DESIGN TRICKS TO STEAL

Designer Dorothée Meilichzon reveals the Henrietta Hotel’s secrets

1 MATERIAL DETAILS

Each room has white Carrara marble skirting and a brass trim borders the carpet, which features a terrazzo-inspired pattern. I’ve enjoyed experimenting with materials and shapes.

2 SEATING PLAN

The angled tables in the restaurant lend a sense of intimacy to the space – at these tables, people are seated next to each other for a different dining experience.

3 AHEAD OF THE CURVE

There is a crescent-shaped window above the bathroom door in each room, helping to keep the space light. The shape is echoed on the headboards above the beds.

4 RAISE IT UP

I have suspended the furniture in the rooms from the walls – including desks and cupboards – which helps to clear the floor, creating a spacious ambience.

5 HIGH ART

Four painters worked for three weeks on the hand-painted ceiling in the hotel’s public space. I wanted to surprise people when they looked up, but also to create a link with Covent Garden and themes of nature. We drew friezes with leaves and classical ornamentations. In the centre of the ceiling, there is a faded pale sky and, in another area, a giant tiger presented as a reversed carpet.

6 MIRROR IMAGE

The TV in each room is concealed behind a mirror. We had to incorporate televisions, but they are definitely not my favourite thing; hiding them helps to maintain the clean lines of the interiors.