Cited by prominent restaurant critic, Giles Coren, as the “true glory of this place” and inspired by the hues and grain of limed oak, a striking bespoke woven axminster carpet from Wilton Carpets Commercial adorns the floor of The French at The Midland Hotel, Manchester.
The French is the city’s new flagship restaurant under Michelin-starred chef, Simon Rogan. The venue’s Grade II Listed Rococo-style appearance had to radically change to complement its new modern English dining experience. QHotels turned to Wilton Carpets to provide the luxurious experience of fine woven bespoke carpet.
“The historic interior had to transform to match the style of Simon’s cuisine, in addition to providing expected levels of comfort and luxurious finishes,” explains Trudi Purtill, director of group development at QHotels.
“With the high ceiling and ovoid-shaped room, acoustics were a concern. Hard flooring was not an option and so the luxury, comfort and acoustic absorption of woven carpet was an ideal solution. The brief was given to Wilton’s design manager, Julie Robertson, for a carpet that pays homage to a limed oak floor, as we felt this would be the perfect compromise.”
Turning to the neutrals and contemporary slate hues within the elegant Optimum Palette, Julie created three initial concepts as sophisticated interpretations of parquet, plank and overall limed oak effects. Liaising with Trudi, the chosen plank style design was refined with additional grain and knot characteristics, giving an understated quality and contemporary feel to the design that plays with the new modern decor.
Trudi adds: “It took just one hand trial before the design was perfected, and having worked with Wilton Carpets Commercial many times in the past, this is not an uncommon experience. The end result has met with much critical acclaim and provided a vital component in achieving a seemingly impossible transformation.”
The 125m² of bespoke carpet was woven in a durable and appearance-retaining combination of 80% wool 20% nylon at Wilton’s Wiltshire facility, in a quality nine-row construction that offers high levels of underfoot comfort and longevity. Installed by Pocklington Carpets, the carpet has been in daily use since March of this year.
