Schloss Elmau, Germany
The Schloss Elmau Experience
Some one hundred kilometers to the south of Munich, Schloss Elmau hotel is set against a picturesque landscape on the edge of the Alps. Its annex “Retreat” hotel, completed in March 2015, was center stage in television broadcasts in June as the venue for the G7 Summit. Zollanvari literally ‘rolled out’ the red carpets in the suites and some public areas of the “Retreat” annex – minimalist design two-tone handmade red carpets woven to a detailed brief given by the hotel’s owner Dietmar Müller-Elmau. He has shown a fondness for handmade carpets and has called all the design shots at his hotel establishments. This is not only evident in the Amaleh carpets by Zollanvari used for the refurbishment of the original Schloss Elmau hotel but also in the beautiful flooring designed by Müller-Elmau and produced by Zollanvari for the new Retreat hotel. The resulting creations are appealingly modern and radiate from the interplay between two shades of red. Dietmar Müller-Elmau opted for 100% highland wool and the carpets were woven in the Zollanvari Amaleh quality. The wool was dyed red using common madder – older roots to achieve darker hues and younger roots to produce the lighter shades. The exact composition of the natural red dyes remains the master dyer’s secret but the abrash effect achieved is complex and striking.
