In our series of restaurants with stunning interiors for design lovers, Effect Magazine searches the world for beautiful eateries which have elevated the senses through exceptional attention to interior design. This week, we visit The Coral Room at The Bloomsbury in Soho, London
The renowned English architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens, loved working with bold colours and statement designs. It’s good fortune then that Martin Brudnizki does, too. He’s the man enlisted to redesign The Coral Room, an all-day bar and restaurant at the prestigious The Bloomsbury Hotel in Soho, central London.
Nestled within a 2,100-square-foot double-space height at the front of the 1928 Lutyens Grade II listed building, The Coral Room is the perfect combination of exquisite furniture, muted tones and geometric motifs, with Brudnizki careful to ensure the space was sensitively reimagined with the original Lutyens design and the building’s listed status in mind. As such, he retained the original panelled walls and gave a high-gloss lacquer finish in vivid coral – a colour that Lutyens was said to be fond of.
Defining contemporary flare, five bespoke Murano glass chandeliers were created especially for the restaurant, while British illustrator Luke Edward Hall was commissioned by Bernie Gallagher, chairman of The Doyle Collection group which The Bloomsbury sits within, to create 36 original pieces of art inspired by the surrounding area and the architecture of Lutyens. “Our focus on artwork highlighted both the location and the Bloomsbury Group’s evocative narrative, and Hall’s coloured sketches complimented the intense high-gloss lacquered walls to perfection,” Brudnizk tells Effect Magazine.
A Calacatta marble-topped bar with a high-gloss moulded timber front takes pride of place in the space, while the back bar comes complete with an antique mirror and brass detailing to reflect the iconic heritage of the hotel and building.
Class, grandeur and splash of pzazz, the eclectic interiors come complimented by a drinks menu of English sparkling wines and specialty cocktails served alongside classic small plates and light bites, making it the place to see and be seen in the British capital. Or, as Brudnizki tells us: “It is a haven in the centre of London, where a carefree spirit emanates, relaxation is a prerequisite, and creative contemplation is encouraged.”
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