British designer Paul Smith has created a unique suite at Brown’s Hotel, in collaboration with Olga Polizzi, Director of Design at Rocco Forte Hotels. Enter the ‘Sir Paul Smith Suite’ to be surrounded by custom and vintage furniture, hand-selected artworks and designs from Paul Smith’s debut home collection.
A meeting of like-minded designers, the partnership came about naturally. Rocco Forte Hotels’ Director of Design, Olga Polizzi, responsible for the design of the rooms at Brown’s Hotel, is a long-time visitor to Paul Smith’s Albemarle Street shop.
In turn, the British designer renowned for his stripe motif, often frequents Brown’s Hotel. References to his signature style are found throughout the suite bearing his name. They include custom design collaborations between Paul Smith and The Rug Company as well as design company Maharam. Both reference the geometric pattern on his store’s iron façade.
Drawing on the history of Brown’s Hotel as a storied residence for literary greats, the suite is designed as a space not only for rest and relaxation. It’s also a place of inspiration and creativity. Every detail of the room, from the rugs to the individual art works, has been carefully considered.
Furniture and art in the suite resonates with the designer and his eclectic taste. Several pieces have been transported from Paul’s office at his Covent Garden HQ. Most notably, his 1970s leather desk chair by Mario Bellini as well as Christopher Simon Sykes’ impressive photograph of Chatsworth House library. As another personal touch, Paul has also selected a small library of art and design books for the room.
Specially selected pieces from Paul Smith’s notable collaborations enhance the room. Sofas, tables and leather goods come from his recent ‘Everyday Life’ collection with Italian luxury furniture company DePadova. An Anglepoise lamp puts the spotlight on his longstanding partnership with British brand. Comforting woollen blankets, created by Paul, represent his creative collaboration with design company Maharam.
Uniquely quirky details include the banana door handle and the fire ‘dogs’ – custom-made to resemble Homer, Paul’s first canine shopkeeper. A robot figurine made from a vintage camera and the striped fireplace tiles in the living room reflect Paul’s ‘classic with a twist’ philosophy and his trademark whimsical sense of humour.