Hyatt Union Square in Manhattan has unveiled a fully reimagined lobby and cocktail lounge, Bar Sella, envisioned as a dreamlike blend of stylish hospitality and mid-century allure.

Brought to life by New York-based Legeard Studio, the project began with a complete renovation, rethinking the double-height interiors to create a space that feels equal parts hotel and cultural neighbourhood salon.

Bespoke patterned tile flooring sets a retro-contemporary tone upon arrival. A richly veined reception desk anchors the entry beneath a monumental painting commissioned from local artist Joe Henry Baker, while a Bauhaus-inspired stained-glass wall creates a dramatic backdrop, casting filtered light in bold blocks of colour. Overhead, a cluster of sculptural lantern pendants recalls Isamu Noguchi’s lighting designs.

From grandeur, the design pivots to intimacy. A guest lounge wrapped in warm wood panelling channels the relaxed comfort of 1970s sofa pits, layered with playful rugs and polished vintage accents. Just beyond, a towering installation of lush greenery rises as a living partition, dividing the lobby while cloaking the cocktail bar in a sense of mystery.

Inside, the cocktail lounge showcases carefully curated textures and colours inspired by nature, with soaring columns encased in diamond-patterned woodwork and Murano glass-inspired sconces. Custom furnishings nod to mid-century masters, while vintage pieces are reupholstered in soft, elevated fabrics. Circular booths gather around Sergio Mazza’s iconic Alfa lamps.

The bar emerges as a central showpiece, with a Charlotte Perriand–inspired bottle shelf rising before an expanse of Verde Antigua marble. Above it, a vast plaster relief installation ripples across the wall, catching light and shadow in sculptural layers. Three cascading chandeliers, reminiscent of antique Venetian glasswork, float above with a theatrical presence.

By night, the lounge transforms into an immersive destination where dim lighting, warm textures, and a curated soundtrack conjure a distinctly New York energy.