When Marc Ange plopped down under his first Beverly Hills palm tree to hide from the California sun after moving from Paris, the seconds of solace unknowingly conjured up a childhood memory. "The moment of peace that I found under the shade of that palm tree reminded me of the ones that I would create when I first arrived in France as a child," says Ange. "I was protected by an imaginary jungle, which, in reality, was a lonely kid’s room at the time."
That moment also sparked the makings of Ange’s newest masterpiece, Le Refuge, which debuted at Milan Design Week in April, and is now on view at The Beverly Hills Hotel. The flamingo pink daybed lays atop several slabs of teak wood, while powder-pink-coated stainless steel palm leaves provide some protection from the sun in the hotel’s citrus garden that leads to the pool.
"With its pink color it seems to have been created for The Beverly Hills Hotel," says the designer about the piece’s placement in the hotel’s exhibit, curated by Leclaireur Gallery, Los Angeles. "It’s like a nostalgic wink to Old Hollywood glamour, and it brings a surreal summary of all the decorative concepts of the hotel."
While the piece looks like an artwork, Ange insists it’s meant for everyday enjoyment and invites guests to kick off their heels. "Its materials are comfortable and resistant, and the game of shadows created by the palm leaves underneath the sun makes the experience particularly relaxing," he says.
You can test out Le Refuge at The Beverly Hills Hotel until August 23, or, if you are especially mesmerized by its design, the piece is available for purchase at The Invisible Collection and Leclaireur.
