Just a block away from the Denver Art Museum campus, a bright purple brick building at 1114 Acoma St. is being taken over by some of Denver's prominent muralists.
The historic Golden Triangle building functioned as a communal boarding house for years before Christina and Mike Eisenstein bought it about two years ago. The couple own and operate a few other Airbnb's and residential properties, but they knew they wanted this one to offer guests some kind of themed experience. Then, they met with local artist Pat Milbery, who suggested they incorporate work from local artists.
The resulting project is The Acoma House, a boutique hotel that gives guests the chance to stay in a room designed by their favorite artist.
While hotel rooms can often feel transient, corporate and even sterile, the rooms in The Acoma House are designed to be incredibly stylized. Each of the 24 units is designed by a different well-known local muralist, including Chris Haven, Grow Love, "JUST" Giovannie, Lindee Zimmer, Danielle SeeWalker, Alex Pangburn, Romelle, Moe Gram, Koko Bayer and Marissa Napoletano. Guests will be able to book whichever room is best suited to their taste via booking sites like Airbnb, Expedia and VRBO.
"I hope that their experience is something more personal than a hotel, because it's like you're actually entering an artist's space," said Acoma House co-owner Christina Eisenstein. "I just think the building is really fun. That's what I hope people feel when they come here. It's just fun and whimsical and different."
The artists were told to make their murals "Airbnb appropriate" -- no profanity, and no violence. Other than that, they have complete freedom to paint anything they want on their room's walls, ceiling, floors and even AC units. Meanwhile, Eisenstein works on the space's design, selecting furniture, tiles and lighting to complement each artist's distinct style and color palette. Every room also will have a QR code posted outside its door that links to the artist's website or Instagram.
For his Acoma House room, artist Johnny Draco wanted to create a free-flowing and welcoming environment.
"One of the things that I initially thought of was creating something abstract, so that it can be interpreted by whoever's living here," he said.
With any large-scale mural, artists have to navigate the properties and configurations of the space. Draco noticed the bathroom in his unit was bathed in yellow light from the skylight, so he incorporated that color into the design, painting the walls so the room would be cast in a reddish glow.
Marissa Napoletano wanted a cohesive vibe across her unit, with each room within it fostering a slightly different mood. The bathroom is vibrant, the bedroom is warm and cozy, and the living area is airy and breathable.
"The big idea was about immersion. I mean, I've never had anybody live with my art," she said. "It's such an honor, but it's also a lot of pressure. You really want someone to love it because they're going to be living in it. For a mural, you have the option to walk away. If you're living in an Airbnb, you really need to make people feel comfortable. But also, I want to give them a little peek into my brain."
The new hotel will add a splash of color to the rapidly changing Golden Triangle neighborhood this year.
The area has recently been a center for growth and development initiatives in the city, as luxury buildings and high-rises crop up. Over the summer, Denver City Council passed new district rezoning measures meant to make for a denser, taller urban environment, and to allow for more walkable streets and more affordable housing, which is becoming increasingly scarce in the highly sought after neighborhood.
Eisenstein said the Acoma House building, which was originally built in 1902, was previously a boarding house owned by the same folks who own the 11th Avenue Hostel on Broadway. It offered subsidized housing, making it one of the last Golden Triangle buildings to do so. Eisenstein said when they got into the space, it was full of furniture and items former residents had left behind, including several live turtles, which Eisenstein had to take to the Humane Society.
Eisenstein said they also had to reconfigure the space a bit. For example, it came with communal bathrooms, which they've since removed. And when they first began construction, they found bird and bat skeletons in the walls.
Now, the artists are putting finishing touches on their murals, and the Acoma House team is gradually installing each rooms' furniture and lighting. But there are still a few things the Eisensteins have to get done before The Acoma House can open to the public. They'll have to secure their lodging facility license, and a certificate of occupancy.
The Eisensteins hope guests will be able to book their stay at The Acoma House as early as December 2021. Until then, here's a sneak peek inside.
