Gs magazine june 2017

Issue 74 www.gsmagazine.co.uk

Inspiring Hospitality Design

Issue No.74 www.gsmagazine.co.uk

editor’s note Issue 74 www.gsmagazine.co.uk

Inspiring Hospitality Design Editor Stirling Johnstone Mobile: 0788 402 1551 Tel : +44 (0)1462 742367 editor@gsmagazine.co.uk Design Miles Johnstone Tel : +44 (0)7888 998208 design@gsmagazine.co.uk Cover Image Dakota Deluxe, Leeds Design: Amanda Rosa Interiors Photography: Mark Seager Photography Toby Allen Cristian Barnett Rob Grieg Bim Hjortronsteen CTO Lighting Gerry O’Leary Richard Southall, Emphasis Photography Contributors Faye Gristwood Afsaneh Knight Liam O’Donnell Deborah Rey-Burns Jenna Robinson

Print Stephens & George, Wales © STEVENSON PUBLICATIONS No part of GS MAGAZINE may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher.

The views and opinions expressed in GS are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor does he accept liability for any printing errors or otherwise which may occur.

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I

think I may have found a kindred spirit in hotelier Ken McCulloch (see interview from page 26). The founder of Malmaison and Dakota Hotels dislikes the trend for over-familiarity by hotel and restaurant staff. I couldn’t agree more. “Hi Guys, how are we doing?” is not a good greeting, especially when you’re arriving with female companions. How are we doing what? And being asked at the end of a meal “How did you get on, Guys?” sounds like we were asked to undertake a task of some sort. I know this approach is intended to be warm and friendly but there’s a touch of superiority about it and when you hear it from staff who are young enough to be your children it can sound condescending. Are staff being trained to refer to customers and guests as Guys? I doubt it.

Do they realise that some people actually don’t appreciate being called Guys? I doubt that too. For those looking for an alternative to ‘Hi Guys’ a simple ‘hello’ will suffice.

Sadly it’s goodbye to a key player in the industry. After twelve years of running some of Britain’s biggest hospitality trade shows, Toby Wand has decided to stand down. Toby was in charge of two of the shows that GS Magazine have been actively involved in, Hotelympia and the Great Hospitality Show. It was he who commissioned us to put together the main stage content and to create the design features where visitors would meet with and study the work of interior designers with a view to discussing their own forthcoming projects.

Hotelympia is the biggest hospitality and foodservice exhibition in the UK and as such it embraces all of the component parts of the industry, from trade associations to trade charities, from training and apprenticeship schemes to professional chef competitions, finance and management, energy and the environment, property development and design, food producers, procurement agencies, kitchen equipment and furniture manufacturers. Toby worked with them all, supporting them and encouraging their participation and in doing so helped to make Hotelympia the home of hospitality. Working with Toby has been a pure joy and his presence will be sorely missed.

Stirling Johnstone Editor

GS Magazine 3

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4 GS Magazine

Dare to enjoy !

CONTENTS 30

22 16

11

12 15 16

 MAISON KAYSER

18

 THE GROVE, HERTFORDSHIRE

22

 LaLiT

24 26

 FOUR SEASONS HOTEL, TEN TRINITY SQUARE

30

 G&V ROYAL MILE HOTEL

34

 THE BOWER HOUSE

36

 THE LANSDOWNE CLUB

38

 LA LANTERNE

40 42 46 48

 THE AVENUE

A modern take on the traditional patisserie opens in Baker Street - where else!

 THE ROYAL LANCASTER

A peep at what’s in store later this year when the Royal Lancaster fully re-opens.

 THE NED

Named after the building’s architect, Sir Edwin “Ned” Lutyens, this former bank is one of the most eagerly awaited openings of the year.

Designer Martin Hulbert revisits the Grove to create new and elegant Events spaces.

The first LaLiT hotel to open outside India, housed in a former Grammar school that counted novelist and poet Lawrence Durrell amongst its pupils.

How the new hotel’s branding was developed.

 INTERVIEW

A rare interview with one of Britain’s most respected hoteliers, Ken McCulloch, as he celebrates the opening of his new Dakota Deluxe hotel in Leeds.

Scotland’s tourist district is full of the obvious - bagpipes and tartan and shortbread and kilts. Enter G&V, a refreshingly different hotel that celebrates modern Scotland at its finest.

Independent high street restaurants are in danger of becoming a thing of the past. Three cheers for the Bower House!

A beautiful restoration by designers Jestico + Whiles. This Art Deco building still houses the famous Lansdowne Club, founded in 1935 as “a social, residential and athletic Club for members of social standing”, it was the first London Club to admit female members from its inception.

Central Paris has a treasure trove of small, romantic and charming hotels that are just off the tourist track. La Lanterne should be added to that list.

A new restaurant breathes new life into the Hotel Barsey in Brussels.

 LIGHTING

Making light work in the five star hotel environment.

 CAPTURING LUXURY

One manufacturer’s advice on how to create the look of luxury.

 LE LAPIN

The rabbit theme rarely leaves this magnificent tower top restaurant in Macau.

REGULARS

07

 LAUNCHPAD

52

 EDITOR’S CHOICE

Showcasing Oriental eateries Bang Bang, Hot Pot and Yuu Kitchen and introducing the botanical Lorne Products and services from Jesmonite, the Hendon Fan Company, French Group, Kaldewei and Woven Image

GS Spring 2016 Abbey.pdf 1 2016-07-15 20:47:17

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LAUNCH PAD [ new openings + refits ]

A taste of the Orient

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ang Bang Oriental will open in the summer in North London. The eco-friendly venue will bring a pan-Asian culinary experience and cultural entertainment concept to the capital. Bang Bang Oriental will encompass a food court, restaurant, shopping experience and community space - all under one roof.

North London’s hottest new destination will celebrate Asia’s vibrant culture with 33 individual kiosks offering an eclectic mix of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese, Singaporean, Taiwanese and Malaysian cuisine. This sophisticated and affordable food court, seating up to 450 guests, will bring the energy and authentic vibe of an Asian Street Food Market to the area. The design emphasis is on clean lines and eastern minimalism, utilising robust natural materials and a muted pallet that is peppered with the colours of the orient.

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ot Pot has already opened on Wardour Street located directly next to Chinese gate into Chinatown. The concept of groups coming together to restaurants to share dishes cooked at the table is delivered here with a twist, guests are involved in the cooking process. The 4,500 square foot restaurant is elegantly decorated in gold tones with botanical-inspired wall coverings contrasting with the subtle metallic sheen of darker woven panels accented by antique mirrors, polished-brass palm walllights, crackle-glazed jade tiles and linen table lamps. The restaurant covers two floors, the image shown of the more sedate ground floor shows the tables complete with their own inlaid cooking rings. There are five varieties of broths, each made daily with over 50 ingredients, and diners have a choice of over 60 items available to cook in the pots and share at the table. Bring your friends or family and get set for a thoroughly entertaining experience.

Bang Bang Oriental Food Hall, 399 Edgware

Hot Pot, 17 Wardour Street, Chinatown, London W1.

Road, London NW9.

www.hotpotrestaurants.com

www.bangbangoriental.com GS Magazine 7

With over 45 years’ experience in joinery and construction, French Group have acted as principal contractors on major contracts for many multi-national companies as well as smaller independents and specialist commissions. We are able to offer in-house joinery, detailed shopfitting and refurbishment services that are second to none.

8 GS Magazine

Telephone : +44 (0)1825 723688/9 www.frenchgroup.co.uk | mail@frenchgroup.co.uk French Group, The Old Brewery, 16 High Street, Newick, East Sussex BN8 4LQ

LAUNCH PAD [ new openings + refits ]

Lorne

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eaturing a modern British menu and a destination wine list the recently opened Lorne restaurant is a true representation of owners Kate Exton (sommelier) and Peter Hall (chef) professional journeys and personal experiences. Peter’s attitude to cooking is all about pleasure and satiation. His experiences at The Square and at Brawn in London, and at San Francisco’s three Michelin starred Benu, has provided him with an appreciation for classical ingredients and combinations and the belief that flavour must be the basis for every dish. Kate’s wine list at Lorne is concise and regularly changing. Driven by the motivation to make fine wine more approachable and affordable in restaurants Kate is determined to avoid frills and fuss so guests feel comfortable and free to enjoy lazy lunches and dinners with friends and family in easy surroundings.

Designed by Justin Gilbert of Coriander Buildings, the interior of Lorne’s 48 cover restaurant has a light, botanical and soft feel. Using Lorne’s Australian namesake as inspiration (Lorne is a seaside town in Victoria, Australia), the room features the calm, washedout colours of the Great Ocean Road and an open, natural and comfortable layout. Marble topped bar dining is mixed with natural wood tables and chairs and banquette seating. Other aspects of the design are handson, with hand-crafted pottery, artwork and personal touches provided by family, staff and friends.

Lorne Restaurant, 76 Wilton Road, Victoria, London SW1.

Tel: +44 (0)20 3327 0210 www.lornerestaurant.co.uk

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LAUNCH PAD [ new openings + refits ]

Yuu Kitchen

Photography: Toby Allen

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uu kitchen opened at the end of last year and has become a hugely popular venue. No doubt partly because it is run by two experienced London bar operators but also because of the striking interior design. Yuu Kitchen is inspired by the flavours of south-east Asia and the Pacific rim and managed two of the Directors, Australian friends, Stephen Lowe (General Manager); a long time London restaurant manager, previously of ICEBAR London and Jon de Villa (Head Chef); previously of Nobu, Nobu Berkeley and Zafferano.

The restaurant serves guests flavoursome dishes in a sharing style. Highlights include Bao buns filled with Twice-cooked Braised Pork Belly and Crispy Soft-shell Crab. Salmon Jalapeño Tostada; Butternut & Sweetcorn Pot Stickers; Poke with Tuna, Salmon, Whitefish and Octopus through to Peanut Chicken on the Big Green Egg grill. Jon de Villa says “We’ve seen that casual dining is taking more of a precedence in the London dining scene and as such have looked to create a menu that takes some of the best bits of south-east Asian cuisine and Pacific rim flavours to turn them into something delicious and of great value. We wanted to bring the multicultural diversity of Asian food that we grew up with in Australia to London.”

The restaurant’s décor is funky and fresh with

homage to pop art and modern Asian style. Geila, of Singapore based Rockett Studio, says of the design, “Featuring a warm and inviting interior with ‘lived-in’ textures and palettes, Yuu conveys a subtle playfulness through its distinctive imagery as well as bespoke furniture and lighting. This unique 55-seater restaurant has an authentic Asian twist”. Yuu Kitchen have collaborated with Hong Kong based artist, Lunatic, and commissioned some original artwork that has become a part of the restaurant’s concept and brand. The Illustrations that have been created have strong influences from Manga, Asian fashion, comic-book and pop culture - styles synonymous with Lunatic’s work. “I didn’t want the images to lean too heavily upon any particular style but just enough to show hints and traces of them. As Yuu Kitchen is located in London and going to be a fusion of Asian flavours, I felt that the art should also be a mash up of Asian and western elements. The Artwork is bold, loud, modern and slightly risqué with images of people playfully involved with Asian food.”

The artwork follows the story of Tsuyo who upon visiting his local mobster hangout, experiences some quirky hallucinations. The story can be seen on the walls of the restaurant.

Yuu Kitchen, 29 Commercial Street, London E1 Tel: +44 (0)20 7377 0411 www.yuukitchen.com GS Magazine 11

LAUNCH PAD [ new openings + refits ]

Maison Kayser

B

orn into a family of bakers, Eric Kayser at 18 became a compagnon of the prestigious Tour de France of baking and in 1994, aged 30, invented the Fermento Levain machine with fellow baker Patrick Castagna. The machine allows for the continuous use of liquid leaven, a breakthrough in baking. Eric opened his first Maison Kayser in Paris in 1996 and now there are more than 180 bakeries around the world in 21 countries including: 20 in Paris, 19 in Tokyo, five in New York City, three in Singapore – with London the latest addition to the list. In the baking world Eric is looked upon as one of the Greats. He is hailed as one of France’s best bakers and is passionate about creating bread – famous for his exemplary sourdough breads that rely on a liquid natural starter without commercial yeast. It has taken some 21 years for Eric to open his first UK Bakery, ironically on Baker Street in London. It had to be fate that the contractor appointed for the interiors of the Baker Street site were aptly named The French Group.

It was a good choice, as a London flagship branch it was vital to create an exceptional product that would look good and create a lasting impression.

And that has been achieved.

It took a long time to decide on an area to open in London. The Maison Kayser team made many trips over to check out areas like South Kensington, Soho and the developing areas of East London. They decided to open in Marylebone because of its recently revived food scene. The company hope to open another store in the UK in the near future but are determined to ensure that Baker Street becomes the best it can be before moving forward.

Baking has always been in the Kayser family – Eric comes from the

12 GS Magazine

Alsace region in France and is a fourth generation baker. At the heart of Maison Kayser is this passion for delicious bread and the belief that really good bread is only achieved when the passion is passed through from the person to the dough. The vision for Mayson Kayser is to create a bakery “where people feel at home – it’s the place to find the best croissant in London on your way to work or to pick up a baguette for your dinner on your journey home whilst also being a place to meet up with friends and have a delicious meal.”

The company believe they have a unique brand in the bakery market in the UK so are not overly concerned about competition although they admit to admiring people like Dominique Ansel and his business and bakery in Victoria, and shops like Le Pain Quotidien and a few others.

In terms of design the Baker Street branch is relatively unique – it is a mix of their established Parisian bistro-style with their New York all day dining establishments. In general, the company aim to tailor their branches to the areas in which they are situated. The branches around the world all vary in size so they tend to play with the space they have available and the type of branch they want to create. Where practical the larger sites, like Baker Street, have restaurants although across the globe there is a mix of cafes, restaurants and bakeries.

Maison Kayser interiors are unfussy as they like to keep the design simple, but they are quite classically French. They tend to favour the use of subtle brass embellishments and marble. In London, they decided to use orange as a highlight colour. There are framed images using neon orange and beautiful orange French knives from Opinel, these touches bring an extra vibrancy to the site.

LAUNCH PAD [ new openings + refits ]

The Main Contractor The aptly named French Group is proud to have been selected as Principal Contractor for the internationally successful Maison Kayser Group on their first UK site. The interior has been transformed to create the distinctive look of a modern Parisian cafĂŠ in the heart of London. New kitchens have been installed with all of the most up-to-date equipment enabling the public to view the creation of wonderful breads and patisserie.

Combining the best of French style with its classic interior and French artisan baking the new site is a triumph for The French Group, Harry Dobbs Design (Architect) and, of course, Maison Kayser. Once you get past looking at the tantalising pastries on display the interiors showcase the detailed in-house joinery and excellent workmanship French’s have become famous for over their 45 year history. www.frenchgroup.co.uk

GS Magazine 13

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LAUNCH PAD [ new openings + refits ]

Royal Lancaster London

R

oyal Lancaster London has entered the final stages of its highlyanticipated £80 million renovation, spearheaded by Studio Proof. The hotel has remained open for business throughout the refurbishment and is delighted to announce that the works will be complete by September 2017. At which point, the mid-century icon will reinstate its original name of ‘Royal Lancaster London’ in time for the hotel’s 50th Anniversary.

Works include a dramatic new entrance façade, the creation of five individual lounges in the lobby and the redesign of all 411 guestrooms and suites. Upon completion, there will also be a new reception area for the hotel’s expansive Nine King’s banqueting suite, with a double-height walkway from the front door right through into the Nine Kings lobby. The reception will be designed in the same style as the main lobby, up-scaling the whole Nine Kings experience.

As one of the largest meeting venues in Europe, the hotel is renowned for its grand banqueting spaces. Prior to the current renovations, an additional £15 million was invested in the Nine Kings Suite, the Westbourne Suite and the state-of-the-art banqueting kitchens, designed by kitchen design consultancy, Humble Arnold Associates.

Royal Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, London W2 Tel: +44 (0)20 7551 6000 www.lancasterlondon.com

GS Magazine 15

The Ned

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ondon-based Soho House & Co and New York’s Sydell Group have joined forces to create The Ned: a hotel, club and collection of restaurants in the City of London.

Set in the former Midland Bank building, The Ned was designed by Sir Edwin ‘Ned’ Lutyens in 1924. The heritage building reopened in April and now hosts nine restaurants, 252 bedrooms, a range of men’s and women’s grooming services and ‘Ned’s Club’, where members have access to a rooftop pool, gym, spa, hammam and late night lounge bar.

Restaurants include Cecconi’s City of London – sister restaurant to the Cecconi’s in Mayfair, Berlin, Istanbul, Miami Beach and West Hollywood, serving modern Italian dishes; Cafe Sou – a Parisian-inspired café, serving classic French dishes and daily specials; Zobler’s – a New York-style Jewish deli serving smoked fish, herring and Reuben sandwiches, along with a separate dessert counter; Millie’s Lounge – a British brasserie with a 24hour menu; Malibu Kitchen – cutting-edge Californian nutritional trends combined with 16 GS Magazine

Mediterranean ingredients; The Nickel Bar – a traditional American diner with a classic all-day menu; Kaia – a modern Asian-Pacific-inspired restaurant specialising in healthy “bowl” food including poke, and Lutyens Grill – an American steakhouse, providing gueridon service for members and hotel guests.

The faded glamour of a 1930s transatlantic ocean liner was the starting point for the interior design of The Ned. ‘We trawled the bank’s archives to find out what the building looked like in its 1930s heyday,’ says designer Adam Greco. ‘We were inspired by the great ships of that era, including the Normandie, as well as by the Orient Express.’ The building’s Grade I-listed status provided challenges, explains Alice Lund, also a designer on the project, particularly when it came to the ground floor. ‘When Lutyens designed the bank he installed 92 green verdite marble columns and hundreds of walnut panelled counters for the bank tellers,’ Lund says. ‘The whole lot was protected by the listing, and we had to work out how to fit seven restaurants and bars into the space.’ The bustle of the old bank’s reception area has been preserved – now, more than 850

people can eat on the ground floor. The team created a wide range of furniture based on designs from the period. ‘Many of the timber pieces, including the desks and cabinets, were inspired by furniture from the original building,’ says Lund. These were finished with upholstery styles from the late 1920s and early 1930s.

The 252 bedrooms are designed to represent the hierarchy of a 1930s bank. ‘We designed three hotels in one,’ explains Adam Greco. ‘A Small room reflects the sort of place a mail clerk might live and has a cosy feel and floral wallpaper. The Medium rooms are flashier, with matching art-deco furniture and pieces like a marble-topped table that we imagined might have been purchased with a junior banker’s first bonus. The Large rooms would be occupied by a director and are furnished with opulent pieces like a grand four-poster bed and rich fabrics.’

The team spent months creating bespoke wallpaper for the bedrooms. ‘Adam and I went to Anstey Wallpaper Company in Loughborough to design three separate schemes for the Small rooms,’ says Alice Lund. ‘Over 100-years-old, it’s one of the few companies that engraves

The vault contains over 3,000 stainless steel safety deposit boxes and inspired the design of Fort Knox in the 1964 film Goldfinger

and prints wallpaper, and we studied swatches and colourways from the period.’ Each room channels 1920s and 1930s design, with vintage pieces, hand-knotted rugs and rainforest showers. Brass and mahogany furniture, chandeliers and richly patterned furnishings decorate the rooms and contribute to the period feel.

The sixth floor (not shown), which houses the main function rooms, has changed least.

‘The Tapestry Room is cloaked in a huge tapestry, which was the largest in England when it was installed in 1932, and features coats of arms from 120 UK cities and towns,’ says Greco. ‘We also restored an enormous 18th-century chandelier from Devonshire

House on Piccadilly to light The Saloon.’

‘My favourite space is the vault,’ says Lund.

In the belly of the building, it is dominated by the bank’s original stainless steel safety deposit boxes and its two-metre-wide, 20 tonne door remains a key feature. It once stored gold bullion deposits of £335 million – around £15 billion in today’s money. Lund adds: ‘We balanced out the severe geometry by creating a plush club space that will be used by members day and night. The vault is now a lounge bar serving Negronis and Gimlets.’

The Ned, 52-54 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3 Tel: +44 (0)20 3828 2184 www.thened.com GS Magazine 17

The Grove

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t’s fourteen years since the Grove hotel near Watford opened its doors to the public. GS Magazine was one of the first to review it. At that time we remember thinking it was a monumental risk for the owners. The project was massive: a complete restoration of a tired yet beautiful stately home; the addition of a wing large enough to house scores of new bedrooms, a restaurant and ground floor events spaces; this then connected the original stable block that had been converted to house a large spa, a swimming pool, further restaurants and a golf club. A new championship golf course had also been developed within the grounds of the estate. It proved to be a massive success, winning, within just a year of opening, a healthy clutch of industry awards for its first rate facilities, for its style and for its design. Now it is amongst the best and most successful hotels in Britain. There’s a healthy waiting list for most of its facilities; it hosts many of the top visiting

18 GS Magazine

international and domestic sports teams, including the England football team; leading businesses hire it - sometimes exclusively for their events and it is a hugely successful wedding venue. That original risk has paid them back handsomely. To help ease the waiting list new event spaces have been developed, whilst refreshing the existing ones, and a new events suite has been built.

The hotel’s original interior designer, Martin Hulbert, was retained to re-envisage some of the existing spaces and to provide a design for the new build extension, now known as the Cedar Suite. And it’s the extension that is the most rewarding in terms of innovation. The style, shape and materials used are out of sync with the existing build yet somehow this plays in its favour. The Cedar Suite is an exciting, modern addition to the Grove. It adds an edge to the classically designed red brick exterior and to a degree it helps to give the Grove more

modern day relevance. It is essentially a glass walled semi-circular single story structure, with a seeded ‘living’ flat roof and clad with copper eaves and columns, treated with a Verdigris process; an artificial patination to help give it its weathered appearance. The inner space is a beautiful blank canvas, a space to encourage creative freedom, for people to design and curate their own events. Hulbert and his business partner, Jay Grierson, have created a versatile, modern function space that will have massive appeal to end users. In terms of its flexibility,

A striking steel table takes centre stage in the break out space Commissioned by designer Martin Hulbert, the table can be raised to any height providing different options for events organisers

there are few restrictions so events organisers can develop their own themes, pretty much unhindered by the space itself. The Cedar Suite is ideal for banqueting or for standing buffets accommodating up to 200 guests, tables and chairs can be quickly removed to open up the space for presentations or for dancing and the doors slide open wide so that guests can spill out onto the heated terrace or into the gardens beyond. Although the walls are glass, an inner sheer curtain glides effortlessly to provide privacy and a series of upright decorative fins have been incorporated to one side of the exterior that can be adjusted to conceal part of the glass wall and block out light, like large vertical blinds. Each fin is decorated with an inner layer of resin-set autumn leaves and bracken, sourced from the grounds of the estate

GS Magazine 19

and encased between two strips of toughened glass. When closed, the fins provide a decorative floral wall, visible from within as well as from outside. What has been achieved here is architectural art. It enhances the look of the building, adds interest and helps to integrate it with its surroundings. The inner shell of the Cedar Suite is predominantly white - a large part of the ceiling is coffered to house lights and audio equipment, which is concealed behind an assortment of suspended acoustic ‘leaves’, inspired by the ceiling of the Royal Albert Hall.

The lined inner wall to the room is wrapped in a beautifully detailed pale tapestry, which is an abstract take on the magnification of flow plants. Quite apart from being a wonderful art piece, it provides additional acoustic qualities and adds warmth to the interior.

The existing meetings and events spaces have been modernised and reconfigured so they can be hired as a whole, including the Cedar Suite, or for a series of entirely separate and 20 GS Magazine

separated functions. To this end an additional entrance has been created which leads into a small reception lounge and then on to an inner break out space, that in turn leads to individual meeting rooms, the Cedar Suite or to the other connected suites known as Amber and Ivory, via a second and larger reception area. The new reception lounge shows Martin Hulbert at his creative best. In this room he has combined an eclectic mix of bespoke and interesting items of furniture including, to the left of the above image, a Jesmonite table (see box out) and a recycled glass petal shaped coffee table.

He’s added a variety of seating, a garden colour palette of greens and browns and a dominant large scale art installation. Within the one room, several types of material and varying styles have been used. In other designers’ hands this grouping could become disjointed but Hulbert has created an inspiring and theatrical space that sits comfortably within its environment.

The installation is of 150 individually attached

copper leaves that ‘blow’ across the wall and ceiling as if the open door has let in a gust of autumn leaves. There is an ever-present theme of nature at The Grove, a celebration of the grounds and gardens, so this installation is entirely apt.

Punctuating the walls and corridors of the Grove’s M&E spaces are various pieces of art, sourced or commissioned by Martin Hulbert and “chosen to make people smile and think out of the box”. This original art also gives the entire space a non-corporate feel. According to The Grove’s research, it is the contemporary style, flair and flexibility of space that is making it such a popular venue. Their findings also show a move towards a preference for non-traditional venues suited to experiential, thought-provoking events. There can be few venues in the UK that meet this criteria better.

The Grove, Chandler’s Cross, Watford, Hertfordshire.

Tel: +44 (0)1923 807807 www.thegrove.co.uk

Along with another designer, Katherine Neathercoat of Scott Brownrigg, Martin Hulbert was invited to talk at this year’s Surface Design Show. Both were asked to pre-select seven of their favourite materials so they could talk about them at the Show. The only material that was selected by both designers, independently, was Jesmonite; a hugely versatile and strong material that can be used to create any number of products, for indoor and outdoor use. In the image above the black side table was sourced

by Martin Hulbert to be a part of the Grove interior, it has a lava stone quality.

By contrast Katherine Neathercoat commissioned Jesmonite to create some decorative wall tiles for one of her projects. Same hardy material, very different look.

For more information about Jesmonite see page 54.

GS Magazine 21

The LaLiT Hotel

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or design-interest magazines, like GS, there’s rarely been a more exciting time. A new hotel or restaurant opening can be easily overlooked if it doesn’t have a design story or at least some design element to make it stand out. And long may that continue.

It is worth remembering that modern design in hotels and restaurants has only been around for a few decades; interior designers weren’t even considered for these sectors pre 1980. Before then going to a restaurant was for occasions only, some hotel bars were for residents only and hotels were rated for their comfort, service and location, not their concept or design. How society has changed! Take the new LaLiT hotel as an example. The idea of converting an old grammar school into a star-rated, service-led hotel would have been unthinkable forty years ago. The cost of converting classroom spaces into en suite bedrooms alone would have put investors off and delivering any form of dining 22 GS Magazine

intimacy in a huge vaulted assembly hall would have been a challenge too far for any designer. Now, however, it seems like the most natural thing to do. Our attitude to design has changed: our respect for older buildings and our determination to breathe new life into them is unquestioned. With the collaboration of EPR architects, interior designers Archer Humphryes and lighting consultants, Firefly, this Victorian school building has been transformed into a striking hotel.

The building itself is something of a gem.

It’s a Grade II listed red brick property designed

by Edward Mountford, the architect of The Old Bailey, and built between 1892 and 1894.

Much of the existing fabric and features of the school have been retained and restored so the property’s unique character is intact: original parquet flooring, oak panelling, iron balustrades, lead-lined windows, beams and ornate ceiling plasterwork, all meticulously repaired, replaced and re-polished. Quality

furniture and furnishings have been installed, befitting a five-star experience; heated bathroom floors, Hypnos beds, TOTO loos, the latest Samsung screens, Albion roll-top baths for the suites, Nespresso machines and so on. LaLiT is an Indian, family-owned hotel group and a lot of the furniture was made and imported from India, using their usual suppliers. Colonial style wooden screens, rattan seating, silk throws and beautiful rugs add hints of India’s past. The main restaurant, Baluchi, serves a modern take on traditional Indian cuisine and is housed within the Great Hall, a huge lofted space complete with a viewers’ gallery. A Naanery bar has been added to the hall, from which a variety of artisanal breads are baked in an iron tandoor and paired with wines or beers. Two lounge bars have been created within the Headmaster’s office and the teachers’ common room. Both have been beautifully realised and are perfect for after dinner relaxation. An outside terrace has

been added. In total there are 70 guestrooms on the upper three floors. These range from very small (16 sq.meters), to excessive; the Legacy Suite measures a total 120 sq.meters and incorporates three, interconnecting rooms.

Most of the rooms, however, fall into the category of Junior and Senior classrooms and measure around 25 sq.meters.

Anyone launching their first hotel in London would be proud of LaLiT. The building is gorgeous, the restoration is first rate and the decoration is charming. This hotel really stands out. It has a great story and the Indian connection sets it apart. Indian restaurants in hotels are a rare sight and a Naanery bar is unique to the UK. And the location, on the South Bank next to Tower Bridge, a short walk away from many of London’s best-known tourist attractions, couldn’t be better.

The LaLiT Hotel, 181 Tooley Street, London SE1.

Tel: +44 (0)20 3765 0000 www.thelalit.com

Lighting The LaLiT

by Peter Veale, Firefly Lighting.

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s a lighting project, this brought a variety of opportunities and challenges. It was a heritage project, but the LaLiT brand is fairly modern. The superb location, a stone’s throw from Tower Bridge, couldn’t be more London, but the brief was to transport the guests to India. Interesting! The overall lighting strategy was to accentuate both the tradition architecture (both inside and out) and the modern twists brought about from the interiors. Giant chandeliers dominate the double height Great Hall, formerly the school hall. It is now a restaurant with bars and lounges leading from it. The Naanery bar provides the grounding.

The Headmaster’s Bar is the most historical room of all, with an ornate plaster ceiling lined with cherubs. We simply couldn’t resist accenting them so they take pride of place hovering over their guests. Elsewhere ceiling coves are accented to bring out the traditional textures used.

In the guest rooms, the decorative Indian silk headboard is the focus, being grazed from below to avoid glare, and simple wall lights provide light for reading. Outside, the clock tower is lit via fibre optics and the three reliefs, showing figures linked to the school’s history are lit thanks to the latest LEDs. The landscaping and window reveals are also lit using energy-saving spotlights to raise awareness of both the history and the commercial nature of the hotel.

GS Magazine 23

A new brand identity for an iconic property

Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square

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randing and Design Agency, The Plant has created the brand identity for luxury hotel company Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square London. This is Four Seasons’ newest hotel in the UK, their first to open in the City, and it occupies one of the most historically significant buildings in London.

Originally built as the Port of London Authority headquarters, it is one of the best

24 GS Magazine

examples of Beaux Artes in the country.

Launched in 1922 and opened by British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, the building was erected at a time when London was the busiest port in the world, and in 1946 it was to host the inaugural reception of the United Nations General Assembly.

The brief centred around bringing to the forefront the historical significance and extraordinary architecture of the building, so Four Seasons asked The Plant to weave the story of this magnificent building through every element of the hotel’s brand identity and collateral.

“In an age where everything is originated on a screen, digging deep into the archives and using some traditional methods felt right for the identity of the Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square. It helps to reflect the history and story of the building and the brand, and creates a mood of distinction and sophistication.”

Matt Utber, Founder of The Plant.

For more information visit www.theplant.co.uk

The Plant set about researching the building’s design history and discovered an archive of hand drawings from the 1900’s by Sir Edwin Cooper, the original architect. Inspired by those delicate drawings, The Plant decided to commission the talented French illustrator Thibaud Herem to re-imagine the building through a modern lens.

Based in London, Thibaud Herem specialises in creating contemporary architectural drawings with a precise and an incredible level of hand drawn detail in Indian inks.

He created a large scale drawing of the buildings front elevation and his rendering of the external facade of the building is an accurate and incredibly detailed illustration of this beautifully designed building. The Plant applied many of the architectural details such

as ornamental borders and balustrades as counterpoints to the graphic design of the hotel’s identity. Herem’s drawing was carefully cropped to help accentuate finer details, and then combined with Edwardian typography to form the basis of the identity. The designs were then applied across high quality finishes and paper to build a considered identity of real distinction.

The rich history of the building and the area are peppered across printed materials with quotes from local identities of note including Samuel Pepys and Geoffrey Chaucer.

Every touch point, from room keys to takeaway packaging, bookmarks and stationery were designed, involving over 100 individual pieces of collateral for the hotel brand. Objects were also created using materials inspired by the building’s nautical past, including a service door hanger using brass and rope, a counterpoint in the guest-room experience.

The Plant heavily researched nautical knots and decided, finally on the Double Carrick.

The Plant has also created brand identities for the in-house spa and Rotunda bar and restaurant, as well as menu systems for La Dame De Pic restaurant.

Four Seasons Hotel, 10 Trinity Square, London EC3.

Tel: +44 (0)20 3297 9200 www.fourseasons.com/TenTrinity GS Magazine 25

D

akota is a ‘lifestyle hotel brand providing hospitality and restaurant services’ according to Wikipedia. It is, but that’s like saying the Mona Lisa is a picture of a woman or Shakespeare was a writer. Dakota is so much more. For a start it is co-owned and run by founder Ken McCulloch, the man who brought us One Devonshire Gardens and Malmaison hotels, with interiors designed by his wife, award-winning international designer, Amanda Rosa. McCulloch has been opening and operating hotels for nearly four decades.

One Devonshire Gardens was credited as being one of Britain’s first boutique hotels and Malmaison was a revelation; a design-led, young at heart hotel brand with a focus on quality, affordable food served in attractive and atmospheric restaurants. Malmaison bars, welcoming non-residents, soon became as popular as the best standalone bars; something that few hotels had ever managed to achieve. The Malmaison brand had an enormously positive influence on the hotel industry during the 1990’s, it was a real game-changer. Given Malmaison’s success it was inevitable that comparisons would be made as soon as Dakota was launched. It could be argued that the Dakota brand is a natural progression of Malmaison; a little more sophisticated and more comfortable, more grown up even. Yet still sufficiently different to be noticed. In fact, you can’t help but notice them. The big black box exteriors make them stand out. As Ken McCulloch says “they make a statement and stop people in their tracks”. What lies inside, however, is an experience of comfort, warmth, friendliness

26 GS Magazine

Dakota Deluxe, Glasgow

Dakota Deluxe, Glasgow

Dakota Deluxe, Leeds

and great professionalism. And in terms of design, they’re striking. Dark and sexy, full of luxuriously comfortable furniture, original art, good lighting and great bathrooms.

Quality products are used throughout: Elite beds, Hansgrohe showers, Andrew Martin leather, Narumi bone china, the latest Dyson hand dryers; those who travel and stay in hotels a lot notice and appreciate these details, it says a lot about the hotel, the people behind the hotel and how much they care for their guests. Dakota are expanding.

They have four hotels in operation, including the new one opening in Leeds, one to follow in Manchester and more in the pipeline.

Shortly before the launch of their new Leeds hotel Ken McCulloch took time out to talk to GS Magazine about the brand and what makes it so special... > GS Magazine 27

Dakota Deluxe, Leeds

Ken McCulloch I’m very excited about the Manchester project. It’s a fantastic site and it’s a new build. This means that we start with a blank canvas. For me that’s very exciting because it’s something we’ve rarely been able to do. Most of our projects have involved existing buildings. So maybe it’s the freedom to do whatever we want that’s exciting. Although it’s also quite scary for the same reason; there’s no reference to start with.

GS Isn’t it the case that the newest project will always be the one you’re most excited about?

KM Of course. It’s your new baby after all.

But that doesn’t mean to say you’re walking away from all of the others you’ve done. My philosophy is that every day we work to make our hotels a little bit better. So that means we have to give constant attention to all of our hotels. Experience has shown me that guests hate change, but, at the same time, they don’t like it when things stay the same! So by doing things gradually, by improving the small things day by day, we get better. And multiply that by 365 days every year you start to see and feel the improvements but because it’s gradual it’s an evolution rather than change.

GS Are you an admirer of some of the new hotels, like Citizen M? KM I like Citizen M. They’ve come at it from a completely different way but although I admire that, I wouldn’t do it. I’m a traditionalist at heart. I like traditional service. I’m not a fan of waiters who say “Hi guys, how are we doing?”

28 GS Magazine

It’s not because I’m old fashioned, it’s about control. We’re professional hoteliers. We want to do things correctly and we want to show our customers respect. It’s about consistency of service.

from other parts of the world can bring in new ideas and new cultures and that can be a good thing. Local is good but not always.

The biggest thrill to me is when we take kids who know virtually nothing about the hotel world, but have a nice personality, and we take them through the ranks and watch them grow.

There’s nothing better that that. And we’ve got some fantastic examples of that with some really great people.

GS Do you think that hotels should employ people who were brought up in the area so guests get a truer sense of the location and its character?

KM I think that helps sometimes but not always. I’d prefer a mix and I think that’s better for the hotel. If you go to a good restaurant in Scotland and the Sommelier is French that can be impressive. And I do believe that people

GS Is it hard to find staff now?

KM It’s always been hard to find staff. That’s never changed. The key is to engage with the right people. You’re fortunate if you can find people who want to forge a career in hotels and who take it seriously, but when you do find them you’ve got to really look after them, train them and nurture them and don’t give them a reason to want to move on.

GS What makes Dakota special?

KM Special is what we’re aiming for. In fact it’s our tag line “Hotels that make you feel special.”

And we all have to buy into that. We want our guests to feel special and we want our service to be special. I love that. I walk around the hotel and challenge the staff by saying what’s special about this or that. And they react positively to make everything special. It’s a simple word but words can be giants! When we launched Malmaison, we adopted a slogan that said “Hotels that dare to be different” and that didn’t always work because not everyone wants different, but we all want special. Different doesn’t necessarily mean good either whereas special is special!

I think it’s all about the little touches. I read a book recently about the great chefs of France and there’s a line in it that says “Success is the sum of many small things correctly done”. If you can get everyone around you to buy into what you’re doing then you create a culture.

Success is a culture. Take the great teams like Manchester United or Mercedes for example.

They created a desire to win; a winning culture.

It becomes apparent in everything you do. And that’s what we’re trying to do here: to create a desire to be successful and to get the troops so immersed in what’s going on that they want to be a part of it.

GS Have you and Amanda created a design template with Dakota Hotels?

KM Not really. With design Amanda and I do things that we would be happy to live in ourselves. We’re being indulgent in that respect. But most importantly, when we approach the design we think like a guest, not like an owner. It’s not a formula. The idea for the big black box was to create something of a statement. Something that would stop people in their tracks. It needed to be strong and solid, not something that looked like it wouldn’t last. I wanted to have this almost evil looking building but when people arrived they’d discover that inside it was soft, comfortable and interesting. For corporate guests who travel a lot a majority of their time in hotels is crap. So I wanted to change that by creating a place that they really enjoyed coming to.

GS In design terms it’s noticeable that there’s hardly anything within Dakota Hotels that looks like you’ve copied others.

Where do you get your ideas?

KM We’re influenced by the craziest little things. Not necessarily other hotels but by buildings and interiors everywhere. And we talk a lot about these things. We travel a lot too so we bring in these ideas from far and wide.

Not just design ideas but things that are more holistic. When we find places that we want to go back to we try hard to understand why. And that’s what we try to apply here. I’m far more interested to hear from people when they leave than when they’ve just arrived.

Dakota Deluxe, Glasgow

GS What are your future plans for the brand? Will you take it abroad?

KM Possibly, but I don’t know. What I learnt from my time with Malmaison - and the same applies with Dakota - is that the hotels will tell you what they’re going to do. How your guests react to your hotels is what dictates their future. You can’t be too rigid. If you go in with hard and fast ideas you might not be right, so you’ve got to let it grow in an evolutionary way.

We have two brands really, the city centre brand we call Dakota Deluxe, so we need to see them both develop.

Dakota Deluxe, Leeds

GS Is that like having a five star and a four star brand?

KM I’ve never really liked the notion of the star system so I wouldn’t categorize our brands like that. What exactly does it mean anyway?

Now they’re building seven and eight star hotels, what does that say about the five star ones? Other than perhaps a level of service or the Michelin stars it has, it really doesn’t mean anything. I was talking to someone who’s involved in this (star rating)and he said the star system was less relevant today. It’s all about TripAdvisor now. That’s the new star system.

That’s how people base their decisions.

GS Are you anxious about TripAdvisor?

KM Not really. I should care more but I don’t. Last time I looked we were number one restaurant and number one hotel in Glasgow.

That’s a lovely thing but I know it can change in a heartbeat. That’s the nature of things.

We put all our attention into making small improvements all the time and getting it right for the customer. How people interpret that is out of our hands. The key thing is to do things for the right reasons, not to gain an extra star

or to go higher on TripAdvisor. I want people to come in and experience what we’re all about. I don’t want us to get distracted by analytics and profiles. We don’t want to build a database, we want to build a fan base.

GS Magazine 29

30 GS Magazine

Q

uorvus could be described as the most handsome and stylish member of the Carlson Rezidor family, but also the most enigmatic. With its other siblings; the Radissons, the Park Plazas and the Park Inns you know pretty much what to expect but with Quorvus you learn to expect the unexpected. It’s a small collection of individually curated hotels - the others can be found in Muscat and Kuwait - where, according to their website, “guests are invited to join the social and cultural epicentre of the city. Becoming part of the scene, drawing energy from the crowd... Beyond the big world-is-watching moments, we welcome a society that thrives on the everyday magic. The local rhythm, the pulse of a place”.

Edinburgh has several established luxury hotels that could also lay claim to represent local culture but G&V offers a more youthful perspective. It’s a celebration of modern Edinburgh.

Situated in the heart of the city, the hotel’s name relates to its location on the corner of George IV Street and Victoria Street (G for George and V for Victoria) and most of Edinburgh’s tourist attractions are within easy walking distance. G&V is housed in a modern, purposebuilt hotel building which opened in 2009 as the Missoni.

The new look has been gradually phased in over an 18 month period, allowing the hotel to remain open during the transformation. The changes are impressive. Spaces are full of colour and character.

The open lobby, intended as a busy and buzzy space, has two lounge seating areas, a florist, a designated communal work table that can seat up to twelve, three reception desk stations and access points to the ground floor bar and the first floor restaurant. At all times a kiltclad doorman is in attendance: a nod to Scottish tradition and a draw for passing >

Judy R Clark Suite GS Magazine 31

Room designs by Hatti Pattison

Cucina restaurant by Timorous Beasties

tourists. All other staff uniforms have been designed and supplied by local tailors Walker Slater (WS). In keeping with the modern Scottish theme WS have created, styled and fitted tweed waistcoats, dark trousers and lightweight tan brogues. For bar staff the same look is embellished with an added apron. This is not a one-size-fits-all uniform. The clothing has been properly tailored, much to the obvious delight of the hotel staff. Stating the obvious, looking and feeling good on duty is important, it adds a sense of worth to the individual and in turn to the organisation they represent.

The bar, which is located to the rear of the building, has become a local favourite. It’s a rather sophisticated cocktail bar and in terms of design there is little evidence that it is a part of the hotel, it has its own identity and is furnished with blood red and orange leather seating and banquets, marble topped counters and tables and seductive mood lighting. It is aptly named Epicurean (referring to a person devoted to sensual enjoyment, especially that derived from fine food and drink). The design is credited to Graven Images, a company whose work has adorned the pages of GS many times over the years, and to help with the bar’s concept, London based Gorgeous Group were appointed. There’s a good selection of bespoke cocktails available, some of which 32 GS Magazine

are exceptional. Not just in taste but they’re visually exciting too.

The first floor restaurant provides a design element that is totally different to the other public spaces within the hotel. An unexpected surprise unlike any other restaurant interior you’re likely to find. Glasgow based textile manufacturers and fabric designers, Timorous Beasties, were commissioned to dress the space and they’ve done so using several of their signature style bold and bright wallpapers and fabrics. The patterned wallpapers, in the brightest pinks, greens, reds and blues depict flowers and leaves in a variety of forms, sometimes detailed, sometimes abstract, always imaginative. They’ve created an enchanted forest for the fanciful. This room is full of energy. It’s different, sassy, youthful and brave.

It may not appeal to restaurant traditionalists but will be adored by those with a sense of fun and adventure.

More local artists and designers were commissioned to dress the bedrooms. These include Hatti Pattison and Judy R Clark and Timorous Beasties once again. G&V have selected their artists well. Good hotel room designs should stimulate guests as they arrive and the designers’ use of strong and bright accent colours provide plenty of stimulation.

The larger rooms and suites seem less like hotel

rooms, more like luxury apartments. With the exception of the Judy R Clark suite, in a palette of dark blue and warm tones, the rooms are light and bright. By contrast the bathrooms are given a darker feel with colour schemes of either purple or deep pink, with black and grey shiny mosaic tiles used to decorate the shower walls and the bathroom floor.

Instead of having a single concierge the hotel provides a Universal Concierge Service called George. George is in fact every individual who works at G&V, all of whom have been trained and empowered to help guests with virtually anything they require. Advising on events, directions, bus and train timetables, shopping, restaurants, bars and shows. George can also help to secure the ‘hottest’ tickets in town. ‘Ask George’ is good idea. Keeping front of house staff up to date with what’s going on in the city is empowering and being able to help guests in this way is satisfying.

The hotel has a number of bee hives which are kept on the roof. Honey from the bees is available in the restaurant or to take home as a gift. The in-room welcome pamphlet provides information about the ‘G&Bees’ including a note that reads ‘Speak to our team about adopting a bee today!’

In a way it’s a shame that G&V is a one-off.

It would work equally well in any of Britain’s

Suite by Timorous Beasties

W

alker Slater has collaborated with the G&V Royal Mile Hotel to specially customize and create a dashing new uniform. The hotel and brand’s partnership perfectly articulates today’s picture of Edinburgh: a matrimony between rustic and novel. The new staff uniforms are sharp and breathable, using a modern Borders cotton mix tweed. Crisp lines as well as hand-picked palettes of light greys complete the entire look for a modern twist. These timeless pieces can now be seen alongside top notch service and an unforgettable stay at the G&V. Sitting at the bottom of the historical Victoria Street, Walker Slater has effortlessly pieced together Scottish tradition with modern, fresh designs for over 25 years. The Tweed specialists carefully choose the highest quality of sustainable and beautiful tweed. The fabric is hand-picked, from the Hebrides to the Scottish Borders. From this selective process, the company then crafts unique and life-long pieces to suit a wide demographic of visitors and clients from all over the world. The store can be found just one minute away from the G&V hotel, for anything from a quick pop in to a custom tailored suit. larger cosmopolitan cities. In order to thrive, city hotels need bars and restaurants that attract non-residents, that are popular and busy and provide something extra to attract the crowds. Here, Epicurean and the restaurant, Cucina, have both made an impact. They’re different and stand out, separated from the hotel in terms of design. Quorvus is a collection of individually curated hotels so G&V won’t be copied but they might consider a roll-out for the bar. It is unique in its style and is a brand in its own right after all. Mayfair would make a good home for an Epicurean bar.

G&V Royal Mile Hotel, 1 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.

Tel: +44 (0)131 220 6666 www.gandvhotel.com GS Magazine 33

The Bower House

by Afsaneh Knight

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hipston on Stour is a thriving market town in the north Cotswolds, ten miles from Stratford-upon-Avon, and home to a community of bustling independent businesses – two butchers, a greengrocer, a deli, a fishmonger, not to mention a tailor, a clockmaker and a saddler.

“Sandra” was the dress shop that sat in prime spot on the corner of the High Street, a Shipston stalwart for decades.

When local Andrew Knight one day discovered it closed and boarded, with For Sale slapped ominously outside, his first worry was that the Grade II listed building would fall to a bright and faceless chain – a Waitrose, or a Pizza Express. His second was that what Shipston, and the whole area around, really needed was a “proper restaurant”.

“The Cotswolds,” he says, “and the British countryside in general, have a wonderful surfeit of great gastro pubs and grand country house hotels, but very few good, democratic, proper restaurants. It’s a nonsense that it’s only London and the cities who want them – we all want a beautiful, welcoming room to sit in and to be served good food with warmth and understated attention”.

And so, three years later, this glorious Georgian townhouse has been reborn as The Bower House, a seventy-seater restaurant with five bespoke 34 GS Magazine

bedrooms upstairs.

London architects Stiff + Trevillion came on board to oversee the restoration, the demands of which were significant. To begin with, it transpired that the building had nextto-no foundations, and had been sitting unanchored on the pavement for two hundred and fifty years.

As a listed building, the original walls, floors, ceilings and plasterwork had, of course, to be retained. The owner’s brief to interior designer and curator Liana Braune was to celebrate rather than work against this, and the result is a series of distinctive, evocative and beautiful rooms. Braune, previously curator at The Museum of Everything, sourced artwork from “artists I know and admire, and dealers and fairs up and down the country”. One room is heavily hung with eclectic oils, prints and sketches, with bottle green banquettes and bentwood chairs. Another room is kingfisher blue with mid-century bridge chairs, another is a deep, Georgian red with vintage copper-topped tables.

The bar is of antique Spanish tiles, hung with handsome fluted globe lights from Hereford designers Fritz Fryer.

Each of the five bedrooms over the first and second floors have been individually designed and decorated, with, says Braune, “the ongoing challenges of a very old building, which

doesn’t always cooperate on the plumbing and practicality fronts!”

Fabrics and wallpapers come from, amongst others, House of Hackney, Timorous Beasties, Bert & May and Common Room, with bespoke super-king-size beds and thoughtful and elegant vintage furniture finds.

Bathrooms are large, often as large as the bedrooms – “quite deliberately,” says owner Knight, “if you’ve made the effort to go away for the night, it must feel like an indulgence”. Grand green marble sits alongside humble tongue and groove, with one shower room tiled in Popham Design indigo stars, and another in striking Flaster concrete. Neither Knight nor Braune were tempted to put baths in the bedrooms: “Fun, but actually quite tiresome. Water all over the bedroom floor, and sometimes the most blissful thing is locking the door and wallowing with a book and a glass of wine, without being on display.”

The bedrooms will be complete at the end of May, but the restaurant has already opened its doors.

The restaurant kitchen was not restricted by the demands of a listed building – it is a modern extension, and is described by Head Chef Darren Brown as “a playground. A dream kitchen, really.”

Darren came to The Bower House from The

Lucky Onion group, and won a Michelin star when Head Chef at West Stoke House. His food is seasonal and local, and served alongside an extensive wine list, the bottles of which are housed in the building’s old cellars – themselves full of charm and worth a visit.

Henry Harris – formerly chef patron at Knightsbridge institution Racine, and advisor to, amongst others, Soho’s Groucho Club – has overseen The Bower House launch, and is responsible for its kitchen design.

He collaborated on the kitchen with NFM, Exclusive Ranges and Clay Ovens.

Andrew Knight says, “I wanted The Bower House to feel as if it had been a part of Shipston forever, without being a pastiche.” The Bower House has unequivocally succeeded in this. Its frontage, painted in regal dark blues and greys, enriches the town, with gorgeous duck egg blue and gilt fascia hand-painted by renowned signist Ged Palmer, founder of east London’s Luminor Sign Co. Standing on Shipston’s High Street at night, looking towards the resplendent Georgian window panes and candlelit warmth within – there’s no doubt about it, The Bower House glows.

The Bower House, Market Place, Shipston on Stour, Warwickshire .

Tel: +44 (0)1608 663333 www.thebowerhouseshipston.com GS Magazine 35

The Lansdowne Club, Mayfair

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rchitecture and interior design practice Jestico + Whiles has restored the 1930s interiors of the Art Deco dining room and piano bar at the Lansdowne Club in Mayfair, bringing this Grade-II* listed building back to its former glory and refreshing the club’s offer. The space is regarded as one of the most important in the club, originally designed

by Charles Fox with interiors by White Allom, a firm associated with the interiors of the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth ocean liners.

Established clubs in London are investing and updating their facilities to meet existing and prospective members’ evolving expectations. Both the dining room and piano bar were identified as under-performing assets; tired and in need of attention. As a result, Jestico + Whiles was commissioned by the Lansdowne Club to produce a long-term masterplan to consider how the spaces might be better utilised within this historic building.

In response, fluted vents, coffered ceilings and a columned lobby were restored and original features which had been lost, such as the concentric silver leaf details in the ceiling, were also reinstated.

Through a series of development 36 GS Magazine

and improvement projects alongside contemporary, historically-referenced additions, Jestico + Whiles has worked closely with StudioFRACTAL Lighting Design to enhance the original period features through subtle emphasis to new materials and colour

palette. The dining room’s material palette and colour scheme has been chosen to be sympathetic to the historic context, whilst adding a contemporary twist. A new glazed brass screen now subtly divides the main dining room, allowing the space to condense to half

Lighting StudioFRACTAL Lighting Design implemented background ambient lighting by updating the original cove lighting with LED strip lighting.

Custom designed miniature LED spotlights provided subtle highlighting onto tables, the bar and a new dividing screen. Carefully controlled highlighting was integrated into the new wine room shelving, bar and original wall carvings whilst subtle background illumination was added to the window treatments and original rooflights. Flos Globe fittings were added to the restaurant and bar to subtly enhance the Art Deco ambiance – and the entrance lobby benefitted from custom designed wall lighting based on the original Liner inspired features. All lighting is 3000K LED and controlled via a dimmable control system, allowing a range of lighting environments to match breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktail hour settings.

the size in less busy periods, yet still retain its buzz. A temperature-controlled glazed wine room glows like a jewellery cabinet, putting the club’s fine cellar on display, and a showpiece Verde Guatemalan marble buffet provides a luxurious counter space for breakfast. The piano bar, which features a piano that once entertained passengers on the Queen Mary, has been augmented through the addition of an antiqued rose-mirrored cocktail bar, which adds sparkle to the serving of pre-dinner drinks and aperitifs. A rich combination of other period finishes, including burr walnut, antiqued mirror and brass, complements the selection of inlaid stone and broadloom carpet with custom motifs on the floors.

The design responds to the club’s brief to create a dining room that retains its grandeur, but is warm and welcoming, where members can unwind and entertain for both formal events and informal dining. Jestico + Whiles have delivered interiors that evoke a classical ambience, overlaying contemporary features that complement and enhance the building’s rich heritage, creating a space that changes its character throughout the day and into the night.

The Lansdowne Club, 9 Fitzmaurice Place, London W1 Tel: +44 (0) 20 7629 7200

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nother chic little hotel opens its doors in Paris, in the heart of the Latin Quarter between Notre Dame, La Panthéon and the Seine. At La Lanterne, the high quality materials are well selected, elegant and comfortable. Splashes of bright colour bring out the quieter, neutral shades and seemingly every single object, such as the oval windows rescued from a grand Parisian residence or the original Latin Quarter posters, has been sourced from antique shops. Albeit it relatively small, the hotel has just 27 rooms, it is the only hotel providing an indoor swimming pool in the 5th arrondissement.

The interiors have been created by designers and decorators Pierre Dubois and Aimé Cecil, both true ambassadors of French chic. They have a passion for utilising unusual materials and objects in their schemes to give each project a unique atmosphere.

A key component to the success of this project is the use of monographic photography, taken by Nicolas Sénégas, intended to immerse guests into the iconic aesthetic of the City of Lights by capturing street and passageway lamplights from different periods.

The imagery depicts beautiful ornate lamps on the bridges of Paris and lamp posts from the squares and parks. The photography is charming and elegant, it conjures up the romance of Paris and provides the hotel with a great sense of period and place.

The bedrooms are modern and elegant and are given a warm atmosphere from the hanging lanterns. The fabrics, thick carpets, quilted plaids and wall coverings underline the refinement of the hotel thanks to the stylish taupe and grey colours. On every floor the

shades of orange, pigeon blue, anis yellow and the pink of the curtains and cushions provide warmth to the design.

Every bathroom includes an Italian shower with beautiful wall tiling which depict the sweeping arabesques of an 18th century Baroque candelabre and delightful cherubs.

Rooms are shown as Classique, Supérieur (these rooms have private terraces and a view

of the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris) and Privelège, which are situated on the top floor.

There is just one suite which can accommodate up to four guests.

For relaxation the hotel offers a small indoor garden - a feature that can be found in many of the city’s smaller hotels - and a spa with swimming pool. In addition the spa offers a hammam and a sensorial shower. A large

Hotel La Lanterne 38 GS Magazine

La Lanterne is the only hotel in the entire fifth arrondissement with a swimming pool

mirror blends in an original stone archway, from the 12th century. The white mosaics echo the subtle lighting of the vaulted ceiling to bring a delicate luminosity to the space. The photograph is a panoramic view of the nearby Alexander III bridge.

Like London there are several grand luxury hotels in the centre of Paris, but the city also has numerous small, independently run hotels to be found almost hidden along the side streets. And many of these, like La Lanterne, are absolute gems.

Hotel La Lanterne, 12 rue de la Montagne Sainte-Genevieve, 75005 Paris Tel +33 (0)1 53 19 88 39 www.hotel-la-lanterne.com GS Magazine 39

The Avenue

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he Barsey, a Brussels-based restaurant run by the Warwick Group, was a tricky project for Paris-based interior design agency Kerylos Intérieurs. The brief for the project was typical in nature of those from hospitality groups: make it fast but make it good!

Thus, Kerylos Intérieurs set about undertaking a complete renovation of the once grand but now slightly tired restaurant, The Barsey at the Hotel Barsey in Brussels. The goal was to create something true to the project manager’s vision of a bright and dynamic space, and to deliver it within a 3-month deadline.

A lauded culinary destination in Belgium, the site had its heyday a few years ago before it fell victim to neglect. In order to rewrite its history whilst making sure the structure of the space remained unchanged, designer and Kerylos Intérieurs founder Didier Benderli had to be at once mindful and flexible.

The interior designer’s vision was to let the space breathe, give it flow and a new, simplified linear layout using an eye-catching design based on the seductive alchemy of comfort, warmth and luxury.

The main challenge was to give the site a new strong identity whilst keeping the existing structure. And so, Benderli adorned the panoramic entrance lobby with chinoiserie from Iksel. Inside the restaurant, matte painted walls, shimmering moiré fabric wall-panel coverings and Arte gold leaf applied on the ceiling create a sumptuous visual effect. The overall space was illuminated further by playing with the motif of lines to create multiple visual directions, creating a sense of full and empty spaces to break up the view and subsequently, extending it further.

The carpet flooring was custom-designed and made by Lano. Its pattern reminiscent of the highly-geometric Versailles parquet, seamlessly linking the past with the future.

Overall, the colour palette was stripped back to basics. In the case of the architecture, a monochrome base provides a simplified understanding of the space. Touches of colour appear in the form of gold wallpaper, grey, blue

and green-hued fabrics and bronze tones in the entrance.

All furniture was replaced by pieces designed by Kerylos Intérieurs: the table tops are in laminated wood with a brass edge and black beech legs; the chairs, armchairs and stools are upholstered in velvet from Kieffer, Rubelli, Métaphore and Dedar; the copper lighting was designed by the agency and made

by GAU. The result was a total transformation that surprised regulars of The Barsey, despite the tight deadline. “I myself was surprised when I saw one of the dining rooms was painted black during a site visit when I’d recommended white!” says Didier Benderli. “We didn’t have time to change it but in the end, this mistake taught me to be open to unexpected change since it may well be my favourite room now.”

Now known as The Avenue, Kerylos Intérieurs gave one of Brussels’ respected culinary institutions a second phase of life.

The Avenue, Hotel Barsey by Warwick, Avenue Louise 381-383, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.

Tel: +32 2649 98 00 www.warwickhotels.com

GS Magazine 41

Lighting-up London’s

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Gilbert Scott Restaurant, St Pancras

hot spots

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St Pancras Renaissance Hotel

ighting is one of the unsung heroes of hotel interiors; it is an essential force in creating atmosphere whilst bespoke lighting installations are frequently commissioned to enhance the identity of a hotel brand. Working with architects and interior designers, CTO lighting has collaborated on some of the most illustrious hospitality projects over the last twenty years. As a luxury interiors brand it has a reputation for creating high quality, hand finished, British made products. They are seen as one of the go-to specialists for bespoke lighting for many of the world’s leading hotels.

Founded by Chris and Clare Turner, CTO Lighting is newly headquartered in Islington, North London within a converted listed building where they also have a new showroom.

Having spent years honing their craft; and creating their own Studio collections as well as working with a small coterie of established designers their ranges use materials such as solid brass, copper, silk, hand-fritted and hand-blown glass. As a trained engineer Chris Turner has an eye for detail that can be seen in his brilliantly executed designs; so too the impeccable finishes and an understanding of scale which all combine to make it a company that is easy to partner with on large interior projects and fit outs.

Knowing that good lighting has transformative powers - quite significantly in hotel interiors, where ambiance, form and function are key to the success of a project and show-stopping bespoke lighting installations can literally become star of the show - 5* hotel projects almost demand the use of these unique designs. > GS Magazine 43

Gilbert Scott Restaurant, St Pancras

The Rosewood Hotel, London

The Rosewood Hotel, London Global interior design superstars, Tony Chi Associates, designed the interior of the London Rosewood and needed to specify a range of lights for several areas of the hotel: the front entrance, the Mirror room and the now famous Rose bronze Gallery. In addition they had to work with the constraints of a listed building and the emergency lighting system. It was a time sensitive project and they was given four months to produce the lights in accordance with a very strict brief, as Chris Turner explains “We were given a set of drawings by the designer, who was extremely discerning, no detail too small but with a no-expense spared budget it allowed us to use the very best materials available.”. They used a combination of Italian woven leather, French mesh copper alongside glass and metal, which added more than a touch of glamour to the overall effect.

44 GS Magazine

The Rosewood Hotel, London

Gilbert Scott Restaurant, St Pancras “A deeply complex project” is how Chris Turner described the Gilbert Scott Restaurant in St Pancras. The giant bell-shaped lights which measure 900mm x 1000mm each, are part of two sets of six cascading “bells” floating high above the diners using incandescent bulbs to maximum effect. The lights could not weigh more than 100 kilos in total, due to therestrictions of the listed building’s ceiling, so they needed to be made from glass fibre and painted to look like antiqued bronze, rather than use metal. They had the added pressure of installing the bells in a short time frame over the Christmas period. Designed

by David Collins Studio, it was a lesson in design engineering and the interior designers were“fastidious about the detailing with every millimeter being accounted for” according to Chris. With no room for error, it was an expensive project that proved so effective in this sensitive interior scheme.

The Chiltern Firehouse Still reigning supreme amongst the glitterati and possibly the most infamous of all London hotels with its Michelin starred chef Nuno Mendez restaurant and its famous bar, The Chiltern Firehouse is a byword for popularity.

Three lights were designed specifically for this project: A bronzed brass shade pendant that worked as an uplighter; Mouth-blown reeded glass spheres centred around a delicate bronzed brass frame used as pendants and a series of bronzed brass wall sconces with cotton shades to diffuse the light. CTO Lighting was commissioned directly by the owner AndrĂŠ Balazs and procurement agency Studio KO whilst working alongside lighting design supremos Isometrix. The one stipulation was the use of incandescent bulbs throughout the scheme, to enhance and reflect the homey, vintage style interior with its mahogany walls and old world sense of style. With its characteristic use of quality materials including

glass and metal, they created a journey of timeless designs throughout the different areas of the hotel whilst ensuring consistency and integrity with the interior.

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel Multi-award winning hotel interior designers, GA, commissioned lighting for the bar and restaurant area of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. Extra large round and long light drum pendants are suspended majestically in the cavernous space. The pendants were finished in dove grey silk (with a durable white lining) and opal diffusers. Each shade was made by hand by skilled artisans in the UK. We are grateful to CTO Lighting for writing this article for GS Magazine.

To find out more about their work and their projects please contact +44 (0)20 7686 8706 or visit www.ctolighting.co.uk

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel

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uxury design has always been at the forefront of the hospitality industry, with prestigious hotels like The Ritz representing the pinnacle of English culture and paving the way for new and diverse luxury establishments across the world. Old school chandeliers, decadent fabrics and intricate tiling create a unique aura of lavishness and encourage consumers to buy into an industry that promises them extravagance and sophistication. Traditional luxury is still very much dominant in today’s hospitality industry, but the 21st century offers a whole host of new techniques, trends, materials and styles that reinforce a true luxurious ambiance. These are some of the best ways to capture luxury in the hospitality sector:

46 GS Magazine

Dare to be different Traditional luxury is not the only way to wow guests and there are a whole host of options to capture a more unconventional luxurious space.

From art-deco, to minimalist, to futuristic mismatches of geometric patterns, a themed establishment can be the perfect way to entice customers into a new experience. Consumers are often attracted to interiors that surprise, delight and intrigue, so employing a theme can make a luxurious establishment truly stand out. From utilising wooden pallets for bespoke seating, to embossed metal wallpaper, being unusual can really give a space a unique yet luxurious edge. Moreover, consumers crave an experience that promises the exclusive and the rare, highlighting the need for luxurious establishments to be truly unique.

Materials Materials are a great way to set a luxurious space apart and make it truly exceptional in the eye of the beholder. Suspension lights made out of natural materials can be a great way to capture attention and create a talking point for the design. Moreover, unique metals and curved shaping can distinguish luxury design from the ordinary and develop a new concept of luxury for the future. Glass, metal and wood can all be utilised in diverse ways to emphasise the impression of luxury with different wood finishes creating bespoke furniture pieces that will capture the eye.

by Liam O’Donnell

Bespoke bars The bar often takes centre stage in any hotel, restaurant or drinking establishment, so it is important that it is striking. With such importance being placed on this particular feature, there are a huge array of ways to make it truly special.

Deep-buttoned upholstered fronting pared with unique mirrored shelving can really demonstrate the extravagance of the space. Accompanying this with tapered leg, upholstered bar stools can create a comfortable, social atmosphere that will wow guests.

Decadent fabrics One of the most prevalent ways to truly capture the essence of luxury is with unique fabrics and high quality upholstery.

Intricate patterns and extravagant colours can be the perfect way to give a space the pop

it needs. Velvet is a classic material used for more traditional luxurious spaces and can create a lavish, yet comfortable seating option.

However, for those spaces looking to be bolder and more striking, upholstered leather and delicate gold threaded fabric can be a great way to accentuate certain pieces of furniture.

Fabric is also extremely versatile and can be effective when used in an unusual manner.

Using high quality fabric for a centrepiece wall can really make a space stand out.

The idea behind the design Today’s high end consumers buy into more than just an initial impression. Those establishments looking to truly cement themselves in the luxury sector need to consider the deeper meaning behind the design.

With conscious consumerism on the rise it is important that luxury design represents an idea, motive or bigger picture. This takes hold with environmental initiatives, such as the use of certified woods that minimise the negative impact on the environment. This represents a great opportunity to develop a unique personality for the space that will hold more meaning for consumers and develop a distinctive importance for the designs.

With consumer interest for luxury hospitality growing globally by 7.7%, the need for luxury design is more important than ever.

There are plenty of ways to capture luxury, from the traditional to the unusual, with a whole host of designers, manufacturers and contractors on hand to give their insights and expertise into the design.

About the author, Liam O’Donnell Liam O’Donnell is the director of Valdivian Furniture, a British furniture manufacturer that specialises in bespoke, hand crafted contract furniture. Liam has deep rooted personal interest in environmental issues and over 16 years of experience in manufacturing furniture. He is a highly experienced wood machinist and specialist joiner which translates into the company’s meticulous and careful approach to furniture production.

Find out more at: www.valdivianfurniture.co.uk

GS Magazine 47

Like the moon, Le Lapin is laid out in a perfect circle. Guests exit the elevator and arrive in a French art gallery setting with a piece of tonguein-cheek hanging artwork: flying candles!

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Le Lapin

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he entire concept started with the client, Carson, who was born in the year of the rabbit. Carson is a Robouchon-trained chef who wanted to open a modern French restaurant concept in the Macau Science Center, a distinctive conical-shaped building designed by famed architect I.M. Pei. Influenced by the restaurant’s circular shape, the owner’s Chinese zodiac and Macau’s status as an intersection between East and West, the Wilson Associates team arrived at one prominent design narrative: Jules Verne‘s story of traveling to the moon, and the beloved Chinese fairy tale of the Jade rabbit in the moon.

In Chinese folklore, the rabbit is the companion of the moon goddess. This relationship fueled every element of the design, from the entryway to the private dining rooms and restrooms. Not only would guests leave talking about the savory French cuisine, but they would also leave talking about the venue’s symbolism and playful design narrative.

Then came Mr. Rabbit or “Monsieur Rabbit,” the protagonist, the mascot, the inspiration for this tale. Mr. Rabbit is a French sophisticate, a wine aficionado, and a bit of a cad. He is a distinct blend of polish and playfulness, an icon based upon turn-of-the-century French lithographs. His French ‘je nous se quais’ is found throughout the entire venue, especially in the lux, yet quirky finishes and furnishings.

From his constant companion Mademoiselle

Rabbit, to his arch nemesis Mr. Fox, Le Lapin is filled with characters and vignettes that allude to the life and times of Monsieur Rabbit, making guests feel like they are a part of the narrative.

Layout Like the moon, Le Lapin is laid out in a perfect circle. Guests exit the elevator and arrive in a French art gallery setting with a piece of tonguein-cheek hanging artwork: flying candles!

From there, they are greeted by the infamous “wine wall.” This wall is 16 meters high and inventively showcases Carson’s wine collection, worth more than $2 million. It is a marvel to behold! It’s three levels of catwalks and various LED/fiber optic starlight elements that play into the lunar design motif like stars in the sky. It is the heart and soul of the entire venue.

Guests walk along the wine wall and into the bar-lounge area, which exudes French sexiness.

The tables are tall, the floor is dark marble, while the bar itself is designed to be a floating crescent moon of backlit onyx. The design team decided to house the crystal whiskey bottles in floating mirror boxes behind the bar, so they wouldn’t obstruct the views of the Macao skyline. The main dining parlor, separated by airy gold glomesh panels, is an elegant, tailored space with a neutral color palette that seats 50 guests.

The wine tasting room is a double-height space with a floor-to-ceiling collection of books, thematic artwork, accessories and wine refrigerators. The walls also feature trap doors and “peek-a-boo” windows that look into GS Magazine 49

the private dining rooms, adding a touch of playfulness.

The carpet in both dining rooms is a piece of conversational artwork inspired by poetry. The carpet in the large private dining room is based on Jules Verne’s De la Terre à la Lune (From the Earth to the Moon) and features a collection of custom-designed hot air balloons, while the carpet in the small private dining room features Chinese poet Su Shi’s Mid-Autumn Moon. In fact, the poem is angled in such a way that guides one’s eye out over the Macau skyline, obliging the reader to stop and reminisce. Again, the intent is to create a truly interactive dining experience that leaves the patron with enduring memories, not just a good meal.

The playful restrooms inside Le Lapin possess an Alice in Wonderland eccentricity, which draws the guest deeper into the rabbit’s hole. Monsieur Rabbit and his more reticent counterpart Mademoiselle Rabbit mark the doors to his and hers’ washrooms. Inside, faucets spring from the mirrors, while cheeky artwork, sconces and graphic wallcoverings adorn the walls.

Holistic Design The Wilson Associates New York design team created a holistic design package for the client that included everything from space planning to menu design. The idea was to develop a strong brand identity for Carson that would extend beyond the walls of Le Lapin. The graphics team was called in to create original typography for business cards, menus, signage, etc. They were also brought in to present sketches of place settings, dishware and uniforms to ensure Le Lapin’s essence was visually developed across all media.

In the end, Le Lapin is representative of the new age of design. It’s time for the designer to think beyond the carpet, beyond the walls, beyond the lighting and develop an identity that holistically envelops the overall project intent, creating touch points for the client and patron for years to come.

Le Lapin, Macau Science Centre, Macau, China Tel: +853 2878 3938 50 GS Magazine

GS Magazine 51

The French Group

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he French Group have been designing, manufacturing and delivering their market leading services for over 45 years. An independent family company founded by their current CEO, Tim French MBE, French Group have developed a reputation for acting as Principal Contractor for restaurants and commercial fit-out’s.

Working from their base in Newick, East Sussex, the team has helped to create hundreds of iconic restaurant interiors. With a commitment to exceptional service and excellence, French Group has won numerous awards in the industry using their expertise of combining both traditional and contemporary design.

Over time, the company’s Managing Director, Simon French, has overseen new challenges and innovations in style, providing clever ideas to incorporate the new architectural designs into the final build. French Group is unique in their ability to draw up and construct all of the woodwork for a site at their in-house joinery.

This gives their clients the ability to select timbers and finishes to fit with the designs. The precision workmanship and attention to detail for these sometimes complex designs is controlled from start to finish.

Working with the clients’ architects, French Group is one of the very few joinery companies who can help in the technical design for any piece of joinery. The follow through provided is to construct items to precise dimensions, deliver to site and offer a full installation service.

The French Group offer a service with skilled staff who can deliver on time and on budget. The craftsmen and apprentices at French Group manufacture and deliver quality bespoke solutions to showcase a variety of design requirements for individualised sites. The company’s staff enjoy the varied problem solving challenges and getting involved with design teams and have an exceptional, combined wealth of experience.

Maison Kayser

Martello Hall

Further information can be found at www.frenchgroup.co.uk or by contacting Simon French , Managing Director on 01825 723 688 or by email, mail@frenchgroup.co.uk Drake and Morgan

Mere Restaurant

Photo: Cristian Barnett

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New fabrics from Woven Image

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ewly released to the ranges of upholstery fabrics at Woven Image are Spin and Candy, two new easy-care indoor/outdoor upholstery textiles. Responding to the growing demand and popularity for multi-function, durable fabrics this collection provides an addition of texture and on-trend design attributes. Made from solution dyed polyolefin, Spin and Candy have excellent performance characteristics.

This dying method occurs while the fibre is in a liquid state, prior to being extruded into yarn, therefore providing easy-care textiles with outstanding colourfastness to light, chlorinated water, and bleach solution. From an environmental stance, solution dyed yarns are considered to be optimal as this production method allows for reduced water usage and reduced emissions compared to conventional dyeing processes.

Spin is a tonal textured upholstery fabric that combines two colours of yarn in varying thicknesses to create a sophisticated organic appearance. The 9 available colourways reflect trend driven combinations of marine blue, highlights of sunshine and salt & pepper neutrals. Suitable for poolside furniture, banquet seating, lounges, cushions and ottomans Spin reflects a subtle contemporary look.

Candy instils a playfulness in colour and design. A re-interpretation of a classic circular design by Woven Image called Bonbon, Candy breathes new life into the concept by exploring an adjustment of scale, texture and colour. A series of rings and circles create a pop-art colour blocking style with a three dimensional embossed effect occurring by the juxtaposition of thick and thin yarn combinations. Candy combines 4 different yarn colours within each colourway available in 9 combinations of intrigue and delight from fresh popsicle accents to textural functional neutrals. www.wovenimage.com For detailed technical information contact Jane@informare.co.uk

Kaldewei - A brand Icon

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aldewei has been voted a “Superbrand 2016/2017” by the world’s biggest brand marketing organisation, Superbrand. The manufacturer of high-end bathroom solutions made of superior steel enamel ranks among Germany’s most successful brands. The jury said that, based on the consistent introduction of innovative products and true design icons, as a provider of high-end bathroom solutions, Kaldewei has clearly positioned itself in the luxury segment. The company’s brand image was said to be clearly differentiated from the industry standard and works effectively with the distinctive codes of luxury brands. In addition, the brand image has been consistently adapted for individual channels and different target groups. Kaldewei is also breaking new digital ground, maximising the potential of mobile and digital communication, thus setting standards in terms of unique communication and consistent brand management.

“This award underlines not only our position as a global luxury brand but also the international standing and associated high recognition value of the Kaldewei brand worldwide,” says Arndt Papenfuß, Head of Marketing at Kaldewei. “We are delighted with this award and see it as an affirmation of our consistent brand strategy.” www.kaldewei.com

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Jesmonite

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esmonite is a bespoke decorative building material which was first invented by Peter Hawkins in 1984.

The original compound was an acrylic-modified gypsum composite – conceived as a safe alternative to fibreglass (GRP) and a lightweight alternative to traditional building materials such as concrete.

As the company has grown, the list of Jesmonite’s product advantages has grown with it to add more strength, surface refinement, green credentials and product choice into the mix.

Meaning that Jesmonite has become the ultimate chameleon material of the building industry, used to create and replicate the appearance and texture of any surface finish in any number of colours.

The vision and ambition provided by MD, Simon Pearson and FD, Mark Lennock, has resulted in an expanded range of materials to cover a myriad of internal and external applications – for use across industries such as construction, interior design, the arts and film to name but a few.

The team’s product range and brand status is almost unrecognisable from their inception over 30 years ago. Today they successfully export Jesmonite products to world-renowned sculptors, designers, manufacturers and architects based in over 30 countries across the globe.

So if you’re building a film set for the latest Hollywood block-buster, creating an artistic sculpture for an arts biennial or decorating one of the world’s finest premium interiors... perhaps Jesmonite could add the perfect finishing touch. +44 (0)1588 630302 www.jesmonite.com

The Henley Fan Company Ceiling fans that are powerful, reliable, stylish and silent

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he UK’s leading supplier of designer ceiling fans has launched its own design called the Zephyr, taken from the Greek god Zephuros - god of the west wind and spring breezes. It can move a huge amount of air (17,000 m3/h) but with a very gentle and comfortable stirring action of just 65-170 rpm. It deploys the latest, most efficient EMC motors available using just 24 w of power. The Zephyr is perfect for restaurants, bars, halls, large rooms or common areas where a wide coverage is needed. It is silent with no airflow noise and so perfect for large bedrooms that suffer from noisy or dry air conditioning. There are no annoying buzzes, hums or wobbles. Styled on a biplane propeller the Zephyr looks stunning and brings real style to any room.

Tel: +44(0)1256 636509 www.henleyfan.com

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Fully booked.

Now there’s a thought worth entertaining.

From award-winning dramas and comedies to blockbuster movies and nail-biting sporting action – your guests can have it all with Sky. Plus fast, reliable and easy to use WiFi with marketingtools designed to drive business growth.

Call 08442 411 450 T&Cs: Equipment and installation costs may apply. Sky In Room and Sky In Bar: 12 month minimum term required to get Sky TV in your hotel. Premises must be in United Kingdom (excluding Scottish Islands and Channel Islands). Eligibility subject to credit checks. Content included depends on your subscription package. Sky In Room only: £100 minimum monthly price applies per hotel premises. WiFi from The Cloud: WiFi availability is subject to your premises location. Standard set-up fee and 12 month minimum term apply. Please call for details. Calls to Sky cost up to 7p per minute plus your provider’s access charge. Formula 1 © Getty Images Europe.

Man from U.N.C.L.E. © 2015 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. The Martian © 2015 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Not for sale or duplication.

Premier League © Getty Images. Correct at time of supply: 15/07/16.

Airblade™ technology in a tap.

Innovative design in a basin.

With the Dyson Airblade Tap hand dryer, hands can be washed and dried at the sink – so no water is dripped on the floor. And by freeing up extra space it enables a more minimalist aesthetic, or additional washroom facilities.

The Dyson Airblade Tap hand dryer can now be combined with Avante® basins crafted in Corian.®

For more information call: 0113 201 2240 www.washroomsolution.com

To speak to someone at Dyson: 0800 345 7788 www.dyson.co.uk/hand-dryers