The Grand Hotel Just Debuted the Redesign of Its Iconic Carleton Varney Suite

Mackinac Island’s historic landmark resort, Grand Hotel, recently kicked off its 137th summer season with a total reimagination of its iconic Carleton Varney Suite.

The suite pays homage to one of the most accomplished and well-known American interior designers, the late Carleton Varney, who passed away last July. Varney was instrumental in designing the Grand Hotel in partnership with interior designer Dorothy Draper.

Varney’s creative vision has helped define the resort’s unique aesthetic since 1976. His use of bright colors, large imposing stripes, and bold floral patterns—as well as his placement of art and antiques from different time periods and styles—made the resort’s interiors feel like a classic summer destination, while still enduring the test of time. After all, there’s a reason he earned the nickname “Mr. Color.”

According to a media release from Dorothy Draper & Company, “Varney carefully crafted a look that was elegant but not too serious. He captured the spirit of the hotel as a fun summer place, always comfortable and with impeccable style.”

Now his son, designer Sebastian Varney, principal at Dorothy Draper & Company and president of Carleton V Ltd. is continuing his legacy through the redesign of his father’s eponymous suite, along with Rudy Saunders of Dorothy Draper & Company.

Sebastian Varney says, “Having spent my summers growing up at the Grand Hotel, it gives me a great sense of pride to continue the longstanding partnership my father established over 40 years ago. Carleton helped to shape the hotel into what it is today and I am excited to be the next steward of this special place and build upon his vision that enchanted guests bringing them back year after year. I look forward to making my own contributions that will have a lasting impact, perhaps for the next 40 years.”

‛The Carleton Varney suite, which overlooks the Mackinac Bridge and surrounding West Bluff historic homes, was originally designed by Varney in the '90s. After his passing, the Dorothy Draper team focused on a major refresh of the suite as a testament to his design career. Details throughout the two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath suite pay homage to defining periods throughout Varney’s illustrious career.

• The grand entrance, which was inspired by Varney’s years decorating for U.S. presidents, governors, ambassadors and other international dignitaries, uses gold silk damask wallcoverings, an antique Venetian mirror and traditional black and white checkerboard tiles for a sense of tradition and formality.

• The parlor uses furnishings from the Dorothy Draper Collection upholstered in brightly covered fabric in the “Growing Wild” pattern designed by Varney in 1975. This fabric can also be spotted on the window treatments and seating.

• The powder room, which features Dorothy Draper’s Brazilliance wallpaper and one of Varney’s signature scarves with hibiscus framed, is a nod to the designer’s fondness for the tropics.

• The second guest bedroom pays homage to Varney’s New England roots with white painted antique furniture, classical botanical prints, lemon yellow cane print wallpaper and framed photos of the designer’s time spent on Mackinac Island.

The redesign of this iconic Grand Hotel suite is certainly not for the color- or pattern-shy, but we have a feeling that Mr. Color would approve.

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