Hotel Colorado’s renovations are fashioning a modern motif through a historical lens, Hotel Colorado President Christian Henny said.

“We’ve emphasized the need for clean Italian lines, a neutral and modern palette,” Henny said. “But we’re also going for a period-correct aesthetic.”

With an investment of more than $8 million, hotel staff are revamping the hotel’s rooms, hallways and stairwells. Design work for the renovations began more than a year ago, and crews could be substantially complete with the project by Memorial Day, Henny said.

Each room’s furniture is slated to be replaced with all custom-made articles, including marble-topped desks and night stands as well as new, elaborate headboards, which feature embroidered upholstery.

The hotel interior was last remodeled in the mid-1990s, Henny said.

Built in 1893 by Walter Devereux, a silver baron and one of the early settlers of Glenwood Springs, no expense was spared in the construction of the hotel, which included tennis courts, a Victorian garden, a bird sanctuary and an indoor waterfall. Devereux referred to the hotel as his “Grand Dame,” and modeled the establishment after the Villa de Medici.

In place of the mauve-heavy theme previously featured throughout the hallways and in the rooms, Henny said the hotel is moving forward with a white-and-blue color scheme, paying homage to its history as a U.S. Navy hospital during World War II.

Guest rooms are being remodeled half a floor at a time to minimize impact on the guest experience, a news release states. Throughout the renovation, hotel staff will catalog historic furniture and discoveries, setting aside choice pieces for use in signature suites. Additional historic items are scheduled to be featured in a future Hall of History planned for the lower level.

In addition to new carpeting, lighting and furniture, two of the hotel’s elevators are slated to be replaced with fully functional models, which will be available for public use, Henny said.

“Though COVID-19 delayed our plans,” said Craig Melville, a spokesperson for the Melville family, who purchased the hotel in 2018, “we are back on track and remain dedicated to giving our ‘Grand Dame’ the attention and investment she deserves.”

Reporter Ike Fredregill can be reached at 970-384-9154 or by email at ifredregill@postindependent.com.