In 2020, Lyon’s famous Hotel La Tour Rose was transformed with the help of two things: the work of a passionate team and a well-chosen selection of eco-friendly paint and wallpaper from Farrow & Ball.

Responsible for restoring the iconic building to its former glory were hoteliers Nathalie Grynbaum and Stéphanie Marquez, who acquired the property as part of their MiHotel group, and interior designer Nathalie Rives.

When asked what first attracted them to the location, Grynbaum and Marquez said “It’s such an emblematic place – bewitching, an exceptional building with terraces and gardens, nooks and crannies. Also, our taste for old stones and a strong challenge!”

Rives’ chic and eclectic designs have created a series of luxurious suites, each with their own distinct identity but with one thing in common – they were all created with Farrow & Ball products.

“Each suite is an experience, an era, a real journey through history,” says Rives. “This choice of artistic direction corresponds perfectly to the concept of MiHotel because each suite must be unique.”

When creating these luxurious rooms, Rives knew that the richly pigmented formulas of Farrow & Ball emulsion, with its sophisticated matt finish and extraordinary response to light, would be the perfect fit, having worked with the brand for many years. Despite this long-standing relationship, the project still revealed new possibilities for the designer.

“The two real discoveries are Red Earth and Preference Red,” she says. “Together they dazzle, and they allowed me to bring the historical colours of La Tour Rose’s facade inside the building.

Having combined both these new discoveries and some old favourites with handcrafted wallpaper – its patterns uniquely made with Farrow & Ball’s own water based paints rather than printing inks – the overall effect is contemporary but with the discernibly handcrafted feel that comes through in all Farrow & Ball products.