Linley's Claridge made in heaven... 

 

Guests at Claridge’s in Mayfair have been welcomed this summer by a series of unique interiors throughout the hotel. British furniture and interior design company, Linley, has created 11 suites, both traditional and art deco in style, reflecting Claridge’s heritage. Bespoke carpet designs in the hallways and corridors complete the makeover.

Owned by the Maybourne Hotel Group, Claridge’s “design hand-writing” aesthetic characterises the hotel. The 19th century venue has seen a number of revamps over
the years including Thierry Despont’s restoration of the ground floor in 1998, creating Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s and innovations such as the intimately chic Fumoir bar. Claridge’s new design era sees the aesthetic fusion of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries through three design schemes. “Art deco”, “traditional” and “hybrid” designs (pictured above) give suites a contemporary flourish while, importantly, retaining the individuality of each suite.

"Claridge’s is graced by an international and discerning clientele who appreciate its heritage and beauty and who expect the standards of the future to be even more enhanced," says CEO Stephen Alden. "They will not be disappointed."

Art Deco Suite 

  Claridge’s 1920’s Art Deco
  features, such as silver fireplaces
  and clocks, have been restored and
  complemented by specially
  designed pieces.

   Linley’s has created mini-bars that
   match this suite’s luxurious and
   opulent surroundings with a rich
   Macassar ebony construction
   surmounted with textured glass
   and lit from underneath. A
   Macassar ebony TV cabinet takes
   its design cue from 1929
   Claridge’s and houses the
   distinctly 2007 technology of LCD
                                                                             

screen, DVD and CD units. The Art Deco bedrooms retain their original headboards and dressing tables. Claridge’s exclusively designed “Tub” chairs complement the Deco-inspired mirrors and prints while distinct colour-ways of duck egg blue and cream, and lilac and silver adorn the rooms. Dressing Rooms resemble chambers of mirrors with etched gloss silver and mirrored dressing tables.

Traditional Linley Suite 

The Linley-Claridge’s design mantra of “obviously of today and as obviously English” sees its embodiment in the   traditional suites.

The effects of seasonal changes and different times of the day were addressed by the design team with a choice of saffron yellow, used to inject light and warmth. The suite is furnished with Linley sofas and armchairs which feature rich, classical prints.

As befits the traditional suites, antique pieces were sourced to complement the new furniture designs - mahogany antique side tables mingle with a newly designed low table in walnut with a burr ash inlay and rosewood stringing co-ordinates. The mini-bar has been reinterpreted in walnut with a bronzed mirrored top also lit from underneath. The classically inspired Linley desk has built in sockets to allow instant and convenient access  to the internet.


The bedrooms preserve Claridge’s traditional luxury with Linley-designed head boards and bedside tables in walnut and burr ash and sourced and reupholstered antique chairs and stools.

Walk-in wardrobes have also been entirely refitted to provide that pre-Oscar moment on a daily basis.

Linley Hybrid Suite

The Hybrid suites aim to bridge the two dominant design periods of Claridge’s, namely, the original CW Stephens 19th century design and the Oswald Milne and Basil Ionides Art Deco of the 1930’s. The fusion of the original with Linley’s vision of the contemporary sees dramatic monochromatic backdrops with the drawing room area almost entirely in black and white. The mirrors and reflective surfaces amplify the space adding what Claridge’s aptly calls Broadway “Ziegfield” glamour. RedKarpet throws in a touch of Space Odyssey 2001 for good measure!

RK