Philadelphia Bellevue Hotel

​Crafting Scagliola for the Restoration of The Bellevue Hotel

 I’m incredibly honored to see the restoration work at The Bellevue Hotel recognized by the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia this year as well!
Working as a decorative arts specialist under subcontract through Bird Studio, I spent months recreating the historic scagliola columns by hand within the hotel’s iconic interiors. The work involved carefully studying the original surfaces and rebuilding the finish to match the depth, veining, coloration, visual flow, and luminosity characteristic of historic scagliola.
Scagliola has a long history within grand architectural interiors, prized for its ability to imitate richly veined marble through hand-crafted plasterwork and layered color. Unlike stone, every surface is shaped directly by the artisan’s hand, making each column unique in translucency, character, and surface variation. Recreating historic scagliola today requires preserving not only the appearance of the material, but also the spirit of the craftsmanship behind it.
Projects like this remind me why I care so deeply about preservation and decorative arts. So much of this work happens quietly behind scaffolding, covered in plaster dust, focused on details most people may never consciously notice, yet those details are what allow historic spaces to retain their beauty, richness, and sense of history.
I’m grateful to have contributed my hands and skills to the restoration of one of Philly's great historic landmarks, and thankful to everyone involved in preserving these extraordinary spaces for future generations.

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