Interiors inspiration: Design Week’s pick of spaces using natural materials

From reclaimed wood, to stone and copper some of this month’s projects use naturally occurring materials to blur the lines between indoor and outdoor.

1 Hotel Toronto, by Rockwell Group

Photo credit: Brandon Barre

Touting itself has Canada’s first “mission-driven hotel”, celebrating the beauty of the city’s natural environment, 1 Hotel Toronto aims to “turn urbanism inside out”. The idea for the design, according to Rockwell Group, centres around creating a portal to the natural world, instead of a flight from it.

Lake Ontario has informed the material palette – reclaimed timber, native plants, board-formed concrete and local marble all feature throughout the space. In the lobby, reclaimed elm wood flooring and shelving sit alongside a stone feature wall. A living green wall provides a sustainable focal point.

Throughout the hotel there are four bars and restaurant areas, each offering a different experience. 1 Kitchen fuses modernity with vintage, according to the studio, with a conservatory-like space and vaulted ceiling. Plants feature heavily in the interiors, and inspire the surrounding colour palette of neutrals and greens.

Meanwhile Harriet’s is a rooftop bar which uses Toronto’s flora and fauna as the basis for the design. A woven rope ceiling is interspersed between wooden beams, and reclaimed elm wood floor and leather and lambskin accents also feature.

Photo credit: Brandon Barre

The8, by Roar

Photo credit: Oculis Project

Interior designer Pallavi Dean was inspired by the lunar calendar while designing the interiors for Dubai-based The8 Hotel, with her consultancy Roar. “The original idea was sparked by a late-night visit to the site, when it was only a bare patch of land,” she says.

The theme is used in “subtle and abstract” ways throughout the space. For example, the colour palette used in the hotel’s public areas are influenced by the distinct hues created by the moonlight “brushing the sea”, she says. It combines neutrals with shades of blue and green.

Decorative elements are used to create personality. At reception, a large-scale art piece presents an abstracted graphic interpretation of the lunar calendar. In the wider lobby and elsewhere, art pieces are strategically placed to evoke water reflections.

Beyond the lunar calendar, versatility drives the design. A selection of “day to night” amenities have been developed for the space, including an alfresco restaurant, cabanas and entertainment areas.

Photo credit: Oculis Project

The Gantry, by Ica and The One Off

Photo credit: The Gantry

The 291-room east London hotel The Gantry bills itself as being “contemporarily and collaboratively designed”. The interiors have been developed by specialist hotel design practice Ica, while branding and interiors are by The One Off.

The hotel’s location – minutes from the Olympic Park in Stratford – has informed much of the design. Ica explains it wants to ensure the panoramic views of the city draw the main focus, with “warm and intimate” finishes added by way of furniture, art, textures and colours.

The One Off has developed many of the hotel’s public spaces. An industrial theme runs throughout, and textures of brass and concrete are used to contrast with softer furnishings. Jewel-coloured furnishings in the lobby and restaurants aim to soften the harder materials.

Local and emerging artists have been engaged by The One Off to develop art pieces for the hotel. Stephanie Tudor, a materials artist, has created a bespoke installation made from copper shingles, which sits at the centre of the restaurant.

Photo credit: The Gantry

Tree Bar, by Icrave

Photo credit: Icrave

Acclaimed restaurant SushiSamba has opened its first outpost in the US, and interiors consultancy Icrave has developed the nature-inspired space. Tree Bar and Lounge is located at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.

Featuring a 125-foot curved “theatre-style” bar and a leafy canopy, the studio says its inspiration is a mix of Brazilian and Japanese cultures. Bright street art is juxtaposed with traditional Japanese illustration, with both printed on the swirling ribbon-like structures which surround the dining area.

A mix of deep reds and oranges make up the colour palette, and at the centre of the space sits a large tree installation, complete with a living, leafy ceiling canopy.

Complimenting the dramatic elements are more subtle features: warm lighting, leather furniture, and textures like tropical wood and stone. The studio says its ultimate aim was to ensure the bar resembled “the sidewalks of Copacabana” – an aesthetic that has been used by the brand since its inception.

Photo credit: Icrave

Beverly, by Fettle

Photo credit: The Hoxton

Timber sits centre stage at The Hoxton’s Beverly restaurant, with a rich wood cladding encircling the dining area. Design studio Fettle has offset the feature wall with a parquet floor and an eclectic selection of artwork throughout – including a collection of quirky wall-mounted ceramic plates.

Natural colours and textures have been chosen to compliment the wood: round marble tables and bespoke leather chairs sit alongside smooth green leather banquettes around the perimeter of the space.

The green banquette aims to create an “intimate environment”, according to the studio. A contrasting patterned fabric banquette runs the length of the bar, intending to create a point of contrast between the bar and dining areas.

While the colours and textures are relatively dark, they are balanced by a large central skylight, which allows natural light to flood the room. In keeping with the natural influences, it is surrounded with lush planting. At night, the Beverly is lit by two custom brass chandeliers with frosted glass globes.

Photo credit: The Hoxton

Has your studio worked on an inspirational interiors project recently? Get in touch with molly.long@xeim.com

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