Yowie started as an online side project in 2015 while Shannon was working full-time as a senior designer at American Eagle Outfitters and living in Brooklyn, New York. When she decided to build the brand into a business, Shannon quit her corporate job and moved back home to (eventually) open her own retail store, and the rest is history.
As the founder and creative director, Shannon has approached every phase of Yowie by giving herself permission to explore her curiosities, wherever they lead. She views the first Yowie storefront as her entry into the landscape of interior design—at the time, the entrepreneur wanted the space to feel like a gallery with warm touches and quirky details. Shannon credits Dye House as “an amazing baptism by fire” that saw her figuring things out as she went along with everything being thrown at her all at once. “I’ve always loved furniture, I’ve always loved color, so it did feel like a fairly natural progression, even with the huge learning curve that I had coming in with a fashion degree,” she admits. “I know fabric, I know color, I know lead times... I still don’t know how to draw anything in CAD; I do everything in Google Sheets and InDesign.”
HAY’s signature The Yowie hotel was created in partnership with the team from The Deacon, a former church turned hospitality space in Philadelphia, and Dye House in Rhode Island, which Shannon designed without having prior experience. Going into both of those projects, her intention was to honor the spaces while bringing in a modern twist with a distinct point of view. “[Everett Abitbol] had never opened a hotel, and I had never really designed anything of that scale, but I love a challenge,” she adds.
“I wanted the café to feel like a canvas,” Shannon says about Wim. “I didn’t want it to feel over-designed, so it feels like it has some personality to it, but it’s not too much.”
Wim is a special collaboration with local businesses Located at 226 South Street, Yowie occupies a prime spot in Philly’s Queen Village neighborhood that is a cross generational hub. In addition to 13 hotel suites, the space features a flex studio, a retail shop, and a concept café, called Wim, on the ground level. Reservations are available to book now on Yowie’s website; rates range from $179 to $400 per night. For locals, the Yowie hotel is the perfect place for a much-needed staycation. “We’re the neighborhood guest room,” Shannon laughs. “I’ve tried residential, it’s not for me. I’m not good at designing for one person—I like to think of a broader picture.” Despite this claim, there are so many design notes that can be taken from this getaway and applied at home in your own space. Continue reading for some of the highlights.
Hannah Bronfman and Brendan Fallis Use Household Items As Workout Equipment
An original artwork by Support your local artists
From the beginning Yowie has always felt like a community-oriented operation. For the hotel, Shannon commissioned original works from local artists and makers like Noorann Matties, Miles Shelton, Scott Vradelis, Jeff Rubio, and Elizabeth Loux. Even the houseplants that appear inside were sourced locally from Chloris & Prase, while the outdoor landscaping was done by Urban Jungle Garden Designs. (Something else that shouldn’t go unnoticed is a coffee table by RAIR, a local nonprofit fighting waste culture, made out of upcycled materials in Suite 203.) Talk about giving back! It might take some extra effort, but once you set your mind to it, you can do it. Be the curator of your own domain.
“I really do love being a cheerleader and advocate for artists, especially emerging artists, and there are so many pieces in the space that I went to a studio visit and it was on the floor, or it was something that wasn’t considered a finished piece that I fell in love with,” Shannon says. “I’m really proud of the art we have in the space; it feels very unique to what I’ve seen in hospitality... I love our little Yowie community, and I can’t wait to see it continue to grow through the space.”
Suite 303 features the Faydra bed from Lean into unexpected references
Believe me when I say that you don’t have to come from a design background to know how to decorate a space. When Shannon was designing the hotel, she pulled inspiration from all of her favorite movies, TV shows, books, and artists. For her, interior design is “a form of curation with spatial design attached to it,” so she approaches every project by creating a feeling in a space. (Shannon is a Cancer, so she operates on pure emotion!) “I have an obsessive personality when I find things that I like, so there’s all these Easter eggs in my projects that come in the form of color or pattern,” she explains. “I’m always trying to find things that feel unexpected.”
The kitchenette in Suite 206 is complete with this pair of Don’t knock the knobs
Out of all the rooms you design in a space, the dealbreaker might be the kitchen. This is no different for a hotel with suites where a kitchenette is available. The best part of this accommodation at Yowie is the curated selection of cookware from Crate & Barrel, Caraway Home, and Homa Studios that guests are encouraged to use during their stay. But what you’ve probably never seen before is the resin nugget knobs by Chen Chen & Kai Williams. When Shannon had them installed, all of the contractors were puzzled by this choice until they saw how everything came together at the end. People will always be judging you, but don’t let that deter you from executing a vision—especially when decorating a drawer or door with hardware. “I’d rather people be intrigued and confused than if they get it right away and are easy to define,” she adds. “I like doing things that are a little off at times.”
The stars of Suite 201 are a custom coffee table by Layer on the layers
Shannon describes her design aesthetic as layered, colorful, and bold. (Friends will often tell her, “I don’t get this, but it sticks with me and then I want to know more about it,” which she considers a compliment.) You want to find complementary pieces that bring out the best in each other, so mix and match with a sense of cohesiveness, otherwise your space will just look like a hot mess. “There’s an underlying joy within the space through the art and the way the pieces speak to each other, like a rug with holes in it or a sofa that’s very round in a very exaggerated way,” she adds.
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This pop of pattern, Grande Mural Wallpaper in Beetlejuice + Cremé by Have fun with texture and pattern play
Coming from a fashion background, which included stints at Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, Shannon knows her fabrics, textiles, and finishes. The Fashion Institute of Technology alum doesn’t shy away from louder features, whether it’s checkered prints, stripes, holes, fringe, or stained glass. One of my favorite details is the terra-cotta colored walls of Suite 202—the Plaster XOXO finish gives it a leather-ish texture when the light hits. (Shannon specifically chose this in reference to the ceramics that have sparked her joy over the years.) As someone who has a rolodex of memories that inform most of the design decisions that I make today, this outlook obviously speaks to me. “It feels like a little diorama in the most amazing way,” Shannon says about the layouts of the suites.
Suite 301 features a vintage sofa by Levitz Furniture that Shannon sourced from Kaiyo and reupholstered with a fabric that reminded her of the awning at Give your old furniture a refresh
Sometimes all your furniture needs is a facelift. Instead of kicking a chair that has seen better days to the curb, consider reupholstering it with a fresh fabric. Yes, it’s going to be a costly project, but have you seen the prices for brand-new sofas these days? (Not to mention the horrendously long lead times….) This is exactly what Shannon did when she found a pair of vintage Levitz Furniture sofas on Kaiyo and completely transformed them with fabrics from JOMAR.
“I was really excited about [sourcing secondhand furniture] because my instinct is always to look at the most new and exciting design that’s out there, but I also love that you can’t get those two sofas that we have in there anywhere,” she says. “Maybe you’ll see a vintage sofa and reupholster it yourself.” If the price is right, reupholstering can be very cost effective. And at least when you go down this route you have complete creative control. Sourcing with intention and trusting your instincts will get you far in this process.
Suite 306 is the ultimate flex zone with Dare to try something (or someone) new
If you’re as plugged in on the ’gram as I am, it can be easy to fall into the trap of copy and pasting what you’re fed online. So many of us turn to social media as a place for inspiration, but the algorithm has made it increasingly more difficult to discover cool things. As someone that doesn’t subscribe to trends, Shannon is always looking ahead at what’s new—and championing the young creatives that are carrying out these exciting visions. While staying overnight at the hotel, you’ll encounter furniture pieces by TRNK, Waka Waka, Paradise Gray, Sophie Collé, Hem, and Blu Dot to name a few. “I really wanted this to be a showcase of design that I love,” she says.
Shannon was very intentional about making Yowie a one-stop-shop experience for visitors. So if you like what you see in your room, you can buy some of those objects downstairs at the store or find out how to get in touch directly with the artisans, designers, and brands that make them. “I always want Yowie to be attainable and aspirational at the same time, this kind of high-low,” she explains. “I like having that mix, and I really want [the hotel] to feel inspiring in a different way, where you think you could actually achieve part of it at home.”
Shannon was drawn to this fringe lamp by Live, laugh, love lamp
Lighting is everything, so you really can’t go wrong with making a lamp investment. For Shannon, this meant splurging on some Llot Llov fringe lamps, along with a bunch of other things that had been stacking up on her wish list for years. A few of my favorite fixtures that I spotted at Yowie are from RBW, Hay, Kelly Wearstler, In Common With, and Opalhouse for Target. (You already know I’ve added all the sconces to my cart.) I also love the custom light by Canadian designer Julian Gregory, which you can find in Suite 301. Truly such a chic piece. It’s officially time to get lit!
“This project is like a brain dump of things that I love with a lot less filters on it,” Shannon says about the hotel. Be bold with contemporary colors
As soon as you arrive at Yowie, you’ll notice a bright red-and-pink bench in front of the store. Of course, this is no ordinary seat—it’s the limited edition End. x Hay Weekday Bench and I didn’t know I needed it until seeing it there. (Mind you, I have absolutely no space for it, but the heart wants what it wants!) As you continue moving through the space, you’re hit with subtle pops of color from the canary yellow plywood cash wrap by Philadelphia Precision CNC and puffy purple chair by Normann Copenhagen in the changing area, to Wim’s delicious seafoam green ceiling and chocolate brown RBW sconces on the bare walls.
Every suite has its own color story to tell, but I particularly love the splash of Sherwin-Williams’s Dancing Green in the kitchen of Suite 206. I could spend hours talking about all of the standouts, like the traffic cone orange colored TRNK dining chair and forest green flower cut-out mirror designed by Kelton Bumgarner, but just know that there’s an abundance of accent pieces that will grab your attention. That said, there are more than enough rooms that follow a strict neutral-toned palette, so minimalists can breathe a sigh of relief. (May the power of Bauhaus Buff compel you to relax.)
Shannon veered away from hues that felt too clean—or as I would call it, sterile—but incorporated a lot of creams and blacks in the mix for a calming contrast calming contrast that grounds the space. “It’s not beating you over the head with color,” she insists. “It’s less intense in person.” Let this serve as a reminder that neutrals don’t have to be boring!
Less is more
When you’re occupying a smaller space, curating with a point of view is critical. I can’t emphasize this enough. While it can feel limiting at times to be restricted to one room, Shannon encourages you to let your imagination run wild (to an extent). Every corner counts—even the most mundane zones, like your designated WFH station, have the potential to shine if you get creative, so think about the view from all angles. Something as simple as adding a stylish shelf to organize your toiletries can completely shift the vibe. “I’m ready to see everyone’s ‘not safe for work’ selfies in our bathroom,” Shannon jokes. It’s all about seeing the bigger picture so make the most of your tiny dwellings.
This corner of the store features a Splat side table by Sophie Collé for Silly over stuffy
You can really read a room based on the decor inside of it. Although each suite has its own personality, the overall vibe at Yowie is laid-back amusement. It’s putting the fun in functional, and while there are elevated details throughout the hotel, the goal is to not take your surroundings too seriously because there’s nothing worse than a space that feels stuffy. You want to keep it casual. Shannon hopes that Yowie will feel like your home away from home—but weirder. “I do feel like there’s a playfulness missing in hospitality,” she says. “People don’t respect comedy as much as they do drama or horror; those are the genres I love looking at. I wanted [the hotel] to feel fun in a different way—not fun in a way that there’s a neon on the wall, just genuinely fun.”
