NEW TRENDIZE: Mid Century Modern Interiors Vibe

DelightFULL. The gig posters in the 319 guest in the ’60’s and ’70’s, when Van Zandt made Blue, symbolically thrums through the color palette as a moody teal. Riffs on blue are found everywhere from the lounge’s tufted velvetcovered sofas and chairs to the guest rooms, where the wall covering evokes dreamy watercolor brushstrokes.

The rakish streak in the design suits the city motto, Keep Austin Weird, as well as Kimpton’s MO. “We like to have fun with our hotels, and we’re always looking to do that in a smart and disciplined way,” Bradley says. As an antidote to the cliché of the walnut-paneled library, Zeff styled an events space as a library but gave it high-gloss peacock-blue walls and alcove shelving lined with red-covered books, all about Texas or by Texas authors. “We freaked out the faux library,” he says with satisfaction. neighborhood, the Rainey Street Historic District, a pocket of bars and restaurants in strippeddown bungalows. On early visits, Zeff noticed a wild guinea fowl, affectionately known to locals as Geraldine, roaming the streets. The hotel restaurant is now called Geraldine’s, complete with a guinea fowl for a logo. Other characters are represented in artwork by Van Zandt’s son JT, who creates his images by boring holes in slabs of wood. There are two portraits of Van Zandt, senior; one of a stern-looking Comanche chief; and another of a 19th-century boy with a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

A photograph of Van Zandt’s friend Willie Nelson hangs just outside the restaurant. Inside, the arched ceiling joists strung with marqueeesque lights suggest the magical setting of a Texas dance hall, and live music is played every night. It’s not hard to imagine Van Zandt himself onstage.