Wishing to both promote the prestigious No. 19 Restaurant and Club House more as a gourmet destination and to better meet the needs of core clients, the owners of Close House engaged the services of Rachel McLane Ltd to redesign and refurbish 2 key areas – the Westwood Suite and the Bar/Restaurant area.
The Westwood Suite was masculine in appearance and at odds with the natural materials used by the architect. Cumbersome chairs and tables of dark stained timber were not suited to a space that needed to be modular. Even with fantastic views from the windows, the space was dark, cold, uninviting and soulless.
We were asked to design a stylish solution attractive to members and guests.
Our brief was to aesthetically incorporate the Westwood Suite into the Bar/Restaurant area, retaining the same perceived importance even when used as stand alone function rooms.
Character and atmosphere was created by wall, floor and lighting treatments.
Treating both areas equally, a linear design carpet was laid throughout, with lines combining the two areas into a single space, whilst porcelain tiles replaced the tired vinyl flooring around the bar area. Illuminated bar frontages were designed to lift the darker areas around the bar and create a focal point in nighttime conditions.
Texture was added to the painted walls with tactile vinyl’s and mirrors – complimenting existing stonework, massive windows and stunning views and adding a layer of interest.
Lighted ceiling rafts were introduced to add feature lighting overhead, whilst more wall lights were added on circuits to provide horizontal light.
Finally, modular tables of natural grain and chairs with a smaller footprint replaced existing furniture.
