Hotel EMC2, where art meets science in Chicago

Named after Einstein’s famous theory of relativity, this new 21-storey hotel is aptly situated near the Northwestern University’s research labs and medical school and Chicago’s main tech hub. It’s this fusion of science, innovation and art that has driven the design concept through collaborators David Rockwell and his team with Koo & Associates.

The Rockwell Group are used to merging architecture, theatre, craftsmanship and technology to create unique narratives for their work and this project is another trademark example of their style. Rockwell Group Partner and Studio Leader on this project, Greg Keffer says,

“Through Hotel EMC2, Rockwell Group wanted to capture a moment produced by the intersecting worlds of art and science. The design concept we have created celebrates and brings to life their sense of discovery, creativity and innovation and invites visitors to explore.”

An eclectic entrance

Guests are met with the spirit of discovery when entering the hotel lobby with a two-volume centre-piece, an assemblage of bookcases piled on top of each other like an unexplored attic or a modern day cabinet of curiosities.

Book-cased lined walls extend further into the lobby and reception area creating a series of curios nooks and crannies as places of exploration and relaxation grouped with eclectic furniture, overdyed rugs and quirky objects.

Works of art

A curated collection of art from local and international artists lines the walls within the public spaces adding personality and interest to the lobby and restaurant. The backdrop for the reception area is a folding fabric screen depicting a dream-like state of cloud formations, a custom design by Rockwell Group in a bright polished rose gold and glass. Within the lift there are two-way mirrors and a digital art installation of ink dropping from above displayed on concealed video screens.

The Archive lounge and event space

The second floor, accessed by an interior staircase in a bookcase, leads to the Archive lounge and event space. The lounge is a comfortable play space with plush seating and modern furnishings in further rich hues of rose gold and shades of brown and green. A custom oversized vintage steamer trunk opens to reveal a breakfast space in the morning and a cocktail bar at night. To the side, a glass-walled multi-purpose room overlooks the restaurant’s communal kitchen below. This flexible space can be used a dining room with the lounge reconfigured as a VIP or pre-function space for meetings and events.

The Albert restaurant

The double-height 120 seat restaurant is designed to create a lively casual neighbourhood atmosphere made up of cosy grouped seating whilst behind ribbed glass panels, chef’s tables inside a large expo kitchen offer a theatrical dining experience. In the mornings, hotel guests have breakfast here, entering the space via a secret bookcase entrance. The bar area explores the synthesis of science and art with a custom chandelier comprised of glass cylinders filled with infused liquors suspended over a copper and enamel-clad bar with art work in various stages of completion lines the back wall.

Guest rooms

Copper details are continued in the guest room as frames for large artworks above the bed and bathrooms having copper tubing towel rails, vanity unit and a shower head with exposed pipes. A brass phonograph-style speaker, rotating wooden desk drawers and  adjustable lamps are also supported by a copper pole adhering to the vintage, quirky, playful design emanating throughout Hotel EMC2.

ADDRESS: 228 E Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611, USA

You May Also Like

• And Breathe! A beautiful designer hotel and oasis in the heart of Amsterdam
• MUJI showcases contemporary Japanese creators in Milan
• Upscale boutique living in Williamsburg Brooklyn

All photos courtesy of Michael Kleinberg

The post Hotel EMC2, where art meets science in Chicago appeared first on The Idealist.

from The Idealist https://www.theidealist.com/hotel-emc2-art-meets-science-chicago/

from The Idealist Magazine https://theidealistmagazine.tumblr.com/post/168004487098
from Tumblr https://spencerthorpe.tumblr.com/post/168004570589

Hotel EMC2, where art meets science in Chicago

Named after Einstein’s famous theory of relativity, this new 21-storey hotel is aptly situated near the Northwestern University’s research labs and medical school and Chicago’s main tech hub. It’s this fusion of science, innovation and art that has driven the design concept through collaborators David Rockwell and his team with Koo & Associates.

The Rockwell Group are used to merging architecture, theatre, craftsmanship and technology to create unique narratives for their work and this project is another trademark example of their style. Rockwell Group Partner and Studio Leader on this project, Greg Keffer says,

“Through Hotel EMC2, Rockwell Group wanted to capture a moment produced by the intersecting worlds of art and science. The design concept we have created celebrates and brings to life their sense of discovery, creativity and innovation and invites visitors to explore.”

An eclectic entrance

Guests are met with the spirit of discovery when entering the hotel lobby with a two-volume centre-piece, an assemblage of bookcases piled on top of each other like an unexplored attic or a modern day cabinet of curiosities.

Book-cased lined walls extend further into the lobby and reception area creating a series of curios nooks and crannies as places of exploration and relaxation grouped with eclectic furniture, overdyed rugs and quirky objects.

Works of art

A curated collection of art from local and international artists lines the walls within the public spaces adding personality and interest to the lobby and restaurant. The backdrop for the reception area is a folding fabric screen depicting a dream-like state of cloud formations, a custom design by Rockwell Group in a bright polished rose gold and glass. Within the lift there are two-way mirrors and a digital art installation of ink dropping from above displayed on concealed video screens.

The Archive lounge and event space

The second floor, accessed by an interior staircase in a bookcase, leads to the Archive lounge and event space. The lounge is a comfortable play space with plush seating and modern furnishings in further rich hues of rose gold and shades of brown and green. A custom oversized vintage steamer trunk opens to reveal a breakfast space in the morning and a cocktail bar at night. To the side, a glass-walled multi-purpose room overlooks the restaurant’s communal kitchen below. This flexible space can be used a dining room with the lounge reconfigured as a VIP or pre-function space for meetings and events.

The Albert restaurant

The double-height 120 seat restaurant is designed to create a lively casual neighbourhood atmosphere made up of cosy grouped seating whilst behind ribbed glass panels, chef’s tables inside a large expo kitchen offer a theatrical dining experience. In the mornings, hotel guests have breakfast here, entering the space via a secret bookcase entrance. The bar area explores the synthesis of science and art with a custom chandelier comprised of glass cylinders filled with infused liquors suspended over a copper and enamel-clad bar with art work in various stages of completion lines the back wall.

Guest rooms

Copper details are continued in the guest room as frames for large artworks above the bed and bathrooms having copper tubing towel rails, vanity unit and a shower head with exposed pipes. A brass phonograph-style speaker, rotating wooden desk drawers and  adjustable lamps are also supported by a copper pole adhering to the vintage, quirky, playful design emanating throughout Hotel EMC2.

ADDRESS: 228 E Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611, USA

You May Also Like

• And Breathe! A beautiful designer hotel and oasis in the heart of Amsterdam
• MUJI showcases contemporary Japanese creators in Milan
• Upscale boutique living in Williamsburg Brooklyn

All photos courtesy of Michael Kleinberg

The post Hotel EMC2, where art meets science in Chicago appeared first on The Idealist.

from The Idealist https://www.theidealist.com/hotel-emc2-art-meets-science-chicago/

from The Idealist Magazine https://theidealistmagazine.tumblr.com/post/168004487098
from Tumblr https://spencerthorpe.tumblr.com/post/168004570589

Hotel EMC2, where art meets science in Chicago

Named after Einstein’s famous theory of relativity, this new 21-storey hotel is aptly situated near the Northwestern University’s research labs and medical school and Chicago’s main tech hub. It’s this fusion of science, innovation and art that has driven the design concept through collaborators David Rockwell and his team with Koo & Associates.

The Rockwell Group are used to merging architecture, theatre, craftsmanship and technology to create unique narratives for their work and this project is another trademark example of their style. Rockwell Group Partner and Studio Leader on this project, Greg Keffer says,

“Through Hotel EMC2, Rockwell Group wanted to capture a moment produced by the intersecting worlds of art and science. The design concept we have created celebrates and brings to life their sense of discovery, creativity and innovation and invites visitors to explore.”

An eclectic entrance

Guests are met with the spirit of discovery when entering the hotel lobby with a two-volume centre-piece, an assemblage of bookcases piled on top of each other like an unexplored attic or a modern day cabinet of curiosities.

Book-cased lined walls extend further into the lobby and reception area creating a series of curios nooks and crannies as places of exploration and relaxation grouped with eclectic furniture, overdyed rugs and quirky objects.

Works of art

A curated collection of art from local and international artists lines the walls within the public spaces adding personality and interest to the lobby and restaurant. The backdrop for the reception area is a folding fabric screen depicting a dream-like state of cloud formations, a custom design by Rockwell Group in a bright polished rose gold and glass. Within the lift there are two-way mirrors and a digital art installation of ink dropping from above displayed on concealed video screens.

The Archive lounge and event space

The second floor, accessed by an interior staircase in a bookcase, leads to the Archive lounge and event space. The lounge is a comfortable play space with plush seating and modern furnishings in further rich hues of rose gold and shades of brown and green. A custom oversized vintage steamer trunk opens to reveal a breakfast space in the morning and a cocktail bar at night. To the side, a glass-walled multi-purpose room overlooks the restaurant’s communal kitchen below. This flexible space can be used a dining room with the lounge reconfigured as a VIP or pre-function space for meetings and events.

The Albert restaurant

The double-height 120 seat restaurant is designed to create a lively casual neighbourhood atmosphere made up of cosy grouped seating whilst behind ribbed glass panels, chef’s tables inside a large expo kitchen offer a theatrical dining experience. In the mornings, hotel guests have breakfast here, entering the space via a secret bookcase entrance. The bar area explores the synthesis of science and art with a custom chandelier comprised of glass cylinders filled with infused liquors suspended over a copper and enamel-clad bar with art work in various stages of completion lines the back wall.

Guest rooms

Copper details are continued in the guest room as frames for large artworks above the bed and bathrooms having copper tubing towel rails, vanity unit and a shower head with exposed pipes. A brass phonograph-style speaker, rotating wooden desk drawers and  adjustable lamps are also supported by a copper pole adhering to the vintage, quirky, playful design emanating throughout Hotel EMC2.

ADDRESS: 228 E Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611, USA

You May Also Like

• And Breathe! A beautiful designer hotel and oasis in the heart of Amsterdam
• MUJI showcases contemporary Japanese creators in Milan
• Upscale boutique living in Williamsburg Brooklyn

All photos courtesy of Michael Kleinberg

The post Hotel EMC2, where art meets science in Chicago appeared first on The Idealist.

from The Idealist https://www.theidealist.com/hotel-emc2-art-meets-science-chicago/

from The Idealist Magazine https://theidealistmagazine.tumblr.com/post/168004487098
from Tumblr https://spencerthorpe.tumblr.com/post/168004570589

El Pastór – Bringing an Authentic Mexican Aesthetic to Borough Market

‘My books are derived from city images, and the city of my dreams or nightmares is Mexico City.’ –Carlos Fuentes

Few places capture one’s imagination in quite the way that Mexico City does. Today one of the financial and cultural powerhouses of Latin America, the very thought of the city’s sun baked plazas, the kaleidoscopic pastels of its markets and the proud murals of the country’s many chaptered history mentally sets in motion an explosion of colour -total sensorial immersion. So it’s fair to imagine the gargantuan challenge that faced the London-based architectural practice, Michaelis Boyd, who were tasked with capturing the colour and carnivalesque vibrancy of Mexico City when composing the interiors of El Pastór, a London-based Mexican restaurant that pays homage to both Mexico City and the famous al pastor taco- brought to the country in the 19th century by Lebanese immigrants but now synonymous with Mexican culture.

El Pastór is a joint venture between the Hart Brothers, of Barrafina fame, and Crispin Somerville, a founding partner in El Comillo, a seminal underground jazz bar located in the famous Juárez district of Mexico City. So that El Pastór depicted Mexico City with the faithful strokes, Michael Boyd, the Harts and Somerville travelled to the city, intent on authentically bottling the colour, sounds and scents of a local taqueira – a Mexican street food café. Found at No.7A Stoney Street, El Pastór’s brilliant façade, with the name resplendently illuminated in amber-tinged neon, cuts the uniform greys of that have come to characterise our fair city streets. The location also adds to the drama and theatrics of it all. Found under the railway arches that encircle Borough Market, El Pastór shuttered front suddenly refashions itself as a portal from London’s monochromic walkways to the orchestral din of Mexico City’s lanes. We take a look at El Pastór, diligently paying attention to the various elements through which Michaelis Boyd were able to channel the colour and personality of Mexico City, brought right to London’s heart.

Urban Mexico

Michaelis Boyd’s goal with the interior El Pastór was to capture Mexico City’s urbanity in all its candid glory. In order to do this, much of the restaurant’s interior spaces were actually composed according to the vernacular of Mexico City’s avenues; corrugated metal sheets, shutters, and antiqued expose brick dress the walls, whilst a polished concrete floor ornaments the floor, complete with manhole covers – a perfect imitation of the city streets. Michaelis Boyd further develops this narrative through adorning the walls with hand-painted vintage advertisements and other street paraphernalia- a distinct lack of English heightens the idea that defiantly Mexican cultural mode is in operation. Shelving units, antiqued and road worn, allows for intelligent storage flexibility, whilst still retaining the raw and edgy urbanity the Michaelis and Boyd were going for. Gaze upward, and celestially floating above the dining tables are busy networks of light bulbs, which, in star-like fashion, kiss the space with a soft, warm glow reminiscent of the city’s night-time fiesta culture.

However, Michaelis and Boyd did not stop at mere, albeit astoundingly beautiful, visual imitation of Mexico City’s streets with El Pastór. When at the restaurant, diners are immersed in an authentic cultural dialogue, caught in the middle of the action in Mexico City’s streets. Michaelis Boyd achieve this through the inclusion of a real tortilla factory on a mezzanine floor, bringing with it the sights, smells and sounds of Mexico. Similarly, inspired by the city’s food markets, Michaelis Boyd created a mezcleria, finished in a breath taking emerald green marble conglomerate. Immediately behind the bar, the back wall is dressed with both fruit and glass bottles, just as they would be in Mexico.

Take a seat

Michaelis Boyd’s keen eye for detail is also observed with El Pastór’s table arrangements. The restaurants tables sport unique Pyrolave tabletops- lava rock that has been heated and at very high temperatures to yield a vitreous finish. Glazed in a beautifully mottled, sea form green, the tops serve as brilliant accent point whilst still retaining a gritty tactile quality that keeps with the restaurant’s urban feel and ambience. Aside from central, fixed seating areas, satellite tables flaunt woven Afro Chairs by India Mahdavi; each featuring a latticework of brightly coloured threads, wrapped around an elegantly simple metal frame.

In Media Res

With bold tones, flavours, scents and sounds, it is difficult not to imagine oneself as right in the heart of Mexico City when at El Pastór. The uncompromising atmospheric warmth and cultural verisimilitude achieved through Michaelis Boyd’s masterful command of the interiors conjure up soft warmth of sublime, summer evenings spent in the company of friends and lovers. By translating elements straight from Mexico City to the restaurant’s Stone Street location, the sounds the ring in one’s ear, the sights that envelop one’s eyes and scents that fragrance the room are that of Mexico City’s, even though they are encountered in the heart of London.

You May Also Like

• Herringbone, living green walls and concrete in Amsterdam’s greenest neighbourhood
• And Breathe! A beautiful designer hotel and oasis in the heart of Amsterdam
• Dream Hollywood Hotel: Iconic mid-century design meets LA style

All images courtesy of Alexander James

The post El Pastór – Bringing an Authentic Mexican Aesthetic to Borough Market appeared first on The Idealist.

from The Idealist https://www.theidealist.com/el-pastor-mexican-borough/

from The Idealist Magazine https://theidealistmagazine.tumblr.com/post/167935008153
from Tumblr https://spencerthorpe.tumblr.com/post/167935098484

El Pastór – Bringing an Authentic Mexican Aesthetic to Borough Market

‘My books are derived from city images, and the city of my dreams or nightmares is Mexico City.’ –Carlos Fuentes

Few places capture one’s imagination in quite the way that Mexico City does. Today one of the financial and cultural powerhouses of Latin America, the very thought of the city’s sun baked plazas, the kaleidoscopic pastels of its markets and the proud murals of the country’s many chaptered history mentally sets in motion an explosion of colour -total sensorial immersion. So it’s fair to imagine the gargantuan challenge that faced the London-based architectural practice, Michaelis Boyd, who were tasked with capturing the colour and carnivalesque vibrancy of Mexico City when composing the interiors of El Pastór, a London-based Mexican restaurant that pays homage to both Mexico City and the famous al pastor taco- brought to the country in the 19th century by Lebanese immigrants but now synonymous with Mexican culture.

El Pastór is a joint venture between the Hart Brothers, of Barrafina fame, and Crispin Somerville, a founding partner in El Comillo, a seminal underground jazz bar located in the famous Juárez district of Mexico City. So that El Pastór depicted Mexico City with the faithful strokes, Michael Boyd, the Harts and Somerville travelled to the city, intent on authentically bottling the colour, sounds and scents of a local taqueira – a Mexican street food café. Found at No.7A Stoney Street, El Pastór’s brilliant façade, with the name resplendently illuminated in amber-tinged neon, cuts the uniform greys of that have come to characterise our fair city streets. The location also adds to the drama and theatrics of it all. Found under the railway arches that encircle Borough Market, El Pastór shuttered front suddenly refashions itself as a portal from London’s monochromic walkways to the orchestral din of Mexico City’s lanes. We take a look at El Pastór, diligently paying attention to the various elements through which Michaelis Boyd were able to channel the colour and personality of Mexico City, brought right to London’s heart.

Urban Mexico

Michaelis Boyd’s goal with the interior El Pastór was to capture Mexico City’s urbanity in all its candid glory. In order to do this, much of the restaurant’s interior spaces were actually composed according to the vernacular of Mexico City’s avenues; corrugated metal sheets, shutters, and antiqued expose brick dress the walls, whilst a polished concrete floor ornaments the floor, complete with manhole covers – a perfect imitation of the city streets. Michaelis Boyd further develops this narrative through adorning the walls with hand-painted vintage advertisements and other street paraphernalia- a distinct lack of English heightens the idea that defiantly Mexican cultural mode is in operation. Shelving units, antiqued and road worn, allows for intelligent storage flexibility, whilst still retaining the raw and edgy urbanity the Michaelis and Boyd were going for. Gaze upward, and celestially floating above the dining tables are busy networks of light bulbs, which, in star-like fashion, kiss the space with a soft, warm glow reminiscent of the city’s night-time fiesta culture.

However, Michaelis and Boyd did not stop at mere, albeit astoundingly beautiful, visual imitation of Mexico City’s streets with El Pastór. When at the restaurant, diners are immersed in an authentic cultural dialogue, caught in the middle of the action in Mexico City’s streets. Michaelis Boyd achieve this through the inclusion of a real tortilla factory on a mezzanine floor, bringing with it the sights, smells and sounds of Mexico. Similarly, inspired by the city’s food markets, Michaelis Boyd created a mezcleria, finished in a breath taking emerald green marble conglomerate. Immediately behind the bar, the back wall is dressed with both fruit and glass bottles, just as they would be in Mexico.

Take a seat

Michaelis Boyd’s keen eye for detail is also observed with El Pastór’s table arrangements. The restaurants tables sport unique Pyrolave tabletops- lava rock that has been heated and at very high temperatures to yield a vitreous finish. Glazed in a beautifully mottled, sea form green, the tops serve as brilliant accent point whilst still retaining a gritty tactile quality that keeps with the restaurant’s urban feel and ambience. Aside from central, fixed seating areas, satellite tables flaunt woven Afro Chairs by India Mahdavi; each featuring a latticework of brightly coloured threads, wrapped around an elegantly simple metal frame.

In Media Res

With bold tones, flavours, scents and sounds, it is difficult not to imagine oneself as right in the heart of Mexico City when at El Pastór. The uncompromising atmospheric warmth and cultural verisimilitude achieved through Michaelis Boyd’s masterful command of the interiors conjure up soft warmth of sublime, summer evenings spent in the company of friends and lovers. By translating elements straight from Mexico City to the restaurant’s Stone Street location, the sounds the ring in one’s ear, the sights that envelop one’s eyes and scents that fragrance the room are that of Mexico City’s, even though they are encountered in the heart of London.

You May Also Like

• Herringbone, living green walls and concrete in Amsterdam’s greenest neighbourhood
• And Breathe! A beautiful designer hotel and oasis in the heart of Amsterdam
• Dream Hollywood Hotel: Iconic mid-century design meets LA style

All images courtesy of Alexander James

The post El Pastór – Bringing an Authentic Mexican Aesthetic to Borough Market appeared first on The Idealist.

from The Idealist https://www.theidealist.com/el-pastor-mexican-borough/

from The Idealist Magazine https://theidealistmagazine.tumblr.com/post/167935008153
from Tumblr https://spencerthorpe.tumblr.com/post/167935098484

El Pastór – Bringing an Authentic Mexican Aesthetic to Borough Market

‘My books are derived from city images, and the city of my dreams or nightmares is Mexico City.’ –Carlos Fuentes

Few places capture one’s imagination in quite the way that Mexico City does. Today one of the financial and cultural powerhouses of Latin America, the very thought of the city’s sun baked plazas, the kaleidoscopic pastels of its markets and the proud murals of the country’s many chaptered history mentally sets in motion an explosion of colour -total sensorial immersion. So it’s fair to imagine the gargantuan challenge that faced the London-based architectural practice, Michaelis Boyd, who were tasked with capturing the colour and carnivalesque vibrancy of Mexico City when composing the interiors of El Pastór, a London-based Mexican restaurant that pays homage to both Mexico City and the famous al pastor taco- brought to the country in the 19th century by Lebanese immigrants but now synonymous with Mexican culture.

El Pastór is a joint venture between the Hart Brothers, of Barrafina fame, and Crispin Somerville, a founding partner in El Comillo, a seminal underground jazz bar located in the famous Juárez district of Mexico City. So that El Pastór depicted Mexico City with the faithful strokes, Michael Boyd, the Harts and Somerville travelled to the city, intent on authentically bottling the colour, sounds and scents of a local taqueira – a Mexican street food café. Found at No.7A Stoney Street, El Pastór’s brilliant façade, with the name resplendently illuminated in amber-tinged neon, cuts the uniform greys of that have come to characterise our fair city streets. The location also adds to the drama and theatrics of it all. Found under the railway arches that encircle Borough Market, El Pastór shuttered front suddenly refashions itself as a portal from London’s monochromic walkways to the orchestral din of Mexico City’s lanes. We take a look at El Pastór, diligently paying attention to the various elements through which Michaelis Boyd were able to channel the colour and personality of Mexico City, brought right to London’s heart.

Urban Mexico

Michaelis Boyd’s goal with the interior El Pastór was to capture Mexico City’s urbanity in all its candid glory. In order to do this, much of the restaurant’s interior spaces were actually composed according to the vernacular of Mexico City’s avenues; corrugated metal sheets, shutters, and antiqued expose brick dress the walls, whilst a polished concrete floor ornaments the floor, complete with manhole covers – a perfect imitation of the city streets. Michaelis Boyd further develops this narrative through adorning the walls with hand-painted vintage advertisements and other street paraphernalia- a distinct lack of English heightens the idea that defiantly Mexican cultural mode is in operation. Shelving units, antiqued and road worn, allows for intelligent storage flexibility, whilst still retaining the raw and edgy urbanity the Michaelis and Boyd were going for. Gaze upward, and celestially floating above the dining tables are busy networks of light bulbs, which, in star-like fashion, kiss the space with a soft, warm glow reminiscent of the city’s night-time fiesta culture.

However, Michaelis and Boyd did not stop at mere, albeit astoundingly beautiful, visual imitation of Mexico City’s streets with El Pastór. When at the restaurant, diners are immersed in an authentic cultural dialogue, caught in the middle of the action in Mexico City’s streets. Michaelis Boyd achieve this through the inclusion of a real tortilla factory on a mezzanine floor, bringing with it the sights, smells and sounds of Mexico. Similarly, inspired by the city’s food markets, Michaelis Boyd created a mezcleria, finished in a breath taking emerald green marble conglomerate. Immediately behind the bar, the back wall is dressed with both fruit and glass bottles, just as they would be in Mexico.

Take a seat

Michaelis Boyd’s keen eye for detail is also observed with El Pastór’s table arrangements. The restaurants tables sport unique Pyrolave tabletops- lava rock that has been heated and at very high temperatures to yield a vitreous finish. Glazed in a beautifully mottled, sea form green, the tops serve as brilliant accent point whilst still retaining a gritty tactile quality that keeps with the restaurant’s urban feel and ambience. Aside from central, fixed seating areas, satellite tables flaunt woven Afro Chairs by India Mahdavi; each featuring a latticework of brightly coloured threads, wrapped around an elegantly simple metal frame.

In Media Res

With bold tones, flavours, scents and sounds, it is difficult not to imagine oneself as right in the heart of Mexico City when at El Pastór. The uncompromising atmospheric warmth and cultural verisimilitude achieved through Michaelis Boyd’s masterful command of the interiors conjure up soft warmth of sublime, summer evenings spent in the company of friends and lovers. By translating elements straight from Mexico City to the restaurant’s Stone Street location, the sounds the ring in one’s ear, the sights that envelop one’s eyes and scents that fragrance the room are that of Mexico City’s, even though they are encountered in the heart of London.

You May Also Like

• Herringbone, living green walls and concrete in Amsterdam’s greenest neighbourhood
• And Breathe! A beautiful designer hotel and oasis in the heart of Amsterdam
• Dream Hollywood Hotel: Iconic mid-century design meets LA style

All images courtesy of Alexander James

The post El Pastór – Bringing an Authentic Mexican Aesthetic to Borough Market appeared first on The Idealist.

from The Idealist https://www.theidealist.com/el-pastor-mexican-borough/

from The Idealist Magazine https://theidealistmagazine.tumblr.com/post/167935008153
from Tumblr https://spencerthorpe.tumblr.com/post/167935098484

Tewkesbury Park Hotel – timeless design with a welcoming and luxurious feel

Tewkesbury Park Hotel – timeless design with a welcoming and luxurious feel

Tewkesbury Park Hotel – timeless design with a welcoming and luxurious feel

Get The Look: Relaxed dining for winter suppers

As the days grow shorter and gloom descends, gathering for a meal at the end of the day, whether with family or friends, becomes a source of comfort and warmth. Make sure your dining area is ready to provide the cosy for hearty winter suppers to linger over.

Tables & Chairs

If you have the space, start with a really great table, sturdy and substantial enough to accommodate family service (where plates of food are left on the table for everyone to take as much as they like).

This refectory style table in oak seats up to 12 with an extension and works well with mid century modern, Scandanavian and contemporary interiors. £995 Pair it with a matching bench on one side and champagne-coloured upholstered chairs on the other for a more intimate and relaxed take on dinner seating. £350 / £315

For a rustic bistro look, start with this oak and whitewash farm table. £1235

Your guests, especially the younger ones, will enjoy settling into a cushy settee for supper. It’s more laid back than individual dining chairs and can add considerable charm as well.

We love this Tetrad Harris tweed settee with button details. £1599 For a bolder statement, use this saffron two-seater on one side, and a few comfy velvet dining chairs in contrasting colours on the other. £450 / £95

Tableware

Set your winter supper table with dishes that are casual, sturdy and colourful. This faience Citron earthenware series from Maisons du monde will add a sunny hit to the dinner service. £50

For something a bit more earthy and dramatic, consider this dark graphite stoneware series from Portugal – off set with gold, copper or bronze flatware and accessories for maximum gleam. £95

Accessories in organic materials can also add to the textural and atmospheric warmth of your table. We’re thinking punctuating items such as this solid teak hand hewn bowl, for example, or several of these hand glazed serving platters. £95 / £30

Turn on the Heat

In a dining room, decorative elements that utilize light, reflection and heat will go a long way to establishing a cosy ambiance. A fireplace would be nice – but realistically, few of us have one in our home, never mind dining room. This freestanding Imagin bioethanol fireplace could change all that. Amazingly, it’s portable and requires no complicated ducts or flues. £430

You can get that same soothing effect of dancing flames by carefully choosing light fixtures and decorative elements that amplify and refract light. We love these black and yellow pendant lights hung in a series over the dinner table. They’re contemporary yet cast an old fashioned glow. £95

Add Accessories

This wall installation does something similar while providing a talking point and casting a soft pink glow (the most flattering kind for the human face) over your guests. Great in rooms with a pale colour scheme, we see it hanging over a sturdy sideboard, such as this quietly stunning chalky grey piece from Loaf. £93/ £825

Mirrors are also a wonderful way to spread warmth and light over the proceedings. Especially when combined with candlelight. This sunburst mirror would look great in a dining room with its convex glass and antiqued gold rays. £161

Cooking hearty meals to share with family and friends is a great strategy for making it through the dark and slushy days and nights of winter with a warm feeling inside. You don’t need a dedicated dining room for relaxed winter suppers – whatever you’re working with can be dressed up with ambient light sources, cosy materials and and a eye on comfort.

You May Also Like

• All Set for an Out of this World Dining Experience
• Laid-back Dining for Winter Evenings
• Planning a Small-Space Dining Room

All photos courtesy of respective brands.

The post Get The Look: Relaxed dining for winter suppers appeared first on The Idealist.

from The Idealist https://www.theidealist.com/get-look-relaxed-dining-winter-suppers/

from The Idealist Magazine https://theidealistmagazine.tumblr.com/post/167832423428
from Tumblr https://spencerthorpe.tumblr.com/post/167834533044

Get The Look: Relaxed dining for winter suppers

As the days grow shorter and gloom descends, gathering for a meal at the end of the day, whether with family or friends, becomes a source of comfort and warmth. Make sure your dining area is ready to provide the cosy for hearty winter suppers to linger over.

Tables & Chairs

If you have the space, start with a really great table, sturdy and substantial enough to accommodate family service (where plates of food are left on the table for everyone to take as much as they like).

This refectory style table in oak seats up to 12 with an extension and works well with mid century modern, Scandanavian and contemporary interiors. £995 Pair it with a matching bench on one side and champagne-coloured upholstered chairs on the other for a more intimate and relaxed take on dinner seating. £350 / £315

For a rustic bistro look, start with this oak and whitewash farm table. £1235

Your guests, especially the younger ones, will enjoy settling into a cushy settee for supper. It’s more laid back than individual dining chairs and can add considerable charm as well.

We love this Tetrad Harris tweed settee with button details. £1599 For a bolder statement, use this saffron two-seater on one side, and a few comfy velvet dining chairs in contrasting colours on the other. £450 / £95

Tableware

Set your winter supper table with dishes that are casual, sturdy and colourful. This faience Citron earthenware series from Maisons du monde will add a sunny hit to the dinner service. £50

For something a bit more earthy and dramatic, consider this dark graphite stoneware series from Portugal – off set with gold, copper or bronze flatware and accessories for maximum gleam. £95

Accessories in organic materials can also add to the textural and atmospheric warmth of your table. We’re thinking punctuating items such as this solid teak hand hewn bowl, for example, or several of these hand glazed serving platters. £95 / £30

Turn on the Heat

In a dining room, decorative elements that utilize light, reflection and heat will go a long way to establishing a cosy ambiance. A fireplace would be nice – but realistically, few of us have one in our home, never mind dining room. This freestanding Imagin bioethanol fireplace could change all that. Amazingly, it’s portable and requires no complicated ducts or flues. £430

You can get that same soothing effect of dancing flames by carefully choosing light fixtures and decorative elements that amplify and refract light. We love these black and yellow pendant lights hung in a series over the dinner table. They’re contemporary yet cast an old fashioned glow. £95

Add Accessories

This wall installation does something similar while providing a talking point and casting a soft pink glow (the most flattering kind for the human face) over your guests. Great in rooms with a pale colour scheme, we see it hanging over a sturdy sideboard, such as this quietly stunning chalky grey piece from Loaf. £93/ £825

Mirrors are also a wonderful way to spread warmth and light over the proceedings. Especially when combined with candlelight. This sunburst mirror would look great in a dining room with its convex glass and antiqued gold rays. £161

Cooking hearty meals to share with family and friends is a great strategy for making it through the dark and slushy days and nights of winter with a warm feeling inside. You don’t need a dedicated dining room for relaxed winter suppers – whatever you’re working with can be dressed up with ambient light sources, cosy materials and and a eye on comfort.

You May Also Like

• All Set for an Out of this World Dining Experience
• Laid-back Dining for Winter Evenings
• Planning a Small-Space Dining Room

All photos courtesy of respective brands.

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