Canopy by Hilton D.C Wharf Hotel
Hotel interior design photography for the design firm Sawyer &Co at the Canopy By Hilton located at The Wharf in Washington D.C.
This assignment at the Canopy by Hilton Wharf in Washington, D.C. was an opportunity to explore how hotel photography can articulate the subtleties of a lifestyle hospitality space. The interiors here are rooted in the hotel’s nautical and waterfront context — with richly textured materials, expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, and thoughtfully designed public spaces that transition from the bustling lobby to more intimate lounges overlooking the Potomac River. In photographing this project, attention was given to capturing both the broad architectural gestures and the nuanced details, from material contrasts in the Canopy Central public area to the light-filled guest rooms that reflect the Wharf’s maritime heritage.
Long before Washington, D.C., became a political stronghold, it was known for its robust waterfront. NY firm Sawyer & Co channeled this legacy when designing the Canopy by Hilton D.C Wharf Hotel. The brand’s first hotel stateside invigorates the district’s up-and-coming Southwest region, a stone’s throw from the famed Municipal Fish Market, the country’s oldest open-air seafood bazaar.
White oak and blackened steel stairs lead from the ground-floor lobby to a lower lobby, marked by a Design Within Reach sofa and table, AFRA chairs, and a hand-tufted area rug by Innovatives.
The hospitality design firm was inspired by the transformation of the marina and the fish market over time. For the 175-room hotel and its main public space Canopy Central, the designers focused on nautical materials like weathered oak and steel that recall docks and warehouses. Guestrooms feature custom inset carpeting with patterns resembling dappled waves, along with canopies that wittily reference fish crates. A large artwork of a fisherman featured on whitewashed bead board is located in a nook boasting a granite fireplace and custom lounge chairs.
Custom counter stools pull up to a butcher-block and zinc bar underneath a ceiling featuring slices of aluminum and walnut veneer with Arteriors and Restoration Hardware pendants at the Canopy Central Bistro & Bar.
Queen guestrooms feature integrated back walls and canopies made of gray washed Ceruse Oak with LED trip lighting, along with JLF daybeds and Chapman floor lamps.
A Misty Black granite counter defines the perimeter of the rooftop Whiskey Charlie bar, with Allermuir stools and chairs and Marset pendants. Whiskey Charlie, the rooftop bar, offers views of East Potomac Park and the Potomac River.
Approached with a sensitivity to atmosphere and guest experience, this series aligns with ongoing explorations in hospitality interior design photography developed through Atelier Gaudet, where hotel spaces are documented to convey not just aesthetics but spatial narrative and mood. By balancing environmental shots with carefully composed interior details, the imagery aims to show how design, light, and place work together to create a cohesive visual story of this vibrant waterfront hotel.