Situated on Golborne Road in North Kensington, this hotly-anticipated grill house and cocktail lounge embodies a ‘home from home’ ideology – artfully executed by proprietor, Robert Newmark and antiques and interiors specialist, Gillian Anderson Price.
West Thirty Six closely resembles a neighbourhood home, changing from day to night to create a place to work, hold meetings, and later to socialise, drink and dance.
“I very much worked to Robert’s brief of a ‘members’ club feel’,” explains Gillian Anderson Price. “I treated the building as though it was a town house that had been inhabited by various members of the same family over the past 100 ish years, all of whom added and subtracted the interiors, the books, pictures etc.”
The venue features several striking rooms and terraces, complete with a range of lounge areas and two outdoor spaces, with an open grill and bar over four floors. The upstairs terrace is open for all day dining, while ‘The Tool Shed’ – featuring a wooden bar and country-inspired decor – provides an ideal ambiance for social events.
Each room is awash with comfortable furniture and an eclectic mix of vintage and modern accessories which – except from the handmade horn handles from the USA in the trophy room – have been sourced by Robert and Gillian.
“Everything was 100% handpicked – Robert and I worked very well together and shared one vision,” affirms Gillian. “Each room is unique and has its own name; the Monkey room, the Trophy room, Yellow room etc.
“The entire project evolved naturally, even the tool shed you’ll noticed feels ‘lived in’. Part of the reason the building has such a great cosy feel is because we used a lot of original vintage pieces. You just can’t get a truly evolved and not contrived feel by using new stuff that has been made to look old.”
Most interestingly, the building is peppered with an array of artwork and photography, including original works and limited editions by some of the world’s most important and influential artists, including Damian Hirst, Banksy, Gilbert Prousch and George Passmore, and Pure Evil.
