon of athletics: Midtown Athletic Club and The Hotel at Midtown in Chicago. She and her team at V Starr Interiors designed the Tennis Lounge at the club’s flagship location in Chicago, which underwent a landmark renovation, as well as The V Suite for the new The Hotel at Midtown.
The two spaces unite Williams’ passions in one project, and tell a story of her life from early tennis career to successful creative entrepreneur. The V Suite combines her love of design and hospitality, while the Tennis Lounge exhibits her dedication to tennis, including a striking feature wall composed of tennis balls. Her close connection to family is also displayed in the Tennis Lounge, where V Starr Interiors commissioned a painting by Venus’ sister, Serena Williams, which is currently on loan to Midtown Athletic Club. In addition, Venus’ love of fashion is seen in her activewear line, EleVen, being carried in the Club’s boutique shop.
“We’ve known Venus since she and Serena competed at Midtown as junior stars,” said Steven Schwartz, president and CEO of Midtown Athletic Clubs. “It’s been special to follow her career as an international tennis icon, and more recently, as she launched V Starr and EleVen. Midtown Athletic Club and The Hotel at Midtown has been a dream of ours for more than a decade, and giving Venus and her team the opportunity to leave their mark on our dream project was really fortunate. Everything came together better than we could have scripted it.”
The spaces designed by V Starr Interiors are intended to take the guest on a journey from active and strenuous to a state of respite. The Tennis Lounge, which officially opened in summer 2018, features bold color and energetic, diagonal lines that promote an active atmosphere. Inside the lounge, electric shades of yellow and green complement sophisticated wood grains, and teal seating.
In a stark contrast to the tennis lounge’s high frequency, The V Suite conjures a sense of rest and rejuvenation. The suite, also opened in Summer 2018, and was named in a reference to Venus’ nickname as well as the name of V Starr Interiors. It features a living area composed of sultry, soothing tones complemented by pure whites in the bedroom.
Venus shares, “I’ve always respected the Midtown Athletic Club, and it was meaningful to work with them in a new capacity while combining all of my passions.” She continues, “V Starr’s design for the project reflects the timeless sophistication of Midtown’s beloved establishment, while drawing from my own experiences.”
Midtown Athletic Club and The Hotel at Midtown opened as the largest premier health-and-fitness property in the U.S. last year at more than 575,000 square feet. For this project, V Starr Interiors worked with a long-time partner of Midtown Athletic Clubs, DMAC Architecture, who provided primary architecture and interior design services for the facilities. The look and feel established by DMAC celebrates guests and brings in the urban environment of the surrounding neighborhood, addressing contemporary values around luxury, health and community.
ABOUT V STARR INTERIORS
V STARR Interiors was founded by professional tennis player, Venus Williams, in 2002. Combining Williams’ value for excellence as an athlete with her passion for design, V STARR Interiors is a full-service commercial and residential interior design firm. High-profile clients such as InterContinental Hotels, Midtown Athletic Club and The Hotel at Midtown, Curio by Hilton, Related Group and Howard University, among others, have turned to V STARR Interiors to successfully translate their vision into reality. The company is based in West Palm Beach, Florida. For additional information, please visit www.vstarrinteriors.com.
ABOUT MIDTOWN ATHLETIC CLUBS
Midtown Athletic Clubs manages a portfolio of super-premium health and fitness clubs in the U.S. and Canada, including Midtown Athletic Club and The Hotel at Midtown in Chicago, which is scheduled to open in July 2017. Midtown provides members and guests with the places and people to help them live healthy and happy lifestyles. Midtown Athletic Clubs feature the best of everything at world-class facilities – from spas to swimming pools, tennis to turf training, bistros to boutiques, and of course, state-of-the-art fitness. For more information, please visit www.midtown.com.
ABOUT ELEVEN BY VENUS WILLIAMS
Launched in 2012, EleVen by Venus Williams is an active wear line that ‘Fashions Healthier Lives’ with a mission to motivate and empower women to feel confident, strong and express their individuality. Bringing style to fitness, the emphasis of each collection is not only on how the clothes perform, but the design inspiration with the introduction of a new color pallet and prints. The high-quality pieces offer flattering feminine fits in beautiful fabrications. The collections of fitness and tennis are designed to allow women to strive each day without limits. In a world where ‘10’ is a just a number, EleVen is a lifestyle! To learn more, visit elevenbyvenuswilliams.com.
