Fameed Khalique is the founding curator of an edited collection of the global design industry’s most pioneering surface materials. Formerly sales and marketing director of Alma Leather, Fameed has spent the past five years creating a library of materials that incorporates both traditional and cutting-edge technical processes.
His collections have become a valuable and highly respected resource for interior designers and architects, and feature across the globe within luxury hotels, bars and restaurants. We explore just some of these high profile projects…
The Hoxton Hotel, Shoreditch London
The brief: to source and supply cost-effective leathers to create oversized herringbone padded leather headboards and chairs for the guest rooms, enhancing the high ceilings and highlighting the contemporary and minimalistic design aesthetic of the hotel.
The solution: Fameed Khalique sourced eye-catching petrol blue leather that met the budget constraints to create the headboards, in addition to high-quality chestnut brown leather to enhance the simple chair design with a luxurious finish, in keeping with the edgy urban design of the hotel.
The Ace Hotel, Shoreditch London
The brief: to source a vegetable tanned nude leather to be used throughout the hotel and restaurant to enhance the modern minimalist design scheme masterminded by Universal Design Studio. The public spaces were envisioned as an interactive hub for hotel guests as well as a destination for creatives in the local area.
The solution:”Fameed Khalique worked closely to provide specialist leather in an array of colours and finishes for the public spaces at the Ace London. The leather banquettes in Hoi Polloi stand out against the natural stone surfaces and Iroko timber wall panels, creating an edgy aesthetic in a contemporary British take on the traditional brasserie. Additionally, leather was sourced for a number of different items of furniture including tables and chairs in meeting rooms, sofas in public spaces, and bar stools to create practical design highlights to meet the brief.
Fameed worked directly with contacts at the world’s best tanneries to develop the exact coloration and finish to create the raw, ‘undone’ look demanded by the brief. The hands-on, collaborative approach adopted by Fameed Khalique and team alleviated the pressure on the design team resulting in a seamless sourcing process and a successful result.
The Waldorf Astoria, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
The brief:”to create the feature lighting installations in the hotel’s Mirage bar, and provide unique wallcoverings in the hotel’s restaurant – the Lexington Grill – to create a bold statement in luxury design.
The solution:”Fameed Khalique worked with Hirsch Bedner Associates to source the copper mesh panels installed in the Lexington Grill, and sourced a custom glass ball chandelier along with the mirrored glass ball walls in the Mirage Bar to provide the appearance of effervescent champagne bubbles – together achieving the element of glamour requested in the brief.
