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More private members’ clubs have opened in the last four years than in the three decades since the 1985 opening of Soho’s Groucho Club, according to research by Knight Frank. The new generation of clubs are less stuffy and more stylish, yet maintain that essence of comfort and warmth, with a crackling fire and a tinkle of ice in a glass to welcome you in from the cold streets of London.
In South Kensington’s The Other House, CEO and founder Naomi Heaton created a place full of British maximalism. Blending apartment-style living with hotel services, members and guests truly feel at home. Featuring handmade game sets, tactile velvets, the club is due to open its second outpost in Covent Garden next year.
The Other House blends home comforts with hotel services to create a warm and welcoming feel
The tactility of material is what guides the quintessentially British studio Timothy Oulton’s timeless furniture and lighting design. Examples include its Westminster button and Faroe sofas, and Selenite pendant lights. In Camden’s historic House of KOKO, known for legendary concerts and impromptu performances, the club’s designers Pirajean Lees drew inspiration from the venue’s music heritage, with details such as the vinyl-listening rooms. If you’re the type to have a sing-song with guests, a Steinway & Sons piano is the ultimate centrepiece, so check out the store on Marylebone Lane.
Balancing elegance and functionality, a games room can be sophisticated, notes Philippa Thorp, founder and director of Thorp. Materials such as polished wood can illuminate the mood, with personal touches from a vintage pool table or poster art of a favourite band or film. Alexandra Llewellyn designs beautiful bespoke game sets and tables that serve as future heirlooms.
Adding furniture such as a pool table adds fun and a touch of personality to any space
Club interiors wow with talking-point statements, from vibrant wallcoverings, to eye-catching flooring. Wendy Morrison’s latest collection of handmade rugs was inspired by Indian Mughal miniature artworks. Full of colour, nature’s the unifying theme, with fertile greenery and flowers. Laura Hammett, creative director of the eponymous design firm agrees that large-scale artwork creates a focal point, with sculptural pieces commanding attention in some of London’s finest clubs.
The large statement artwork creates a striking focal point
Credit: Christopher Horwood
Adding artwork to interior design makes a statement and adds character to the space
Credit: Paul Massey
The key to cementing club visuals? Lighting. Excited about sheer metallic fabrics from Dedar, Eleanora Cunietti, co-founder of Carden Cunietti interiors says, “They’re sheer in the day, allowing the light through the window but at night, metallic sheers give off a glamorous vibe”. Carden Cunietti also suggests practical cordless rechargeable lamps. At Oxford Lighting Company, founder Dominic Mills recommends soft, warm lighting. For best results, combine this with jewel-tone paints from Fenwick & Tilbrook and Graham & Brown.
Combining jewel-tone colours with warm lighting creates an ambience that exudes luxury and sophistication
Urban Apothecary London’s founder Tajinder Banwait advises using a fragrance like a peony reed diffuser or an oudh candle for woody aromas to create an ambience. Meanwhile Christina Bull, Sims Hilditch’s studio lead, loves notes of amber and fig for this time of year. Look to Diptyque and the Baobab Collection for these scents. Or use seasonal florals guests can take home, like Atelier Emmanuel’s.
The stylishly executed home bar has made a spectacular comeback. Working closely stairs, banquette seating. Using bespoke espresso-toned timber joinery, the bar came to life with brass on the cabinet doors and bar stools. Studio Squire, which collaborated with Chelsea Barracks, sourced an 18th-century French demi-lune from Brownrigg Interior as a classic cocktail table, together with antiques from Howe London, and upholstery from Soane.
A home bar adds style, convenience and a personal touch, perfect for entertaining and relaxing
Credit: Christopher Horwood
Finally, take club inspiration for your dining area. At The Oriental Club, which commissioned Russell Sage Studio to remodel its dining room for its bicentenary, Matthew Rivett, the club’s secretary, gave a brief to blend tradition with modern elegance. Crucial was the wallpaper design, based on 18th century chinoiserie, styled on T&W Daniell’s Oriental Scenery prints. BANCCI, who recently furnished the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, is known for creating immersive spaces with signature curved designs such as the cygnus dining table.
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