Share
Ruth Eckerd Hall Expansion
Designers: Suzan Decker Ross and Marci Tempesta
Ruth Eckerd Hall recently completed a massive renovation and 6,000 square foot expansion of its Grand Lobby with beautiful floor to ceiling windows and new décor. The adjacent Dress Circle Lounge doubled in size and features a stunning, suspended stained-glass donor wall. We were excited to be selected as the design studio to create the spectacular new interior for this regional, cultural gem. We enjoyed collaborating with the REH Team to re-envision the overall design concept, color palette, flooring and surface finishes, along with adding new upscale furnishings and artistic custom pieces featuring the work of local artisans.
This unique donor wall was designed by Suzan Decker Ross. She commissioned local artists Kathleen Bromley and Kara Ramdas of Katglass Stained Glass Studio of Clearwater to source and create the fused glass panels with hand-painted donor names.
Waylon Smith of All Metals Custom fabricated and installed the welded aluminum powder coated frames in this two-story artistic focal point.
A custom floating marble staircase ushers patrons past the colorful stained glass donor wall, as they ascend to the upstairs Dress Circle Lounge.
Comfortable bench seating was custom made to fit the L-shaped half wall in the upstairs Dress Circle Lounge. Notice the accent tables reflect the circular motif of the architecture.
Talented artist, Stephen Palladino’s two murals from his Paparazzi Paintings series offer fun photo ops for patrons.
Decker Ross decided to feature the work of Safety Harbor artist Holly Apperson of GinHol Mosaics, who married vivid stained glass and shiny metal to defunct instruments to give them new life as wall jewelry. Apperson’s colorful upcycled creations become beautifully intricate mosaic musical instruments and can be seen in various locations throughout Ruth Eckerd Hall’s newly renovated Grand Lobby and Dress Circle Lounge.
