For the new interiors concept for Knightsbridge bar and club Vendôme, designers Blacksheep referenced the area's high-end fashion stores, creating a colourful, glamorous and high-end destination environment - and the perfect location for posing in a newly-purchased outfit!
Taking their inspiration in particular from monogrammed luggage and quirky and individual handbags, Blacksheep have designed a very individualistic space that is high on luxury detail, unusual colours and sumptuous fabrics and which communicates a precious and female-friendly aura. Blacksheep also created the new identity for Vendôme (together with Studio Output), as well as brand applications including menus and matches.
The previous occupant of the 1,900 sq ft space, a club called Bardo, had lost its lustre and was starting to look tired and lacking in buzz and atmosphere. It also suffered from a number of design problems, including poor lighting, uncomfortable seating and furniture that was disproportionately large for the space.
The new branding and interiors project began with a space rationalisation plan, the key to which was the installation of both a brand new bar and a new DJ booth, allowing for fully flexible functioning for the space as a bar and also as a nightclub. The area in front of the DJ booth can be cleared for dancing or can also be filled with freestanding furniture in quieter times. The kitchen area was also improved to incorporate decent storage area, which means the sushi finger food offer can now be prepared on site. New cloakrooms and waitress service areas were included and the female toilets were improved.
Bar- and clubgoers arrive at Vendôme's Walton Street entrance, where the front façade is painted in an elegant gun metal grey, with the new external branding in stainless steel lettering. The aluminium door is also painted in gun metal grey and the metallic feel continues into the entrance area, which is surrounded in stainless steel mosaic tiles. Once inside, attention is immediately drawn to a new focal point at the back of the space - a host's table on a club night or a party or group table - where a single table with curved seating in a single continuous banquette is backed by an uplit curved polished brass strip wall treatment with green wallpaper inset between the strips.
Blacksheep, who always create bespoke furniture for projects where possible, created bespoke booth areas for the new bar/club based on the idea of an open trunk case - underlit, with ostrich leather backing plus inset oval mirrors and LED lighting on the trunk "cover", referencing the inside of a vanity case. Each trunk seating area can seat up to six people at one go (and also cleverly conceals the air conditioning units). There are four trunk seats in total, each created as a single freestanding unit, with each one delineated by high seat backs with leather head 'rolls' in textured ivory, as well as an overhead suitcase 'hood' in gold reflective material.
Further seating includes two central banquettes in an ivory fabric and two types of stools - backless stools in red faux leather with a battered, vintage feel and backed stools in black with a discreet red and gold pattern.
The 6m-long bespoke-designed bar is made up of a bar top in polished white stone, with a striking bespoke-designed graphic crafted panel front, inspired by a vintage handbag, which was then clad in glass. Behind the bar is a mirrored and shelved back wall. The DJ booth has the same treatment as the bar to extend the look of the bar further into the club.
Two striking wallpapers are used to add further areas of feature interest. First of all a deep red mock-croc wall covering is used for the toilet approach corridor and secondly a bird of paradise-patterned wallpaper called "Grove Garden" by Osborne & Little is used both for the angled wall behind the DJ booth and the four feature columns located down the centre of the space.
Flooring in the entrance area is in a metal mosaic, with the rest of the flooring in a fumed (thermo-treated) oak, which is specially darkened in a kiln.
Lighting design throughout is by Blacksheep and includes 9 crystal wall-lights (by Cameron Peters), as well as uplighting to the rear of the curved banquette seating area, which reflects up onto the bronze curved wall. Lighting below the lip of the bar front downlights onto the feature graphic panel.
Colour-changing LEDs shine down onto the wall-side banquettes, controllable from the back of house in a mood-changing spectrum of ambers and golds. Amber lighting is also inset beneath the seating to give the impression of floating.
Above the dance area is a series of edge-lit panels in wrapped aluminium (sprayed in metallic gold), suspended from the ceiling as a feature light display, with colour-changing LEDs around the edge.
"The concept behind this project was to try and make reference to the high end surroundings and clientele of Vendôme's location" commented Vicki Wilson, Lead Designer on the project. "By tapping into recognized luxury items such as designer bags and luggage as our inspiration, we wanted to create an interior that suggested the quality, glamour and excitement you may feel when visiting the next-door shops.
The selected finishes and patterns took inspiration from materials used in vintage handbags and luggage cases. The intricate crystal beading on a purse, for example, is reflected in the Swarovski crystal wall lights whilst leather handle details have been added to the polished brass booth hoods to suggest traditional luggage cases. By mixing a combination of eye catching patterns (in the wallpapered columns and patterned bar front) with more reserved neutral finishes (ivory fabric seating and timber clad booths) we hope to have achieved a dynamic yet enjoyable space with a few really quirky details."