Sexy Spanish Surrealism at New Tribeca Grand Lounge

A new lounge bar in a downtown Manhattan hotel doubles as a showroom for Spanish design, producing an ultra-sexy environment that owes more to Salvador Dalí than to hokey taprooms.

Salon features work by 16 Spanish blue-chip manufacturers, from Nani Marquina to Lladró. Freshly installed at the Tribeca Grand last month, it was dreamed up by Surface magazine and designed by the New York architect Winka Dubbeldam, who drew her inspiration from Spanish surrealism. "Creating an air of mystique and allure was key," she said. And you can't have "mystique and allure" without Dalí's lip sofas. A pair anchors the main seating area (pictured above).

Which means lots of dark colors broken up by some high-wattage bling. The glossy bar is by BD Barcelona, the gold candelabras are by Dalí.

That's a Nani Marquina rug under the bar.

Tres Tintas's neutral-toned wallpaper makes for a soothing backdrop to Lladró's faintly creepy porcelain figurines.

The lounge is a symphony in black. A nod to the locals, maybe.