Design insider

REFURBISHMENT
LONDON
Design insider:
11 Cadogan Gardens
WHEN IT COMES TO FIVE-STAR LUXURY, THE BOROUGH OF CHELSEA IN LONDON HAS
GOT BAGS OF IT. SO HOW DOES A HOTEL BEST CAPITALISE ON THIS WEALTH AND
STAND OUT IN SUCH A COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE? MAKE SURE ITS DESIGN IS ONE OF
A KIND, THAT’S HOW. WE TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THE NEWLY-RENOVATED 11 CADOGAN
GARDENS TO DISCOVER HOW THIS LUXURY BOUTIQUE NOW BOASTS A NEW LOOK
THAT IS JUST THE RIGHT BALANCE OF STRIKING AND SENSITIVE.
I
n May, luxury Chelsea gem 11 Cadogan Gardens got its sparkle
back following a year of extensive renovations. The hotel now boasts 56 bedrooms and suites, with each of the 25 suites
having been given a completely new design
to complement number 11’s character, history and locality.
Alongside the new suites, the hotel’s drawing room has been
styled to be a ‘welcoming retreat for guests’, with a mix of warmly-toned fabrics and light floral-patterned walls, while in the Library, a burst of vibrant blues and contemporary furniture play
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BOUTIQUE HOTELIER | June 2016
the supporting role to the ornate antler chandelier
taking centre stage in the middle of the room.
The design gurus tasked with this incredible
transformation was JSJ Design, a company already
known for producing eye-catching interior design
in the hospitality sector and works with a wide variety of clients from the likes of top London boutique
The Arch to the first European hotel for Premier
Inn in Germany.
Soliman Khaddour, general manager of 11 Cadogan Gardens commented: “We are thrilled to
LONDON
relaunch 11 Cadogan Gardens firmly
within the luxury sector following a year
of renovations. We have always had a
fantastic location and now we have 25
bespoke suites and stunning interiors
too. 11 Cadogan Gardens is a unique hotel in the heart of Chelsea where guests
will experience comfort and elegance in
one of London’s finest urban retreats.”
Not content with just hearing about
the finished design, Boutique Hotelier
wanted to dig a little deeper into the
design concept and the ideas behind
the hotel’s striking new look. We spoke
to Jeremy Scarlett, partner at JSJ Design to discover how the company went
about creating such a showstopper.
What was the inspiration behind
the new design?
In 2012 Cadogan Estates acquired 11
Cadogan Gardens. This instantly reconnected the hotel with the history
of the land on which it was built and
re-established the link to the Cadogan
family who originally developed the
area in the late 19th century. When devising the design concept for the hotel
renovation, it seemed only right we acknowledged the hotel’s rich and varied
history and incorporated it within the
interiors.
We were also partly inspired by what
was already there. That may sound
strange but it was very deliberate in
that the hotel has a well-known legacy
in terms of its look and feel. It was also
echoed in the brief; the owners liked the
existing interior but wanted to create an
even more impressive offering for their
well-established clientele.
We sought to retain many of the quirks
and charm that guests expect from the
hotel, while bringing the interiors up
to date with modern touches, improved
practicality and attention to detail.
REFURBISHMENT
DESIGN SECRET
Plans for a spa were initially
considered....
Jeremy says: There were some
initial conceptual spa plans
created but it was unanimously
agreed to invest the budget into
the suites. The suites represent
the real demand from hotel
guests and are at the core of the
11 Cadogan Gardens experience,
so it was right to concentrate
resources on them.
This does of course mean
there are some untapped
areas of the building that may
offer opportunities for further
development. Watch this space!
Where did the ideas come from?
While each suite is very different and
individually designed, there is now a
clear theme throughout the rooms
and public spaces. Cadogan Gardens
was built on the site of an old cricket
ground and was surrounded by countryside before it gradually grew and
developed into a fashionable location
for artists and writers. This link to
the countryside and the creativity of
the early residents is mirrored in the
design.
Greens, golds and botanical prints
run through the interior, taking 11 Cadogan Gardens back to its roots, as well
as reflecting the natural beauty of the
ever present Cadogan Square. Local
residents are very precious about the
Square, they see the gardens as their
June 2016 | BOUTIQUE HOTELIER
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REFURBISHMENT
LONDON
THE MAIN
ISSUE WAS THE
NUMBER OF SMALL
ROOMS WITHIN
THE HOTEL THAT
WEREN’T BEING
BOOKED DUE TO
THEIR SIZE AND
THE OUTSTRIPPED
DEMAND FOR
LARGER SUITES”
own little oasis – much like 11 Cadogan
Garden is to its guests.
How did the process work?
Once awarded the contract, we used the
initial presentation as springboard for
the design and brought it to life with the
support of key partners; general manager Soliman Khaddour in particular.
He’s been the driving force behind the
hotel’s transformation and we’ve always
admired his team and commitment to
delivering the highest possible service to
the hotel's guests. We needed to ensure
the design catered for his operational requirements and felt it important for him
to also be involved in the design process.
We produced sketch plans and concept schemes in a loose format before
presenting them to Cadogan Estates,
Luxury Hotel Partners and Soliman for
discussion. From there we developed
the ideas and recreated the final designs
as CGI’s (computed generated images).
This also meant the hotel could give
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BOUTIQUE HOTELIER | June 2016
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Lighting:
Astro Lighting; Bella Figura;
Vaughan Design; Preciosa Lighting,
Chelsom Lighting; Heathfield
Lighting; Artemis Home
D’souza; Lelievre; Sahco;
Nobilis; Mulberry Home; Zimmer &
Rohde; Fine textile; Elitis; Creation
Bauman; Jab Contract; Sunbury
Design; Osborne & Little; Skopos;
Alma Leather; Whistle leather
Furniture:
All the furniture in the main suites
is bespoke, specially designed and
detailed by JSJ and manufactured
by O’Donnell Furniture in Northern
Ireland.
Most of the public area furniture
was specifically made by Wychwood
Design and Nova Interior
Other furniture suppliers: La
Fibule; Julian Chichester; Bernhard;
Robert Langford; Kesterport; Ecco
Trading; Morgan Contract Furniture;
The contract Chair Company;
Murfin Limited.
Carpets:
Furnishing:
Other suppliers:
Designer Guild; Pierre Frey; Jason
Samsung and Nespresso
guests a glimpse of what to expect after
completion of the extensive refurbishment works and gain valuable feedback.
At an early stage, Cadogan Estates
(the hotel’s owners) communicated
they were comfortable with our overall
design direction and interpretation of
the new interiors – it was great to have
Designed especially by JSJ and
produced by Newhey Carpets and
Axminster Carpets.
Wallpaper:
Vescom; Villa Nova, Brian Yates,
Tektura
Bathrooms:
Chiltern Marble; Contractor is
Edmont Ltd; Sanitary ware supplier:
Kaldewei
their full confidence and trust so early
on in the project.
Once the final specifications were in
place, of which there were several hundred, Parker Company (purchasing
agents) were brought on board to place
orders and negotiate with suppliers, with
the key aim of ensuring the project was
carried out to spec and within budget.
What were the main challenges
and how did you overcome
them?
From the hotel’s perspective, the main issue was the number of small rooms within the hotel that weren’t being booked
due to their size and the outstripped demand for larger suites from guests.
We decided to take out a few of the
smaller unused rooms and combine
them to make larger rooms and suites.
Knocking two rooms into one sounds
simple but as with any old building,
when you start investigating structural
elements you inevitably uncover hidden
challenges along the way.
The daily challenge was of course to
carry out the work without causing too
much disruption to guests while the hotel remained open.