bOTANIQ Castle of tura

Redesigning an operating hotel is a challenging task, especially when it is one of the highest quality 5-star castle hotels in Hungary. The Schossberger castle, which houses BOTANIQ, was built in 1883 based on the plans of Gyula Bukovics - a student of Miklós Ybl. The building, which had been in ruins for years, underwent a full-scale historical reconstruction and has been operating as a luxury hotel since November 2021.

My team undertook the task of highlighting everything that gives the castle hotel its unique character during the interior design concept creation and furniture arrangement.

I freely interpreted the botanical theme and mixed the leaf shapes and organic lines typical of Art Nouveau. The bespoke furniture, foyer walls, curved bed frames and canopies evoke the atmosphere of a bygone era in a modern and functional approach. Using materials and natural fabrics, woollen carpets and linen curtains create a feeling of luxury, in a place where one has more time than usual to observe the details. The merging of brass and raw clay objects with marble and glass surfaces ensures a balance of cold and warm elements, while nostalgic, vintage accessories refer to the castle's rich history. The antique pressed plant installations, driftwood ornaments and lithographs create a connection with the surrounding magnificent castle park.

In terms of accessories, we did not strive for simplicity. The small decorative objects, pictures and paperweights weave the space like a silk thread. Local lights, ceiling lamps, and the rock patterns of the area decorate the console tables and party carts in the spirit of detail. Delicate curved mirrors and wall ceramics mix with plant prints in antique frames.

The presence of books creates a homely feeling: it invites you to rest and read. This intention is reflected in the hiding of the TV sets and the design of the modular furniture.

The vibrant world of motifs can also be seen in Róbert Scholtz's wall paintings, so I was happy to use his favourite bright colours. The region's fauna moved into the suites as bookends, decorative pillows and small sculptures.

The goal was to ensure complete relaxation and rejuvenation in the suites, while the eye could rest on delicately curved, patinated objects.

Client: BDPST Zrt.

Project coordinator: Laura Varga

Interior design assistant: Gerda Gaál

Contributing partners:

Patina Webshop + Showroom

Bespoke Project Budapest

ARS Gallery

Arbonica Botanica

Naturflor

Photo:

Csaba Villányi