Situated in a prime location in the city’s West End, the five-star Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill hotel features luxurious and timeless interior design throughout. The recently-opened Churchill Bar & Terrace is no exception. Featuring a range of intricate decorative elements, the space harks back to the 1930’s art deco era.
The interiors of the Churchill Bar & Terrace were designed by high-end London-based interior design and property development firm, Bespoke by Brigitta Spinocchia. Georgina Wood, the company’s design director, explains the inspiration behind the design: “The concept for the bar interior was inspired by the art deco movement of the 1930s which had an influential and eclectic design style that combines traditional craft motifs with machine-aged materials.
“A young Churchill was in power during the art deco movement when invention and design, along with social and technological progress, had a notable effect on people’s lives. A collective of great design icons such as Jean Despres and Dupre Lafon inspired the creative process of the interior. For instance, Bespoke drew on inspiration for the design of the almond gold bar and wall lamps from Jean Despres, a designer renowned for his jewellery design in the modern aesthetic of the machine age.”
The design of the bar shows great attention to detail, as revealed in the quality of materials used. Georgina explains: “Materials such as ceramic, stainless steel, gold and stone were prevalent during this era, and these are used throughout the bar. The finishes selected were characterised by rich colours, bold geometric shapes and lavish ornamentation. Every detail throughout the bar is bespoke and has been considered and designed with precision, prototyped and manufactured to the highest quality.”
The elegant space features a range of subtle references to a young Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine, including art, travel, animals, champagne, cigars and whisky. High-backed armchairs around an open fireplace and a curated library by Daunts Books echoing the former Prime Minister’s many interests complete the look.
The stand-out feature is a specially-commissioned life-size bronze statue of Winston Churchill by sculptor Lawrence Holofcener – entitled In Conversation – which takes centre stage on the private terrace.
The bar itself is equally eye-catching. A leather altarpiece embossed with The Churchill Bar’s signature sunburst motif provides a focal point in the room. The sunburst is also inlayed in the African wenge wood flooring and the mirrored table tops. A white lavastone bar top resonates with the contemporary dove grey, strong teal and vibrant yellow colour palette. The specially-commissioned crystal chandelier by Theo Venderzalm adds a striking centrepiece.
“The entire process was fun and inspiring,” Georgina says. “Bringing to life a young Churchill without resorting to the use of cliches was exciting and invigorating. The passion and enthusiasm from the owners and directors of the hotel – who we worked very closely with – made the journey even more inspiring and interactive. This intricate research into his life resulted in a delicate reference to the young Churchill and added a subtle layer to the interior design.”
