Hilton Wilmington-Christiana | Virserius Studio

Renovation of the Market Kitchen & Bar at Hilton Wilmington-Christiana was completed in late 2018. Virserius Studio wanted to evoke a more old-world aesthetic, merging traditional elements but adding a contemporary feel. The ambiance is decidedly masculine and classic, as shown in the dark wood paneling, deep leather chairs and black copper drops over the seating area. It was important that everything felt handcrafted; for example, the lighting in the bar was handblown. Imaggo Production, the firm’s newly launched art consultancy, incorporated art elements meant to compliment the space and make it cozy and warm, but not stuffy.

There are levels to the restaurant – behind the bar is a drop down to the dining room. In this area, diners will find a collage of images representing characters in a Delaware of a different era, perhaps members of the DuPont family, who hail from the area. These images contain inscriptions detailing stories about the characters that one can read, giving a glimpse into their lives.

Therese Virserius, V/S founder and lead designer says, “We really enjoyed working on this stage of the hotel redesign because the transformation was tremendous. Hotel ownership felt the same way; they were very pleased by the results.”

The restaurant was part of an overhaul of the Hilton Wilmington that began with the guestrooms, hallways, meeting and event spaces, lobby and ballrooms.