With locations in Miami, Nantucket, and soon even Bali, Life House—a New York–based, venture-backed hotel brand established in 2017—creates luxe accommodations that reflect the distinct culture and history of each locale. We talked with CEO Rami Zeidan about the vision behind the brand’s new Denver hotel, a cozy, 16-room retreat that opened in LoHi late last year.

The walls of Wildflower’s cozy dining room are lined with framed art and photographs that the Life House design team sourced from local vintage shops. Custom banquettes are upholstered in a plush green velvet that echoes the tone and texture of the curtains. Photo by Matt Kisiday
Life House LoHi’s 16 guest rooms were designed to accommodate all types of travelers. The spacious Deluxe King suits couples or solo guests, while the Cozy Quad offers two sets of full-size bunk beds for friend groups or families. Photo by Matt Kisiday
Guests enter the main dining room through a unique portal cased in locally sourced charred ebony. Photo by Matt Kisiday
Life House CEO Rami Zeidan. Photo by Matt Kisiday
“At all of our properties, we create familial lounge spaces that reflect a residential home,” says CEO Rami Zeidan. In the main-floor communal “living room,” a variety of seating options—including a pair of Louis XVI bergères with a wildflower motif—invites guests to mingle. Photo by Matt Kisiday

5280 Home: What made the LoHi neighborhood a good match for Life House?
Rami Zeidan: Its rich history: Highland was one of the first residential neighborhoods in Denver following the westward expansion of the late 1800s, and still retains many of its gorgeous Victorian mansions. Today, it’s home to stylish bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries, but it lacked an upscale accommodation offering.

5280 Home August/September 2021
5280 Home August/September 2021
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How did the neighborhood’s history influence the hotel’s design story?
When creating narratives [for our hotels], we always take cues from past eras of the neighborhoods we inhabit, while balancing out the design with modern touches. Our team went through an intensive three-week research process to kick off the design concept. We dug into digital archives of local newspapers and property records, which helped us envision the Highland neighborhood during the 19th century. We also spent time on the ground to better understand the local arts scene today.

And what did you find?
We serendipitously found Georgia Amar in the Art District on Santa Fe while shopping for vintage furniture. Two of her large-scale prints are displayed in the dining room of Wildflower, [the on-site restaurant,] and are for sale through October as a part of our rotating gallery. We also sourced two oil paintings for the entry from another local artist, Michael Dowling.

Scalloped stools and olive curtains in rich velvets contribute to Life House LoHi’s historical aesthetic. Photo by Matt Kisiday
The hotel’s on-site restaurant, Wildflower, offers seasonal fare with Italian and Mexican influences. Pictured at left, the Grilled Lamb Chorizo is topped with an egg, peanuts, and a vibrant parsley salad. Tapas-sized dishes encourage diners to save room for dessert, which is presented on a Victorian-style trolley. Photo by Matt Kisiday

We love the hotel’s old-West-meets-contemporary-cool look. How did the design team pull it off?
We combined modern finishes like polished concrete and tinted glass with more nostalgic furniture and objects that our design team collected from local vintage dealers. And details throughout the hotel reflect the spirit of our geographical muse, local wildflowers: [The lounge includes] vintage club chairs upholstered in a wildflower-print velvet, Victorian candlesticks filled with dried flowers, and William Morris floral art prints.