The Best Design Hotel in London
When it opened its doors in 2017, The Ned quickly became known as the place to eat, relax, and feel inspired whether you’re a tourist or someone who works nearby in the Financial District. This iconic design hotel has three bars, seven restaurants, and 252 guest rooms for visitors to enjoy, in addition to a host of luxury amenities including a massage parlor and much more. GRECODECO’s founder, Adam Greco, worked with a team of other in-house designers for five years to accomplish this feat of a design project.
In today’s blog, we’re going to discuss Greco and his colleagues’ research-heavy design approach and some of the
A Peek Inside the Design Process
The design assignment was to create a 1930s-inspired hotel that felt opulent yet slightly faded at the edges, as if the hotel had been in business since the 1939 building’s inception. To kickstart the design process, the team performed extensive research which included looking at photos of the building throughout its history, studying other iconic historic sites from the same time period (such as ornate ocean liners!), and taking inspiration from the building’s surrounding Financial District.
Design Details You Won’t Find Anywhere Else
Speaking of the Financial District, let’s talk about some of the design details that pay homage to this iconic neighborhood. Many details from the original Midland Bank building have been restored to working order and their former beauty, including original 92 Corinthian columns covered in green verdite, checkerboard floors, and ornate clocks.
In the basement of the building is the Vault Bar: a space that used to serve as the main vault for the bank. Guests enter the bar through a huge ornate vault door with a massive hinge. On the walls inside the first two rooms, there are still hundreds of safety deposit boxes which have little silver trays guests can pull out and set their cocktails on.
We also can’t help but mention another design detail, which pays homage to not just the Financial District but the country as a whole. In the Tapestry Room is an incredible fully restored pastoral tapestry that wraps around the entire room. This expansive 1920s tapestry–which is the biggest to ever be woven in England–depicts the coats of arms of all the counties in Britain.
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Loved reading about this iconic design hotel? Check out our other blog, “Inside the Design of The Ned in London,” to learn more about The Ned’s history and its vintage design styling.
Learn More About GRECODECO
Founded by Adam Greco in 2017, GRECODECO is a Manhattan-based firm that designs thoughtfully layered commercial and residential spaces worldwide. Our passionate team of designers specializes in research-heavy historic projects that capture and celebrate the essence of various iconic time periods, guiding guests through an elegant and emotional journey of the senses.
Interested in learning more about how GRECODECO can create an unforgettable guest experience through our bespoke hotel interior design? Please don’t hesitate to inquire with us.