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A swinging carpet for the Imperial Hotel
London’s Imperial Hotel pays tribute to its 1960’s architecture with a stunning bespoke woven carpet that captures the fun and sense of excitement of the era from Wilton Carpets Commercial.
Client Brief
The flagship of the Imperial Hotel Group with 10 other hotels across London, The Imperial Hotel, Holborn, has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment that pays homage to the 1960’s building, delivering an interior that captures the fun and frivolity of the period.
Creative Approach
The company responsible for the design of the hotel refurbishment, Trevillion Interiors Ltd worked with Wilton Carpets’ design manager Julie Robertson to create a statement carpet throughout the bar that captures the spirit of the 60s. Taking inspiration from an image of a pattern from the era along with tuft colours reflecting the décor – both supplied by Trevillion Interiors – Julie created a large-scale design. The result is a carpet that blends with the ambience of the interior, harmonising with some of the colours in the plain fabrics within the soft furnishing scheme.
“The original Imperial Hotel was demolished in the 1960s but some of the artefacts from this original building still remain, lending the interior of the‘new’ building an eclectic mix of styles,” explains Frances Blackham, designdirector, Trevillion Interiors. “Our client wanted an interior that dismissedneither the history nor the emotional attachment of its existing clientele.
With that in mind, we decided to embrace the 60s period and the lively, sociable lifestyle of the period seemed so appropriate for the bar area. The carpet is reminiscent of the designs made famous by Mary Quant and is delivered with powerful and vibrant colours so typical of the era.”
Solution Delivered
With its durable 80% wool 20% nylon woven axminster construction, the carpet meets the group’s requirement for a carpet that is durable and that will retain its appearance over time. Manufactured on electronic Jacquard looms in Wiltshire, the carpet was supplied with the help of The Carpet Centre, Enfield. Wilton Carpets also supplied a Neo Gothic influenced bespoke design for the restaurant of the Imperial, delivering a total of 1,000 square metres of woven carpet to the 488-room central London hotel.
