14/15 Henrietta St - Covent Garden - London

2017

The Henrietta Hotel was my first hotel project in London, and my fourth project in the city with the Experimental Group. The hotel features 18 rooms and a restaurant led by chef Ollie Dabbous.

My first source of inspiration was the street itself. I always try to begin with the neighbourhood. On Henrietta Street, the buildings are very traditional, with understated façades, yet an extraordinary variety of rooflines and window ornamentation. Each building has its own rich and distinctive character.

This reminded me of classical architectural ornamentation — arches, capitals and bas-reliefs — as well as the magnificent door surrounds often found in Milanese apartments.

Inspired by these references, I designed oversized headboards conceived as bas-reliefs, combining different elements: mirrors, fabric panels upholstered in Rubelli fabrics, and hand-painted patterns, all assembled by hand.

The doors are topped with decorative capitals, and a glazed capital separates the bathroom from the bedroom.

For the bedroom carpets, I designed a pattern inspired by the shapes of mosaïque casson, while all the skirting boards are made from white Carrara marble.

Four distinct colour schemes bring individuality to the hotel’s 18 rooms, ensuring that each has its own character.

The bedside lights are made of brass and rise unusually high, integrated into the bedside tables. As I often enjoy mixing styles and periods, I also introduced references to the 1970s, designing a small armchair inspired by Pierre Paulin’s work and incorporating brushed aluminium details.

In the bathrooms, the vanity area was conceived as a fountain: two large pieces of granite meet at a right angle, creating a sculptural form inspired by the architecture of one of the buildings on Henrietta Street. A large mirror rests above this composition.

The flooring offers a more traditional touch, with black-and-white octagonal tiles and cabochons.

* HENRIETTA HOTEL HAS BEEN SHORTLISTED IN THE BEST URBAN HOTELS BY WALLPAPER IN 2017*

Client : Experimental Group

Chef : Italian Supper club

Interior Architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Graphic Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Photos : Karel Balas & Paul Bowyer