New York-based Islyn Studio looked to European sleeper trains and Japanese capsule hotels when designing the compact rooms of Now Now, a Manhattan hotel.
Now Now is situated on Bowery in Downtown Manhattan and offers hostel-style accommodation with single-occupancy cabins and shared facilities.
Islyn Studio was challenged to maximise the guest experience within a minimal footprint, and utilise every square inch for purpose.
“Envisioned as a sanctuary for solo travellers, the 180 sleeper cabins boast small footprints and high design, channeling the nostalgia of European train cars and the innovation of Japanese capsule hotels,” said Islyn Studio.
The hotel’s lobby unfolds as a series of striped portals, between which cylindrical wooden podiums set into tiled niches present self-check-in machines on one side and display merchandise on the other.
A seating area behind the stained-glass street facade follows the same neutral-toned palette, across the trowelled plaster walls, mosaic flooring and sofa upholstery.
“The lobby features a striking interplay of rough, natural materials and smooth surfaces – a contrast that’s both dreamlike and grounded, evoking a sense of mystery and wonder,” said Islyn Studio.
Each of the guest cabins measures just 32 square feet (3 square metres), but is designed to be as efficient as possible for travellers.
Custom furniture was created for storing luggage, securing valuables, watching movies, hanging coats and more, all within the compact “cocoons”.
The single beds also have custom mattresses and include shades that can be drawn from the wavy-edged wooden canopies to aid a good night’s sleep.
Sound machines, branded sleep masks and earplugs, and noise-cancelling headphones are also available, along with plush robes for the walk to the showers.
In lieu of windows, the cabins have open ceilings that allow light and air to flow, while acoustic baffles prevent noise from travelling.
Communal bathrooms feature soft lighting and textured materials across the open banks of sinks, and individually lockable toilets and shower cubicles.
“The design is meant to feel familiar, yet somehow new — like something out of a dream — to create a space that seems both timeless and unexpected,” Islyn Studio said.
Now Now is longlisted in the hotel and short-stay interior category of the Dezeen Awards 2025, while Islyn Studio’s Brass restaurant in Manhattan made the restaurant interior list.
The studio recently completed a Japanese restaurant in Miami Beach that blends “tropical brutalism with the elegance of Japanese deco”.
The photography is by Matt Kisiday.
Project credits:
Owners: Dovetail & Co
Interior design firm: Islyn Studio
Interior design project team: Ashley Wilkins (Owner), Emily Febrizio
Architect: Gene Kaufman Architect
Procurement: Dovetail & Co
General contractor: Spring Roc
Lighting design: Tillotson Design Associates
