Michaelis Boyd has completed the interior design of Hotel Indigo, a new nine-story, 95-room, boutique hotel overlooking London's iconic Leicester Square. The hotel sits in the heart of London's lively and exciting West End, a world-famous area with a plentiful history that regularly sees theatre and movie premieres.
The hotel's distinctive design captures this glamour of London's theatrical scene and the energy of the 1930s, when a hotel known as 1 Leicester Square opened on the site. The space has been completely reimagined to tell 'the neighborhood story,' reflecting the building's heritage whilst paying homage to the area's cinematic and theatrical legacy. Michaelis Boyd designed the playful yet elegant guestrooms and the rooftop bar and restaurant, which enjoys a dazzling panoramic view of London.
Entrance
Michaelis Boyd has designed a dark and moody art-deco inspired entrance to provide guests with a dramatic transition from the bright bustling surroundings of Leicester Square into a quiet and more intimate space reflective of a bygone era. A bespoke external canopy ushers visitors through ornate glass doors into a glowing art deco-inspired lobby with a striking monochrome tiled-floor and rich blue velvet and gold banquettes, mixed with reclaimed vintage cinema seats that hint at theatre sets. This atmospheric arrival sets the tone for the entire hotel experience and creates a sense of anticipation for what lies beyond.
Theatrical lighting is prominent throughout the hotel space, from the golden shell-shaped sconces lining the entrance of the lobby to the corridor lightboxes with theatre messages, through to the spotlights, mechanical rope headboards and dressing-room mirrors found in the guestrooms. The lighting design intends to give a sense of rhythm to the guest's journey and connect the spaces within the hotel.
Guestrooms
Michaelis Boyd has designed three types of guestroom for the hotel. Each room type reflects the different stages and points of view of the theatre experience:
Scriptwriter Rooms channel a playwright's study - an inspiring and poetic space. Robust materials create a personal and intimate atmosphere with drafts of scripts framed as artwork.
Backstage Rooms reference stars' dressing rooms in their design and are complete with the technical fittings of a stage: spotlights, ropes and illuminated, flamboyant dressing room mirrors.
Auditorium Rooms capture the exclusive experience of a private theatre box. At the bottom of the bespoke banquette in each room, gold plate numbers reference auditorium seating and luxe polished plaster is reminiscent of the historic patina of a theatre.
En-suite bathrooms in the hotel feature crittall reeded screens, a bespoke vanity unit and matt black brassware.
Rooftop bar
The dynamic new cocktail and dining concept will open later this year and sits on the 9th floor of the hotel and offer day to night experiences with dramatic panoramic views across London. The space has a dark blue color scheme with deep red accents with the addition of brass and American Walnut detailing. Large stained-glass screens separate the bar and restaurant, producing colorful shadows within the space. Inspired by 1920s Shanghai, Michaelis Boyd has used a variety of seating styles throughout the space to create a playful environment.
Photography: Ed Reeve