The Ritz Carlton by Elliott Barnes, Wolfsburg (Germany)

Interior Design: Elliott Barnes

Photography: Deidi Von Schaewen

This C-shaped five-star hotel is housed in a contemporary chateau made of glass and natural stone. The Wolfsburg Ritz Carlton is known for its proximity to the Autostadt, Volkswagen’s “Car City.” The hotel marries industrial design with comfort, offering a cosy view of the four majestic chimneys of the original 1930s Volkswagen Kraftwerk.

Paris-based American designer Elliott Barnes redesigned the interiors in 2013, cultivating an atmosphere of warmth and security without superfluity or opulence.

In the lobby, Tai Ping rugs sit beneath a forest of glass bamboo trees, their hexagonal details adding subtle visual interest to the space. A conference room sports a wall-to-wall Tai Ping carpet, its colour and texture a dupe for hardwood floors. Tai Ping pieces dot otherwise neutral spaces throughout the hotel, bringing levity with splashes sumptuous colour and playful design.