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, their halos of light encouraging intimacy and conversation.

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.