design et al are delighted to announce that Maybourne Hotel Group have been shortlisted for Hotel Suite – Global Award in The International Hotel and Property Awards 2018.
Claridge’s hotel in Mayfair, with origins dating back to 1812, speaks of timeless luxury, glamour, elegance, and sophistication. This project included the full renovation of a one-bedroom suite in Claridge’s. The suite includes a private hallway, living room, bedroom with ensuite bathroom, dressing room, as well as a separate guest bathroom, with view over Brook street. The suite has an area of approx. 1080 sq. ft. The brief was to create a contemporary suite inspired by the rich history and unique identity of Claridge’s, embracing elements from the Art Deco era; a modern facelift of Claridge’s suite that maintains a connection to the Claridge’s heritage, equipped with state of the art technology and a flow of space to cater for the needs of modern day travellers. The suite would need to have universal appeal but also be imbued with features and elements unique to Claridge’s and the Art Deco era.
As one of London’s most prestigious hotels, the Claridge’s has an innate understanding of its guests and their requirements and the brief was to also translate this into a design which was both liveable and functional whilst simultaneously being comfortable and glamorous. In terms of atmosphere and spatial qualities, the suite needed to feel luxurious with a sense of understated glamour and sophistication; it also needed to feel calm, light, and fresh. Functionally, it needed to incorporate enhanced bathroom space that incorporates walk-in shower, bath, and double basins with generous space on the vanity unit; technological requirements such as USB ports, as well as other functional touches such as reading lights, as well as generous wardrobe spaces.
The materiality of the project embodies an essence of the art deco era and the glamour and heritage of Claridge’s: the walls are covered in a silk-textured wallpaper with a subtle iridescent shimmer; the headboard wall is in an intricate hand-inlaid wooden pattern reminiscent of Art Deco straw marquetry, overlaid with bronze fretwork of Claridge’s iconic patterns. The floor is covered in bespoke carpet inspired by 1920-30 fashion details, and the ceiling embellished by the Palladium leaf gilding in the fluted cornice. Furniture and lighting fixtures have materials and elements that is reminiscent of the deco era pieces, such as shagreen table lamps, alabaster lamps; with side tables made with semi-precious stone that act as jewelry to the space. Headboards with reading lights incorporated are made in a jacquard fabric woven with delicate golden threads.
The key aspects of this project are the weaving in the material language from Art Deco, distilling elements unique to Claridge’s and from historical references, and translating it into a contemporary luxurious space that maintains a continuity to the past in a subtle way. Design elements and atmosphere drew on extensive historical research of Claridge’s. The design is inspired by materials, motifs, patterns, and fashion of the Art Deco era as well as Claridge’s distinctive interior and architectural elements from the lobby and architecture.