In the lobby, guests are greeted at a reception desk fabricated by NYC company FERRER and illuminated by vintage pendants sourced from Belgium. The ornate tile on the floor is original—a nod to the building's past.

A built-in closet and chalkboard surface in the entry keeps things tidy and the couple's to-do list in order.

Pozner fills down time with creative projects, such as the “List Art” canvas featuring his favorite bands.

Brandon Dean of Dean Works used two types of stone in the kitchen: a lighter, more active marble for the countertops and backsplash, and a tamer, dark soapstone for the kitchen island.

Fir plywood from Freres Lumber joins IKEA cabinets. The figure painting is by Dylan Dean.

Before its current incarnation as a design hotel, the structure had a baudy past. Built in 1912 by an Episcopalian church, it formerly housed a strip club and a music venue, among other businesses. Heckman sought to update the interiors, restore some of the original luster, and create a hotel befitting modern-day Providence. "The ambition was more to create something that felt articulated and indigenous and obviously pleasing without being designed or overly intentional," Heckman, a Providence native, says. "The Dean had a very well-known and checkered past and we did not want to gloss over that—we wanted visitors to appreciate the transformation but see through to the roots a tiny bit."

Though it might be hard to pry yourself away from the hotel, there's much to see in the city. Here are Heckman's go-to suggestions: "Exploring the Downcity neighborhood and the adjacent historic neighborhoods is a safe bet. Providence is a small, compact city and very walkable. The hotel has bikes for loan too. The architecture changes dramatically block to block and the neighborhood feel can differ dramatically by crossing the street." "Al Forno is the go-to for their famous grilled pizza. North has creative, casual Asian fare. The Shop is a gorgeous little coffee shop in Fox Point and a favorite of design groupies. Justine’s is a speakeasy in rough and tumble Olneyville. Birch is a serious restaurant with twelve seats and a tasting menu. Downtown has so many new additions that have opened recently and are really stellar—Ken’s Ramen, Bodega Malasana, Rosalina’s, the Eddy, etc. And of course our own bars (The Boombox and The Magdalenae Room) and Bolt Coffee."

The 52-room Dean Hotel is located at 122 Fountain Street in Providence, Rhode Island. Rates start at $99 for a room with one full-size bed. "The original mission of the project was to create a hotel where people could get an excellent experience and serve as a launching pad for exploring Providence on a very tight budget," says Ari Heckman. "We have strived to honor that despite the demand. We know we are not for every traveler, but those that stay with us come away with an experience and hopefully an understanding of Providence and what makes it special."

If a tipple at the beer hall has given you liquid courage, head over to the Boombox to test your pipes at karaoke.

Grab a cup of coffee from Bolt, located next to the seating area.

Illustrations discovered at Paris's Les Puces flea market adorn a bathroom wall. "The vintage pieces at the Dean came from around the globe—many were acquired on shopping trips to Les Puces in Paris and some of our favorite dealers in Belgium and Holland," Heckman says. "Other pieces came from dealers in Rhode Island and at Brimfield."

In a tightly packed Tokyo, a group of apartments shares a central courtyard. Photo by Dean Kaufman.

The three pavilions were placed along the lot's two natural north-south and east-west axes, delineated here by the concrete pavers. These axes helped both the homeowners and architects layout the pavilions, lap pool, and landscape elements. At night, the house shows off its nearly 100 percent LED lighting scheme.

At the base of Echo Mountain in Phoenix, a geometric home by Wendell Burnette opens up to the surrounding desert landscape. Photo by Dean Kaufman.

Faust, the hotel's restaurant, hearkens back to 19th-century Bavarian beer hall. The bar, stools, and furniture in the space are by Jessica Carnevale, a RISD-trained designer who's based in Brooklyn. "We sought to create [a hotel] that felt for the place and of the place, so guests could be locals and locals could be guests for an evening," Heckman says. "Nothing is more democratic than a beer hall, so Faust was created with that common spirit in mind."

Hostel-style bunks are available in the hotel. "We liked the idea of creating a democratic hotel, where members of a band playing down the street or a student coming to visit RISD would feel as comfortable as the parent of a Brown student accustomed to luxury digs," Heckman says. "The idea of these different characters with different budgets rubbing shoulders in the hallways and lobby is very exciting to us."

The bathrooms are clad in black Daltile and features brass hardware from Watermark in the European-style shower and on the sink. The mirror is custom. ASH worked with American Medicinal Arts on the custom-scented toiletries. "Because we are designers as well as developers, we pay very close attention to physical detail," Heckman says. "For us, part of the fun of doing a hotel was being able to focus on all of the touch points in a way you are not often able to on residential projects. It is tough to describe, but one of the main 'amenities' of The Dean is staying in a property where every detail, no matter how minute, has been thought about."

A comfortable seating area is situated a couple of steps into the hotel. The navy-blue sofa is ASH's design and the vintage armchairs with chrome handles are by Jindrich Halabala. Iron Origami fabricated the square coffee table just past the chairs. Artist Oliver Clegg created the neon sign.

In addition to the uniform beds, sconces, writing desks, and chairs found in each room, find unique antiques like this Tomasso Cimini floor lamp and chair by Jean-Pierre Nicolini.

ASH reused the original flooring in the building and spot-matched new wood to fill in the gaps.

The original floorboards accompany the stamped list of property owners.

Vermont manufacturer Conant Lighting produced the wall sconces, which are ASH's desing, next to each bed.

Dean has an encyclopedic knowledge of vintage cars.

Dean’s post-college time living in a Japanese monastery had some influence on the veranda here: “You’d move around the building via little wooden decks. I think it’s a nice transitional space between indoors and outdoors.”

Karie and Mason enjoy a playful loll on the bed in the Deans’ new master bedroom. The perforated wall facing the neighbors’ backyard offers a great deal of diffuse light while still managing to conceal the Deans’ boudoir from prying eyes.

Felicia F. Dean (University of North Carolina, Greensboro), Cocoon Chair, 2011. From an aesthetic standpoint, the Cocoon chair carries on the torch of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec: something basic—in this case, folds of fabric—manipulated in a highly technical way.

The rooms offer a rough-hewn industrial vibe softened with cozy textiles and more vintage furniture. ASH worked with a rug dealer in Brooklyn to source rugs direct from Turkey. On the beds find blankets from Elder Statesman and Brahms Mount and perfectly crisp sheets from Matouk. Providence's history is firmly rooted in industry and Heckman sought to feature furniture that represents work from present-day companies. Local fabricator Iron Origami produced ASH's design for the bed frames and writing desks found in each room. "Providence has a very strong history of being an industrial center, so we wanted to support and encourage the rebirth of local manufacturing through our efforts," Heckman says. "That’s part of the reason we prioritized local over imported, and aimed to do so without spending more than the alternative. It was a successful experiment in creating in America affordably."

Set on a sloping plot in Gloucestershire, the 5,000-square-foot Outhouse lives in harmony with the Forest of Dean.

Images of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr. adorn the double-height great room.

The Deans’ new kitchen is long and narrow, punctuated by the small windows that dot the façade and one large light-giving window at the end.

The pool of the Phoenix house feels as laterally finite as the house feels spacious—but the view goes up forever. Photo by Dean Kaufman.

A a slight step separates the addition from the original building. “You walk through 100 years of the house, and then transition out of that space,” says Dean.

Karen White, David MacNaughtan, and their sons, Griffin and Finlay, hang out on the front deckof their narrow home in Toronto’s leafy Roncesvalles neighborhood. A narrow modernist composition of glass panes and purple brick, the house slips like a bookmark between two older buildings, a bright three-story abode on a lot narrower than most suburban driveways. Photo by Dean Kaufman. Read more about the small house here.

Steps lead down to the guest suite quarters, which has a private entrance. This is where James Dean resided during his stay at the home.

Trash cans may not be at the top of your shopping list this holiday season, but when they look this sharp, why not? This one is inspired by Richard Galef’s midcentury modern designs and comes with gold or pale green wireframe legs. $125 from Schoolhouse Electric.

Comedienne Amy Sedaris is her apartment, shot by Dean Kauffman.