Traditionally home to many of the Florida Keys’ workers and longtime locals, Stock Island has increasingly become a destination for travelers seeking a slice of old Key West. Situated on a working marina with a boat repair shop, lobster company and nearby artist market, The Perry was one of the first experiential hotels to open in the area. Following the lead of its nautical surroundings, we were commissioned to execute interior design for the hotel’s public spaces, including the lobby, restaurant, public restrooms, pool deck, pool bar, outdoor restaurant, lounge, sunset lounge, and fitness center.

Our design embraces the laid-back heritage of the island through materials and textures that evoke both its casual, lived-in charm and surrounding natural environment. Industrial elements, such as concrete columns and a board-form concrete wall, were mixed freely with references to tropical resort amenities like reclaimed teak flooring. Providing a more hands-on approach to design, our team personally curated and crafted a boat propeller installation for the front desk and hand-dyed the restaurant’s string art installation. More literal (and literary) nods to Key West’s history were also scattered through the hotel in the form of black and white photography and a prominent Hemingway quote—“Write Drunk. Edit Sober.”—painted on the bar floor. This careful curation of handmade touches and island history helped anchor The Perry as a design darling in multiple publications, including Architectural Digest and Conde Nast Traveler.