Cowley, Cheltenham GL53 9NL, Royaume-Uni

july 2023

Built in 1695, this manor has changed hands a number of times until James Horlick became the owner in 1895 doing most of the alterations of the building, together with Colonel Heber Percy, the next owner. 

This manor, now turned into an hotel also has stables, a new modern extension, and a large spa, counting 36 rooms in total and numerous living rooms : garden room, game room, a cocktail bar, a cocktail lounge, a restaurant, a library, a mud room,  two swimming pools … 

Overall we wanted to do what we love to do : a mix of geometric elements, a mix of styles, of eras, celebrating the multiple alterations of the buildings from 1695 to the 2000s. So at the end a joyeux bordel. 

Our main inspiration was of course the building itself mixing very classical inspirations as a tribute to the original manor : baledaquin beds, blurred maple, verdigris, sophisticated rattan furniture … mixed with contemporary elements such as : enameled lava, lime walls, very graphic fabrics and carpets, full upholstered furniture, bold colors, glossy lacquer and a lot of …. checkerboard patterns !  And this was a tribute to Alice in Wonderland : Lewis carol has written his Alice at Cowley Manor inspired by the grounds of Cowley Manor ! 

As a wink, we have hidden small doors, small elements from Alice on the carpets and checks everywhere : on rugs, carpets, fabrics, painted on walls, at different scales, different colors, tone on tone, sculpted, in lava … 

Client : Experimental Group

Interior Architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Graphic Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Chef : Jackson Boxer

Photos : Patrick Locqueneux

52 Av. de l'Impératrice, 64200 Biarritz

July 2023

The Hotel Regina, located in Biarritz, on top of a cliff, is overlooking the Cap St Martin (Atlantic ocean) for almost 120 years.
Built as an hotel in 1906, by architect Henry Martinet has a full "Belle Epoque" architecture. Belle Epoque was our starting point, of course, with this 15 meters high atrium, large windows and sculpted indoor details. But we wanted to add some local inspirations from the same period : the Néo Basque architecture, especially the brothers Gomez work with the villa Malaye and by extension the Villa Leihorra (Joseph Hiriart) and the Villa Arnaga (Albert Tournaire) : All white architecture, half round shapes, sculpted fresco, grooved cornices, 45°angles, tile shaped genoise, half round mirrors, black iron ... and some stoneware Art déco tiles from Winckelmans. 

But also some elements typical from the Atlantic ocean : rope shaped moulding and skirting, striped fabrics, dark and light blue lacquers, ocean liner inspired architecture, pelota pediment shape for the bathroom vanity, fabrics hanging as sails...  and of course some shells ! As wall lights, razor shells sculpted on the reception desk, nautical fauna on carpet, fabrics and bas relief ...

We also wanted to pay a tribute to Japan and its close links with the basque country : with japanese straw, black lacquer, some indigo hanging fabrics and paper lamps. So a mix of inspirations, for a very luminous space punctuated by some dark green, dark red and blues together with stoneware, ceramic and natural tones such as straw and ropes.

The rooms are mainly white, blue and mint green with waved genoise, paneled doors, wardrobe covered in Japanese straw and ropes with huge bedhead lacquered in light blue. The corridors are open to the large atrium and covered with carpet with an aquatic fauna print. The spa is light blue, and warm green, with curved tiles, lime on wall ands straw wallcoverings. The restaurant and Atrium are inspired by some architectural elements from Eilen Gray from the late twenties : curved wood furniture, her barstools, a counter built as her house in Roquebrune Cap Martin, as a huge Ocean Liner.  In the atrium we have created multiple small living rooms, with suspended paper lamps from Ingo Maurer and Anthony Dickens and some sofas inspired by the shape of the ones of Itsasoan bridge in Guétary. 

Client : Experimental Group

Interior Architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Graphic Design : Studio L’Etiquette

Chef : Gregory Marchand (Frenchie)

Photos : Patrick Locqueneux

Passeig de Vara de Rey - Ibiza - Balearic Islands - Spain

april 2023

After renovating the restaurant Sabbaba + rooftop in 2021, we have renovated the rooms of this mythical hotel of Ibiza, the first opened on the island. The neocolonial building from 1933 is made of columns, pediments and arches, painted in pale yellow and white. The color palette we have developed for the interior design uses the pale yellow of the outside, but according to the Ayurvedic principles, we tried cooling, calming colours inside the hotel to counterbalance heat outside. Solar colors in common areas, lunar colors in rooms, favoring the colors of white, blue, grey, light green and pastel hues. We have played with the bohemian side of Ibiza, using a lot of fabrics, patterns, fringes, pompom. We have mixed those with light wood, colorful rugs and very textured walls. We have created especially for the hotel a shell texture on walls, by hand pressing seashells into the lime to shape it, one by one. The hotel is very colorful to reflect the joy and tolerance of Ibiza, and we have also used some cosmic shapes and winks : In every room, there is a huge moon carved in the wall, to create an opening between the room and the bathroom. We have drawn some iron chairs, with a moon pattern. Brass sun on the wall, A lot of wavy lines too, masks handmade by Anna Alexandra in Mallorca, Playdough stool from Diego Faivre. Tiles are also important in this hotel : we have used some traditional Zelliges to cover the niches of the mini bar : orange, brown, off white. The wardrobe's doors close thanks to jigsaw puzzle's shape, with a very glossy lacquer on top. Bathroom vanities are made from Lava in France, with large shaped mirrors in walnut and lacquer, plus of course small pompoms.

Client : Experimental Group

Interior Architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Graphic Design : Studio l’Etiquette

Photos : Karel Balas & Patrick Locqueneux

30/33 Henrietta St - Covent Garden - London

2021

Late 2021, we have extended the Henrietta Hotel with an extra 22 rooms on St Paul’s church in Covent garden. The Townhouse shares the same interior design as Henrietta hotel we have created in 2017, but with a new color palettes, and new details.

Client : Experimental Group

Interior Architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Graphic Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Photos : Mr Tripper

Fondamenta Zattere, Dorsoduro, Venezia, VE 30123

2019

Il Palazzo Experimental takes place in an ancient palazzo : Ca Molin, an ancient house turned then into Adriatica’s headquarters (naval transport company) until they closed. The Palazzo is on Zattere in Dorsoduro and has two access : one from the Giudecca canal at the front and one from a private pier on the Rio del Ognissanti. There will be 33 rooms, one restaurant with a terrasse on the Giudecca, one terrasse in the garden and a Cocktail bar.

We have worked on the interior of the hotel and the restaurant, using very classical venitian elements that we love, but also by using more contemporary elements such as tribute to the Memphis movement, some bright colors, brushed aluminium, scalloped edges, glass lamps from Luciano Vistosi, Breccia Capraia marbles, arches on bathtub  …

 We have saved as many architectural existing elements as we could from the existing palazzo : the beams, the huge ceilling height on the first floor, the gallery, the amazing gothic windows, the double wooden doors…

Elements that are already very strong in term of identity, that we have tried to reinforce with strong venitian inspirations : symmetrical architecture, marbles, many forms of stripes (painted, metal marquetry, fabrics…), "gothique fleuri" inspiration, colors from the laguna and from the venitian facades .. And also by using traditional timeless venitian «savoir faire», such as : black lacquer, traditional cement terrazzo from Venezia, some Marmorino & Calce on walls.

The restaurant is a large space on the ground floor with a counter at the entrance, with wines, Spritz, Cicchetti … an at the back of the room is an open kitchen with a big counter in front of it. The decor is timeless with a huge marble plinth, some « lit bateau » inspired furniture, lots of fabrics, antique inspired elements, stripes, terrazzo scarpa, a pale green ceilling as the laguna, and some shades of white, salmon pink, bordeaux and pale green.

For the cocktail Bar I have asked my friend the architect Cristina Celestino to take care of the interior design in order to create another venitian atmosphere.

 Client : Experimental Group

Interior Architecture + Design of rooms & restaurant : Dorothee Meilichzon

Interior Design of Cocktail Bar : Cristina Celestino

Graphic Design : Cecilia Cappelli

Photography : Karel Balas

Sant Llorenç - Menorca - Balearic Islands - Spain

2019

• 43 rooms, 1 vegetable garden, 9 houses & private swimming pools, 1 indoor restaurant + cocktail bar, 30 hectares, 1 large outdoor swimming pool, 1 cocktail bar by the pool, 1 outdoor restaurant …

Menorca Experimental is a 30ha property near Alaior in Menorca that was thought as being the summer residence of an imaginary artist. As Mirò did with Majorca, Dali with Cadaquès, Picasso on the french riviera, Le Corbusier in Roquebrune St Martin …. So dedicated to drawing, meditating, loosing time, music, swimming, contemplation, sunset watching …  thanks to the amazing landscape. The overall aesthetic of the hotel was made to get inspired. Dorothee Meilichzon & team starting point for the project was to infuse some of the Menorcan savoir faire and materials : stones, concrete built furniture, terra cotta, half circled shapes, architraves, wood shutters, leather, recycled materials from the former farms : wooden beams, roof tiles and marres stones. Together with very unique details and drawings : colored shaped door’s architraves, round shaped concrete beadheads and vanities, colorfull palettes of cement and lacquer, terracotta and glazed handmade tiles. Furniture were built by locals artisans of the island following Dorothee’s drawing.

Dorothee has also paired with talented people to create a unique and crafted experience in Menorca : • KAREL BALAS has created all the graphic elements, a hand drawn alphabet, and a serie of illustrations inspired by some Miro and Picasso’s ink drawings. • LRNCE has created some unique handwoven blanckets, made in Marrakech, especially for the hotel with some illustrations making echos to Karel’s drawing and Dorothee’s colors.• LEA MUNSCH has hand shaped some large light fixtures, made out of a custom-made clay, following Dorothee’s drawing.

Externals are a big part of the project, and we kept local species in order to follow the initial take over of the nature on the property. We have a vegetable garden to supply the fruits and vegetable for the restaurant and cocktail bar.

Client : Experimental Group

Interior Architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Graphic Design : Fovea - Karel Balas

Photography : Karel Balas

17 bvd Poissonnière - Paris II

2018

While the Grands Boulevards were still a verdant promenade and the French Revolution (1789) was in full swing, this hotel particulier was erected. Three centuries later, Hotel des Grands Boulevards is born. Its rooms are play with the "splendor" of the time: a canopy bed,
glass cupboards and red marble close to Louis XVI’s heart - while allying to a more peasant aesthetic : old linens, coated walls, worn wood furniture, bronze sconces with timeworn patina...
 

The hotel, between a courtyard and street, is accessible once you cross the porch of the building. It’s a hidden cove, a little secret. It is home to a large restaurant orchestrated by Giovanni Passerini, and a small cocktail bar dear to the Experimental Group.
Also the building is set back from the street, as was done at the time, which gives us many terraces and courtyards to meet: outdoor bar, yoga classes, vegetation, grills ... indoor and outdoor spaces mix !

Client : Experimental Group

Chef : Giovanni Passerini

Interior architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Illustration + logo : Apolline Risser

Photos : Karel Balas & Paul Bowyer

14/15 Henrietta St - Covent Garden - London

2017

Henrietta Hotel is my first hotel in London, but fourth project in London with the Experimental Group.  18 rooms hotel + restaurant by chef Ollie Dabbous.  My first inspiration for the Hotel was the street itself  ! I always try to start from the neighborhood. On henrietta St, buildings are very traditional : flat but with all kind of roof shapes and windows ornementations, very rich and different from each other. It reminded me of the antique ornementations : arches, capitals, bas-relief... and also all those amazing door frames we can find in apartments in Milan. Following this inspiration I have designed gigantic bed heads, conceived as a bas relief with a mix of elements : mirror, fabric panels with fabrics from Rubelli, hand painted patterns... All assembled by hand. Also all doors have capitals on top, and a glass capital btw bathroom and room. For the rooms carpet I have designed a pattern inspired by the shape of the "mosaïque casson", and all skirting are in white Carrara marble. There are four different harmonies of colors to make the 18 rooms all different ! Bed side lights are in brass and very high, sealed in the bed side table. And as I usually mix elements and styles, I have taken elements from the 70's and designed a little armchair inspired by Pierre Paulin's work and have used some brushed aluminium elements. For the bathroom the basins area have been conceived as a fountain : two large pieces of granit at 90°, with a shape inspired by the shape of one of henrietta street building and where the large mirror sits. Floor is more traditional with black and white octogonal 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

20 rue du Faubourg Montmartre - PARIS IX

2016

The Hotel Panache is inspired by the neighbourhood and the building itself.  And as the building is shaped as the Flat Iron in NYC , I have designed a lot of angles : triangular mirrors on angles, pattern with triangles on carpets, walls & mosaïc, even the cupboard are corners... Nothing is square apart from the bed ! Also "1900" was a big inspiration, so I have designed bas relief and curved bedheads, inspired by the turned wood of the typical art nouveau furniture. the hotel has a restaurant on the lobby, with David Lanher at the helm !

Client : Adrien Gloaguen

Restaurateur : David Lahner

Interior Architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Graphic Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Photos : Romain Ricard

18 rue Bachaumont - Paris II

2015

fter 3 years of work, hotel bachaumont, a **** hotel has finaly opened its doors in 2015. Located in the Montorgueil area, this 1900 building offers 49 rooms all created in a very parisian style : black and white, wood mouldings, cornices, wooden floor ... almost all furnitures are bespoke and designed by Dorothee Meilichzon. A restaurant and a bar are located on the ground floor, they will be run by the Experimental Group together with Gregory Marchand (Frenchie)

Client : Samy Marciano

Restaurateur : Experimental Group

Interior Architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Hotel Graphic Design : Koniak design

Photos : Paul Bowyer

 29 rue Victor Massé - Paris IX

2015

The Grand Pigalle is my first hotel with the Experimental Group. After one year of renovation, the hotel opened in the 9th district, in front of the Villa Frochot. This first «bed & beverage» in Paris counts 37 cosy rooms and a wine bar in the lobby. Rooms are dressed with brass lights, fireplaces, carpets, cement tiles, and textured wallpaper ... the wine bar is inspired by the orient express, we have worked on a masculine atmosphere : wallnut wood, mahogany with brass insert, blackened brass wall lights, grey marble fireplace, lava, octogonal windows .... and handmade mosaics at the entrance of this 25 meters long frontage !

Client : Experimental Group

Chef : Giovanni Passerini

Interior Architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Graphic design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Photos : Kristen Pelou & Paul Bowyer

41 rue des Petites Ecuries - paris X   

2012

Idea was to create a cosy hotel at a low price, with no specific theme but a unique decor. So each room is different, furnitures and carpets are custom made or reissued. I have used a lot of prints : on wallpapers, on fabrics, on the round & soft headboard specially designed, and on the carpets. And as the place is called "Hotel Paradis", I have used lots of birds prints, to remind the "oiseau de paradis" . Hotel is meant to be a peaceful place in a very dense district, a "pause" in a crowded city ! 

* HOTEL PARADIS HAS BEEN SHORTLISTED IN THE BEST URBAN HOTELS BY WALLPAPER* IN 2013

Client : Adrien Gloaguen

Interior Architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Graphic Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Photos : Kristen Pelou & Paul Blind (RDC)