Downtown L.A. | June 16, 2023
Dahlia, a New Cocktail Lounge in Los Angeles, Is a Rose-Colored Paradise
When most envision a cocktail lounge, they first think of red velvet seats and sparse, moody lighting. Dahlia, a lush new bar at the Downtown Proper L.A. Hotel, is changing that smoke-filled paradigm, swapping out leather and wood paneling for blush-pink Roman plaster walls and lavender zellige tiles.
ELLE DECOR A-List Titan Kelly Wearstler designed Dahlia, her latest in a string of projects for the Proper Hospitality brand. Cocktails are made tableside on a moving cart, creating a sense of intimacy and personalization—an attitude reflected in Wearstler’s interiors.
“Everything is about table service in the space, so the design was created to ensure guests would never want to get out of their seats,” she tells ELLE DECOR.
Another priority for Wearstler was bringing together a roster of local artists and designers to adorn the space, including Judson Studios, which created Dahlia’s stained-glass doors, and Mike Anderson, who designed a custom case piece. Ceramic mirrors by Mithe Espelt, a large-scale work by Lou Fink, and a gesso artwork by Jonathan Todryk dot the pink-and-terra-cotta walls.
