Welcome to Maya from Cincinnati. She is the first of 4 bloggers trying out for a place on the AT:Chicago editorial team, covering different cities in the Midwest. Comments welcome!
Designed in 1908 by Samuel Hannaford & Sons, Memorial Hall sits just west of Washington Park in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Erected to honor the county's war veterans, the Beaux Arts structure is now used for concerts, performances and other events (John McCain gave a speech here before the Ohio Primary).
The interior is chock-full of inspiration, from its bold color choices to perfectly executed faux finishes, from rich architectural details to luxe materials. We've blogged about the red and green color combo before, and Memorial Hall offers a few takes on the idea using different shades of the colors without ever evoking Christmas.
So, how do you get to check out the interior of this amazing building? It's a stop on the Architreks walking tour of Over-the-Rhine, sponsored by the Cincinnati Preservation Association. Or, you can attend a concert by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players, or the annual MusicNOW Festival.
This is a gem of a building, completely historically rehabbed about 20 years ago. We had our wedding reception here. I love the color scheme and it did inspire some of our choices in our apartment rehab across the park from this building. I love the feel of the building; its huge pivot windows for ventilation, really take you back in time. Unfortunately, not many find the historical accuracy so agreeable in the summer and the lack of AC makes it less used and less seen by the public in those months. I wish more events were held here, everyone should see this space.
view catherines's profile
I have to say that I'm not in love with these colors, individually or together, but I absolutely love the way they fit the style of the interior, with all the textures and detailing. Great photos, too!
view ClaireW's profile
I love this building - have been there many times growing up in Cincinnati and now living right down the street from it. The fact that a lot of the patterns (the metallic wallpaper, ceiling lattice work, the greek key) are now used in modern spaces really makes for an interest mix when paired with the traditional theatre elements. Thanks for brining Cincinnati into the mix Maya - the pictures are great.
view 30katie's profile
Love this building. The interiors are a very accurate historical restoration.
view CityKin's profile
No scoring this time? Three cupcakes!
view ChrisToronto's profile
Good Photos, but the colors don't really pop. You might want to look into learning some basic camera techniques, like a custom whitebalance, to really capture the colors beauty. :)
view Shutterbug678's profile