Designer Jeremy Levitt uses what he calls “hierarchy of scale” to elicit emotion from visitors of the newly opened Thompson Nashville in the Gulch — whether it’s awe when guests first enter the hotel with its soaring ceilings and massive Ming green onyx reception desk or “aaaah” as they plunk down on a plush velvet sofa in the lobby after a day of traveling.

“It was important that as you come off the street and you approach the front entry that it was, ‘OK, something is really happening here,’ ” says Levitt, a founding partner of the New York-based Parts and Labor Design firm, which worked in collaboration with Hastings Architecture Associates in Nashville to open the 12-story, 224-room boutique hotel. The hotel is striking in its mix of textures as the designers juxtaposed concrete, steel and stone with wood and handcrafted artwork and tapestries.

With the Marsh House restaurant at one end, Killebrew coffee shop at the other and intimate seating vignettes and bookshelves filled with books, pottery and vintage vinyl records in between, even the lobby feels warm and inviting. As an ode to Nashville’s Southern hospitality, Levitt says even within a modern structure, “It was important for us not to create anything cold — anywhere. We couldn’t lose the warmth.”

GUEST ROOMS

Guest rooms and suites have focal point floor-to-ceiling windows, dark wood floors and area rugs in deep hues of reds and blues. There are marble vanities in the bathrooms, which feature claw-foot tubs and subway-tiled showers. While there are nine hotels in the chain, the Thompson Nashville has a distinct local flavor. WithCo, a local cocktail company, has stocked the mini bars with their signature mixers. In a nod to the Music City moniker, Marshall has designed a speaker specifically for the Thompson Nashville so guests can get the most from the music on their smart phones. Room rates begin at $399 a night.

WOOD MOSAIC

The Thompson Nashville is filled with a wide array of artwork, much of it by local artists. One of the most striking pieces isn’t at eye level — but rather underfoot. As visitors first enter the lobby, the floor is accentuated by an expansive, colorful wood mosaic by Patrick Hayes of 1767, the Nashville company which uses reclaimed wood from old homes to create unique art pieces. The mosaic is punctuated by gold lettering displaying the geographic coordinates of the hotel.

L.A. JACKSON

When patrons step off the elevator onto the 12th (and top) floor of the hotel and see the pink floor tiles dotting the entryway, “they know they’re here for a party,” says Parts and Labor Designer Danu Hassik. Garage doors open to an outdoor patio with a spectacular view of downtown. In addition to signature cocktails and local wines and beers, L.A. Jackson offers small plates such as chips and caviar, broiled oysters and Tennessee truffle fries. In keeping the emphasis on local, Third Man Records provides DJs on Monday nights to spin vinyl.

THE MARSH HOUSE

When the hotel opened at the end of October, the outdoor patio of the Marsh House soon beckoned visitors to grab a sweater and enjoy the people watching. Situated kitty-corner from Cantina Laredo, the restaurant — located just off the lobby of the hotel — is the creative collaboration of chefs John Besh and Justin Cameron. It serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch featuring sublime Southern cuisine with an emphasis on seafood. It also provides in-room dining for the hotel and small plates for the rooftop bar.

KILLEBREW COFFEE

Whether they’re looking to kick-start their day or just need a mid-afternoon respite, visitors to the Thompson Nashville need only stop in Killebrew by Chef John Besh’s Our House Hospitality. The shop — named after the first Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture, J.B. Killebrew — offers coffee and lattes by the Alabama-based Revelator Coffee Company as well as breakfast pastries, sandwiches and quiche.

Photographs courtesy of Thompson Nashville