The fashion and design industries are no stranger to sister tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams.
Last Friday, Chicago welcomed Venus Williams and her interior design firm, V Starr Interiors, at the Midtown Athletic Club in Lincoln Park. The storied club recently completed an $85 million, 575,000 square foot renovation and building expansion, designed by Chicago’s DMAC Architecture. At the Club, V Starr Interiors designed the Tennis Lounge, as well as a suite at the Hotel at Midtown Chicago, called the “V Suite”.
The Midtown Athletic Club’s renovation and expansion offer guests an all-inclusive experience from the moment they set foot on the property, with new spaces including:
A 24,000 square foot outdoor pool and sun deck, a 25-yard lap pool, and hydrotherapy pool, full-service restaurant with outdoor dining, private dining, and lounge, rooftop sundeck, 10,000 square foot weight training floor, 10,000 square foot cardio fitness floor, tennis lounge designed by V STARR Interiors, full-service spa, heated yoga studio, spin studio, Pilates studio, boxing studio, group exercise studio, two PGA Tour golf simulators, Kidtown Kids Club, and a retail boutique.
Ms. Williams and her team at V Starr Interiors attended the opening event for Midtown Athletic Club, open to Midtown members and select outside media. The event included a discussion of the project, their design, and a Q&A.
“You don’t see a club like this every day, particularly with a hotel,” said Ms. Williams, at the opening event. “A lot of times as a designer, you work so hard on something for years, but sometimes the whole team can’t make it out to come see it. It’s so nice to be here and see people using the space and enjoying it.”
V Starr Interiors provided the following design statement regarding the project: “The two spaces unite Williams’ passions in one project, and tell a story of her life from early tennis career to successful creative entrepreneur…Midtown Athletic Club’s flagship property was originally constructed in 1970 as the world’s largest indoor tennis club, and according to its owners, became the largest premier health-and-fitness property in the U.S upon its 2018 reopening. DMAC gave it a look and feel that celebrates guests and brings in the urban environment of the surrounding neighborhood. The Tennis Lounge serves 14 tennis courts and was designed by V Starr Interiors with vibrant colors to amplify energy levels, while also providing a relaxing space for recuperation after a tough match.”
“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.”
The lounge even features a painting by Venus’ sister Serena Williams, commissioned for the project by V Starr Interiors.
“She’s an artist, too!” said Ms. Williams, about her sister Serena. “At some point two or three years ago, she just started painting. I’ll come over to her house, and she’s painting away. They’re really beautiful, too – she’s good at it!”
Around the corner from the Tennis Lounge, the Club’s boutique shop carries Venus’ activewear line, EleVen. And inside the hotel, a 55-room property spanning the fourth and fifth floors, four suites are available to guests, including the V Suite.
“The V Suite conjures a sense of rest and rejuvenation,” notes the press announcement. “The suite 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.”
“We’ve known Venus since she and Serena competed at Midtown as junior stars,” said Steven Schwartz, president and CEO of Midtown Athletic Clubs,” in the press announcement. “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.”
Ms. Williams founded V Starr Interiors in 2002 as a full-service commercial, hospitality and residential interior design firm. Based in West Palm Beach, Florida, the firm has crafted a robust client list that includes InterContinental Hotels, Midtown Athletic Club and The Hotel at Midtown, Curio by Hilton, Related Group and Howard University.
“A lot of my inspiration to get into design came from my parents,” said Ms. Williams. “We were not allowed to just be tennis players. I am known as a tennis player, that’s a big part of who I am, but our parents raised us to understand who we were off the court. And design and tennis are similar – I love the back and forth that happens in the design process, working with contractors and clients.”
At the event, Ms. Williams was accompanied by her design team, including Sonya Haffey, Vice President of V Starr Interiors.
“I call tennis her day job, and it’s amazing how she goes through a day, with her tennis career as a full-time job, and then puts that same effort off the court, into the firm,” said Ms. Haffey.
Below is a sampling of V Starr Interiors’ work. Particularly interesting is the Niido project, a concept in home-sharing friendly apartments by Airbnb. Peruse at your pleasure!
>Niido Powered by Airbnb. Kissimmee, FL
“Niido Powered by Airbnb, is a new brand of multifamily rental communities that encourage home sharing.
V Starr Interiors’ role will include designs for the amenities, shared spaces, interior finishes and furnishings for the NiidoHome units. When designing the spaces, Venus Williams’ firm was inspired by the ‘NiidoFamily’, a quirky group that, much like most traditional families, has members with different styles and interests including personalities such as the “Bookworm Blogger” and the “Advertising Exec.” The design will vary from city to city, but all the projects will have a consistent look and feel through Niido brand standards across all locations. For example, the first Orlando property will be based on the “Bookworm Blogger” personality, with warm fabrics, finishes and lighting to make it both contemporary and inviting. The bones of the property will be consistent throughout each unit including high-end kitchens and baths, luxury wall finishes, wireless speakers and keyless smart locks.
Powered by Airbnb, Niido will encourage tenants to share their homes for up to 180 nights per year. The units will have unique design features such as keyless entry, and feature lockable areas in the closets, kitchen, and bath areas. The building will offer amenities such as a small bodega, game room, gym, pool, BBQ areas and fire pit. It will offer package and food delivery services, environmentally friendly cleaning, and on-demand concierge services through the MasterHost such as luggage storage and guest check-in via a Niido app. These developments will expand Airbnb’s Friendly Buildings Program, with revenues being shared between hosts and landlords.
The first project, a 324-unit building in Kissimmee, Fla., is slated to open in 2018.”
>Atlantico. Palm Beach, FL
“V Starr Interiors combined classic coastal design with local inspiration at the residential community Atlantico at Alton in Palm Beach, FL, softening hard architectural elements like iron and stone with subdued shades and plush, flowing fabrics. The firm’s design scope included the interiors and finishes of a model unit, the clubhouse, and amenity areas throughout the property developed by FCI Residential Corporation, with highlights such as a bold business center, fun game room, beautiful outdoor corridor, and gazebo.
‘We used a mixture of color and texture that gives a lively edge to a laid-back, Santa Barbara vibe.’ says Sonya Haffey, Vice President of V Starr Interiors. ‘Rich grays and blues harmonize with muted tones and glimmering metallic accents for expressive, contemporary interiors.’
The clean design balances casual, organic touches like warm wood finishes, tall rattan chairs and lots of natural lighting with dramatic moments, such as large decorative wall screens and staggered pendants in the club room highlighted by a chevron wood flooring inlay below.”
>Royal Palm Polo – Clubhouse. Boca Raton, FL
“V Starr Interiors completed the interiors for the Residents’ Club that will be the new centerpiece of the Royal Palm Polo community by Toll Brothers in Boca Raton, FL. The space, taking inspiration from the classic, clean Spanish architecture by Douglas Root Architects, Inc., was created in an elegant transitional style that is both warm and welcoming.
‘The Royal Palm Polo clubhouse design is a play on classic Boca Raton style with a modern edge. It is highlighted by sophisticated colors and furnishings,’ said Venus Williams, Principal and CEO of V Starr Interiors. This is V Starr’s first partnership with Toll Brothers, the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes.
The double height entryway of the clubhouse is a portal to the captivating main space, brought to life by parquet wood floors, artistic lighting, and transitional millwork details. Pops of color are incorporated in the pillows and decorative accessories to accent the inviting furnishings while abundant windows add life and energy throughout. The spaces within the clubhouse include a social room with a fireplace, catering kitchen, dining area, beautifully appointed men’s and women’s pool bathrooms that feature locker, shower, and dressing areas, and a state-of-the-art fitness center.
Specialty finishes and features throughout the clubhouse include a venetian plaster clad fireplace,
unique mosaic tile, antique mirrors, and a dynamic fitness mural by local artist Jeffrey Noble of Nice’n Easy. V Starr Interiors also custom designed three incredible showcase pedestals and carefully selected the sculptures within each of them.”
