Be an Artistic Londoner

Mayfair, the heart of London, is centered on Grosvenor Square and is home to the most expensive real estates in London. Within a few steps, you will fnd either luxury shops, Michelin restaurants and the top luxury hotels.

In the heart of the area is Carlos Place, where Silence, a water feature designed by Tadao Ando,is located. It looks like a huge static mirror lying under a light mist, forming a huge contrast to the surrounding bustling streetscape. This water feature is part of The Connaught‘s 2007 redevelopment, which was completed in 2011. It is one of the representative works of Tadao Ando.

Silence has created a wonderful ”isolated zone” for the hotel in the dense neighborhood.Founded in 1897, The Connaught was frst named The Coburg . After the Second World War, it was changed to The Connaught in the name of Duke of Connaught.After more than a century, it still retains its original structure and contains 3,000 works of art. It was designed by several masters, including David Collins, Guy Oliver, India Mahdavi, etc., which added different styles to the hotel at different times and fnally presented a classic and modern art space. It is always the subject of talk in the design community, acting as the “weathercock” that brings inspiration to people looking for “style”. If you are like me, only in London for a short stay but still covet its rich art works, staying at The Connaught will absolutely be worthwhile.

Finding David Collins

Irish genius designer David Collins was commissioned to renovate The Connaught and designed the most exclusive penthouse suite in the entire hotel. Collins hoped to make it as a ”home” instead of a hotel suite, so it was named The Apartment. When this suite was opened, it became the dream residence of the celebrities. It was rumored that an actress loved the suite so much that she even copied the same furniture in her own home. The Apartment is a reflection of the spirit of Collins‘s design and is the ultimate expression of the hotel‘s quality.

The most iconic design language of Collins, ”Blue”, is seen everywhere throughout the space. The carved gates are inspired by the style of the gates commonly used in the Mayfair mansions to introduce customers to this ”private home”. The whole suite consists of a light palette of heather blue, lavender violet and ocean grey. At the same time, the metal, silk and handmade details enhance the level of the whole atmosphere. From lilac leather cabinets to custom tables, antique brass and blue leather upholstery, to a custom white marble fireplace, every detail in the room reveals the fine taste of art and literature as if carved carefully by a private collector for years. The immense area of 285 square meters is a palace among the suites. In The Apartment, one can find 20th century novels, niche art history books and rare scrolls, selected antiques and contemporary works of art. Staying here not only allows one to enjoy the toplevel services of The Connaught, but also bestows the much soughafter artistic nectar.

Having a drink at Connaught Bar is one of London‘s most seductive invitations. This prestigious bar on the ground floor of the hotel is also designed by Collins. Inspired by the Cubism of England and the Irish art of the 1920s, Collins showed modern interpretations of the architectural style of the Edwardian period. Toned with greypink, light green and pinkviolet colors, the space is dotted with platinum silver leaf, handdyed leather, and metalframed mirrors, reflecting the unique Irish style. In order to highlight the bar‘s famous ”Martini Trolley”,Collins also designed a ”runway” for display and to facilitate the movement. Here, one can watch the white gloved bartenders perform the ceremony of making the perfect martini, or savor 007‘s favorite recipes; the classic charm is always fascinating.

Getting Close to Guy Oliver

The hotel has 121 rooms and suites, of which up to 90 are designed by designer Guy Oliver. Guy is adept at bringing ideas and techniques into highend luxury spaces and objects in an approachable manne, with unexpected results. Guy has been working with The Connaught for 20 years. He was once stationed in The Connaught for three years and worked in the hotel every day, which made him an almost regular hotel resident. He was not only responsible for the interior design, but also carefully restored the hotel‘s massive amount of antiques and artwork, tending to every detail in the room. The rooms he designed all showed a lowkey and beautiful home atmosphere in an intimate manner.

Of the many rooms Guy designed for The Connaught, the Prince‘s Lodge is particularly special. In this project, Guy has teamed up with Turquoise Mountain Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Afghanistan. He was inspired by the Peacock Palace in the 19th century in Kabul and went to Afghanistan to personally teach the woodworking skills of the poor people in Kabul and use the handcarved works they made to create a beautiful Prince‘s Lodge in the attic of The Connaught, showing amazing carving details.

To build the Prince‘s Lodge, Guy transported all the parts from Afghanistan to London by air. The room retains a wide vaulted ceiling and original old oak house beams. In the center is a fourposter bed carved in Kabul more than a hundred years ago. It is surrounded by finely carved furniture with fine and detailed patterns made by exquisite
craftsmanship. Two handwoven couches with peacock patterns on it by the window create an exotic space for relaxation. It is a wonderful experience to sit here and enjoy the Mayfair streetscape.

Admiring the Contemporary Hogarth

Moon Garden, created by Tom StuartSmith, separates the old and new wings of The Connaught. This 15meterlong, 3.5meterwide space is not a garden in the traditional sense. It is the embodiment of the designer‘s concept that combines the minimalist with the poetic designs. The curvy carved black marble are covered with limestone as a meandering river, with a Scots pine tree standing in the center, presenting a typical Japanese garden landscape. The designer explained: ”I want something very British, and turn it them into something with modern curves.” Moon Garden is the designer‘s practice of the 18thcentury artist Hogarth‘s aesthetic theory Line of Beauty.

Thousands of pieces of furniture and art works in The Connaught are all unique and oneofakind, and each one has a story to tell, and contains the designer‘s ideas. To indulge in this, time is never enough...