THE White Elephant’s Centennial

Originally constructed as a series of hardy harbor-front cottages in the 1920s, the White Elephant is as native a fixture in Nantucket’s arrival landscape as the Brant Point Lighthouse. In preparation for the property’s 100-year birthday, the owners have spent the last year nipping and tucking each and every corner to the tune of multimillions. The overhaul was as thoughtful as it was exhaustive, including both soft and hard refurbishments done to each of its 54 rooms as well as the 11 standalone cottages.

The sophisticated update of the White Elephant, which includes everything from new carpets to light fixtures and furnishings, is designed to be authentic to the destination. For instance, the central rug pattern is a nod to the island’s rich history of basket weaving while exterior ship lights evoke Nantucket’s deep seafaring traditions; and a color palette of Labrador blues and seafoam greens is inspired by the coastal surroundings. Of course, the interiors wouldn’t be complete without recognition of the brand’s mascot, spied via brass elephant knockers on doors, elephant drawer pulls and elephant needlepoint pillows. In addition to the seashore-inspired color scheme, the guestrooms also contain coastal-themed textures such as rattan textiles, white oak desks, scalloped lampshades and headboards, and grass cloth wall coverings. The standalone cottages, beloved by White Elephant repeat guests, have also been redecorated and renamed after plants indigenous to Nantucket: Bayberry, Hydrangea, Daylily, Beach Plum, Honeysuckle, Holly, Arrowwood, Marigold, Rosa Rugosa and Snapdragon. Each cottage uses that plant as the color palette inspiration (buttery yellow for the Honeysuckle room, pale pink for Rosa Rugosa) and includes individually commissioned watercolors of the namesake plants done by artist Mary Chandler, whose art hung in the original White Elephant and impressed art consultant and curator Emily Santangelo.

The lobby has also been totally reimagined, and is now more befitting of the hotel’s grand stature on the island with expanded retail space as well as an eye-catching, original art installation featuring a woman rowing past the hotel, plus more substantial concierge and front desks. Of course, the landscaping also got a refresh with a new verdant garden area between the cottages complete with pathways that crisscross the central lawn. Bostonbased visitors will be thrilled to find that their beloved Grill 23 will offer a pop-up version of itself in the new hotel from July 9 through the 27, making the White Elephant home to Nantucket’s only steakhouse. The 118-seat dining room’s transformation is being overseen by Boston-based designer Peter Niemitz Double Che while the menu will feature Grill 23’s staples like A5 Wagyu, 100day dry aged ribeye and an impressive raw bar.

Perhaps the most thoughtful element of the hotel’s refurbishment is the extensive original art collection that was installed throughout the rooms and corridors, the result of the White Elephant’s all-new Artist in Residency Program, launched in August 2022. New York-based art consultant and curator Emily Santangelo worked closely with White Elephant’s owners, the Karp family, to create a residency made up of acclaimed artists from around the world. The artists spent two weeks exploring the island to gather inspiration for their works, venturing far and wide to pique their interests.

Among the featured artists include painter Mary Chandler, who created watercolors of the indigenous Nantucket flora including a 16-foot-wide panel of wildflowers; installation photographer Thomas Jackson, who shot a series of colorful beachside photographs; the Maine-based landscape painter Greta Van Campen, known for her contemporary hardedged landscape scenes; and Swedish artist Clara Hallencreutz and painter Renée Levin, who are best known for their depictions of coastal and natural objects.

We spoke to Emily Santangelo, who said she chose the artists by singling out those whose work already included elements of the seashore and those she believed could lend a fresh twist to the traditional for the hotel.

“If you’re going to take this grande dame of a hotel into the 21st century, then the art has to go with it,” she explained. “When you think of Nantucket you think of traditional elements like lighthouses, but I wanted to turn that on its head. For instance, Greta Van Campen has these landscapes of Maine but they are contemporary in style, so she took the Brant Point Lighthouse and did something that you’ve never seen before. Another artist, Clara Hallencreutz, takes actual lobsters and paints them so they look like porcelain and marzipan. The point is, you’re not looking at anything typical.”

When asked about the gritty details of managing the artists and the individual commissions, Santangelo acknowledges that it was a challenge but also really very fun. She gives credit to the Karp family, who trusted in the process. As Santangelo stated, “At the core of this curation is authenticity. It had to be real and couldn’t be dialed in. There was no way we were going to go buy pre-made art. There is such a dedicated group of guests that come year after year, and we couldn’t ignore that. I was given this precious iconic part of Nantucket, and I needed to honor that. The Karps got excited about the idea of the artists coming and spending time here. In the case of Thomas Jackson, he came multiple times to really get it, and we scouted a lot of locations. His work is about creating a kind of wonderland where these beautiful silks seemingly float above the air with the sea behind. He creates specific installations, timing the sun setting with the wind direction. It’s very elaborate, taking hours to set up, and then the timing has to be just right to get the shot. You might think it’s a Photoshopped image but it’s not. It’s a wonderful coming together of the response of nature with humanity.”

For Santangelo, curating the art for the White Elephant Nantucket was the encore after the success of White Elephant Palm Beach, which features big-name artists like Richard Serra and Donald Baechler. As she notes, White Elephant Nantucket is more than double the size of Palm Beach, so she wanted to make sure her sophomore effort was interesting and showed no duplication. It was imperative to her that no room feature the same combination of things. This was a big undertaking, but Santangelo was there every step of the way, being both an assistant and a cheerleader for the artists as they completed their commissions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.whiteelephantnantucket.com