Rachel McLane’s Stunning Interior Designs for The Hertsmere’s New-Look Restaurant and Bar

Rachel McLane Ltd has given a stunning new contemporary look and environmental focus to the interior design of the restaurant at The Hertsmere, Elstree, called Script: Restaurant and Bar. The full-scale refurbishment forms part of The Hertsmere’s ambitious plans to progressively become the home of family golf in Hertfordshire and North-West London.

A challenging, picturesque 18-hole golf course in the middle of the Hertfordshire countryside, The Hertsmere has recently installed a new high-tech, state-of-the-art 26-bay golf driving range, and opened a golf academy which is ground-breaking in its approach focused on customer outcomes. Built about ten years ago, the clubhouse provides facilities to serve food and drink in a restaurant setting which can also be used by golfers and for public gatherings. Award-winning interior design consultancy Rachel McLane Ltd started work on the interior design concepts behind the new-look restaurant about 18 months ago.

“One of the main things that stood out to us about The Hertsmere was the setting of the course and clubhouse, which are amazing and exceptionally beautiful; the course and the driving range have real character and are of a high quality, which we wanted to capture and reflect in our designs. The clubhouse is quite literally that, a place for everyone to meet and socialise and talk over their game with friends, families and children. We wanted to add a bit of a ‘wow’ factor to help match the very high standards of the rest of The Hertsmere.”

Stuart Ritchie, the business’s director, said: “The Hertsmere is a leisure business which owns a golf course, an award winning driving range and now an amazing restaurant which has been separately branded Script: Restaurant and Bar. We wanted to create our own narrative with our ‘fresh approach to golf’ and to give everyone the opportunity to get involved with golf and enjoy our facilities, hence our standalone restaurant in the centre of the facility.”

“Our restaurant is key to this and we wanted it to be welcoming, accessible and appealing as well as reflecting our high standards and the importance we attach to our surroundings. Rachel McLane Ltd has created a stunning space where I hope people will enjoy spending time, be that for a bite to eat after a game of golf, or as a get together of family and friends for a meal. We felt that ‘Script: Restaurant and Bar’ was the perfect name for the restaurant as it combines the idea of us setting our daily changing menu of locally sourced ingredients – which, just like a fantastic script, provides the foundations for an outstanding experience. We are looking forward to welcoming customers to enjoy the new stylish design, stunning views and great menu.”

North Yorkshire-based Rachel and her team of interior designers have created a concept that draws on the importance of landscape, countryside and environmental sustainability, without detracting from the view of the course. “The Hertsmere has a vision to help make golf more sustainable, minimising waste, the use of water, chemicals and fertilisers, and to develop an environment that has a positive impact on local wildlife and supports the wellbeing of its community.”

“The course has a network of public footpaths and trails across its 160 acres. We felt there needed to be a real sense of how rural and parklike The Hertsmere is and to reference environmental and sustainability aspects in the designs – not just in the design look, but also in the materials we used. Whilst the new look of the interior is one that has been very carefully considered with contemporary lighting and seating, we didn’t want it to overpower the positive details of the building, including the views out over the golf course.”

A dominating sloped timber ceiling has now been painted over and a flattened bulkhead area created on the ceiling helps to break up the room into zones. A custom bespoke tree-like structure forms a new centrepiece to the room and is constructed from solid oak, and littered with random lights to break up the mass of ceiling.

An innovative, subtle tiered effect seating system has created booths on a raised deck at the rear where people can look across the curved dining booths by the central tree-form which in turn looks over the lower sofa-type seating at the front window. This was all done to ensure uninterrupted views of the course. A mix of timber seating and upholstered booths separated by fret-cut screens break up the room further to create the sense of different areas within one larger space. The fret-cut detailing is also applied to the glazing using The Hertsmere logo, which must be one of the best now in use in the world of golf. The colour palette is one of subtle tones with punches of colour based on The Hertsmere’s branding.

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The site of a former sunbed shop with residential accommodation on the first floor, our brief from the client was to design a space over 2 floors, and incorporating a large courtyard space, with cues taken from biophilic and sustainable design. With this in mind MGI proposed a complete strip out the interior of the site, retaining as many original features as possible, and reimagined it as a high-quality wine bar and bistro offering small plate meals and cocktails to the people of Standish.

Due to the heritage of the building and its location within the conservation area the local authority were keen to not only protect the fabric of the building but also reinstate elements that were more in keeping with its heritage status. The planning consent had numerous conditions regarding the materiality and design of external doors, windows, etc (all designed in hardwood, sliding sash windows to first floor, all to a heritage standard) and the location of extract flue from the commercial kitchen.

Extensive structural works to the existing building were required in order to open the space up and introduce a new mezzanine level providing a link between the ground and first floors and creating an impressive double height space. Furthermore, some existing features such as the timber beams have been retained in order to maintain the heritage of this building. All Finishes and Furniture specified were carefully chosen to create a rustic/ reclaimed feel to the interior of the site with industrial elements introduce through use of exposed steel, scaffold poles and scaffold planking.

In addition, to soften the space, extensive real and faux planting has been used throughout the interior. At the rear courtyard has been extensively remodelled to include an aluminium and glass canopy over a decked veranda, an external bar, stone paved patio, copper panels and laser cut screens to perimeter walls and Festoon lighting.

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JMDA have worked with Mitchells & Butlers for years, evolving their Premium Country Pubs brand to new heights and standards. The brand celebrates the traditional country pub whilst giving them a new lease of life by introducing new food offerings, cocktails, and interiors. Director of JMDA Ltd, Jonathon Morgan, said: “As a long-standing client of ours, we are always proud to be involved in the latest evolution for the beloved Mitchells & Butlers brand”.

Completed in April, this project involved full renovation of the pub’s interior, bar, restaurant, casual dining areas and restrooms. The exterior was also given a new lick of paint, signage, landscaping, and furniture. The pub is located in Totteridge, a suburban borough of Barnet, London. As a more affluent area, the interiors were to offer spaces for a range of occasions for its clientele. The Great Hall offers a lighter, airy space for mid-week treats. For the special occasions, guests can reserve a table in The Niche and pop-in for a few at the weekend in The Connoisseur Club.

Designer Alexandra Mason explained: “This project is the latest evolution of our new concept for Premium Country Pubs. The Kings Arms was ‘The Country Club’ edition, providing a more classic approach to our latest concept. The Orange Tree channels the inner-city member’s clubs, a more high-energy approach to our concept”.

This project has an abundance of high-energy features. The front bar is constructed from individual timber leaves painted in a mellow peach tone, offset with bright scalloped bar stools. In The Orangery, back-to-back booths center the room with Versital marbled tabletops and radiant globe lighting. Artwork creates a mythical feel to this room, providing a lighter space for the day trade. Adjacent, The Curator Space features booths within bookcases, screening off smaller groups for a more intimate dining experience. To the far left of the building is the Elevenses. Lined with glistening champagne walls, a tiled fireplace and over-sized seating, this space creates something special for those larger groups looking for a celebration. To the rear of the restaurant is the niche, a covert space to dine and drink. Decorated entirely in a warm pink, with textured wallpaper and curtains to a secret table, the niche is something to talk about.

When customers visit The Orange Tree, they will be enchanted by the colour, atmosphere, and energy of the space. Truly a destination pub for all occasions, The Orange Tree offers something for everyone, whilst providing a taste of the elite.

After creating the concept late last year, JMDA have been excited to deliver the long-awaited second evolution of the Minerva. Alexandra said: “As a completely different feel to the Country Club, we are ecstatic to have delivered this project, showing what JMDA are truly about”.

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Formerly named the Beehive, MGI were asked to reimagine this historic traditional pub situated in the popular Liverpool One area to ensure its continued survival for years to come. The brief was to create a premium high end pub offer with a quality range of beers and an extensive cocktail list. The site was imagined to act as a hybrid offering coffee and patisserie to shoppers through the day before transforming into a vibrant night time venue in the evenings.

The name change was inspired in homage to the Futurist on lime street which had been demolished in recent years and nods to that building’s art deco design and life as a cinema from the 1930’s through to the 1980’s and is reflected in the choices of bric a brac, light fittings and tin tiling utilised throughout the interior. MGI proposed a design that retained and enhanced a number of the original features of the original building such as the bar servery and backfitting, paired with new features and finishes designed and specified to a high level to create a luxurious feel to the site.

The use of Victorian wall tiling, timber panelling and velvet upholstery and drapes, along with the liberal application of black and polished brass creates an inviting yet intimate space that welcomes its guests in a warm embrace. Highly decorative booths were formed to the rear of the site to offer areas of privacy or seclusion to small parties and are expected to be one of the most popular areas of the pub.

Due to the site’s long and narrow footprint, natural lighting was previously an issue to the pub. To combat this MGI proposed the strip out and replacement of the entire ground floor shopfront with new full height glazed bi-fold doors allowing light to flood into the front of the site. Natural light was further brought into the rear of the site through the reinstatement of a previously covered over glazed roof. Despite the use of dark finishes throughout, the site now feels light and airy through the day.

Further structural works were proposed in order to maximise available trade space including opening up beneath the existing staircase and completely stripping out the existing catering kitchen and WC facilities at the rear.

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JMDA first met their client during lockdown, redesigning and developing their well-established cocktail bar of Little Stonegate, York. After working with them on their latest, highly successful, Tiki Bar venture, they were invited to create a new concept for their nightclub. As one of York’s most iconic music venues, they were ecstatic to be involved in another project so close to home.

The concept was inspired by the impressive original features of the space. With high ceilings and exposed brickwork, the New York nightclub scene was heavily used for inspiration throughout. This juxtaposition of the gritty warehouse feel of the existing building and the introduction of opulent design installations and iconic statement features will evolve Vudu to new heights.

The aim was to reveal the hidden gem of Vudu, building on its foundations to evolve the brand to ‘icon’ status, providing an experience that must be seen to be believed.

Upon entering the club, a jagged brushed-brass staircase with recessed, backlit handrail lifts you up into the enigmatic space above. Directly above, a feature LED waterfall chandelier sparkles and pulses to the beat of the music coming from an infinity-mirrored DJ booth.

The bar features a metal caged front with backlit lettering and a rustic-finished backbar towering high on an exposed brick wall. Hidden behind the bar, is the VIP. A secretive space decorated entirely in a seductive pink, is encompassed by curved fixed seating and towered over by a feature wine wall.

Emma from JMDA said, “This project was important to us in many ways. With the client being local and having a good relationship with them, we were pleased to have been appointed on their latest project. This project was also something a bit different for us! Being involved smaller, more independent projects means we can let our creativity run wild, push our boundaries, and show people what JMDA truly have to offer.”

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Visitors will also have access to the schedule of content at the co-located CSI Design Expo Americas providing even more opportunities to leave the show inspired.

Secure your complimentary conference and networking pass here to join the hotel & resort design community in Miami on 6 – 7 June.

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This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a dynamic restaurant design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, DesignLSM.

Situated in the heart of London’s Islington, Jiji Restaurant is a new concept that is inspired by a fusion of two international cuisines; Asian and Middle-Eastern.

Curating the aesthetic DNA of the brand, our design worked to reflect and harmonise the clash of cultures, to create a dynamic and welcoming space that plays with the guests’ senses, delivering a standout culinary experience. Careful design consideration was not only given to the restaurant space but also to the display of the branded merchandise that Jiji offers to seamlessly blend into its surroundings.

With a real personal connection to the owners, their refreshing and unique personality was translated not only in the interiors but in the innovative food on the menu too.

What was the client’s brief? 

The restaurateurs behind the award-winning restaurant group, Sumosan, were looking to create a new concept based around the inspiration of the owner’s passion for Middle Eastern cuisine fused with Sumosan’s famed sushi.

DesignLSM were tasked to create a dynamic space that felt relaxed and sophisticated yet with a sense of home and place, creating a destination that guests felt loyalty towards. Energy, anticipation and interest was to be generated by the culinary theatre from the open kitchen pass coupled with vibrant interiors to encourage guest engagement and visual intrigue.

What inspired the design of the project?

The interior design aims to reflect and harmonise the glorious clash of cultures that Jiji’s celebrates. The Asian influence can be seen in the sophisticated joinery of the repeat vertical elements to the gantry beautifully curving around the open bar and the natural timbers selected, whilst the custom, 3-dimensional, stylized portraits introduce energy and personality into the space paying homage to Tel Aviv’s electric nightlife scene. The design intends to create an informal, highly sociable setting; incorporating theatrical elements to reflect the dynamism of the twinned cultures.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

Set in an area that is rich in character and period properties, the building holds historic heritage having traditionally been used as a Royal Mail sorting office in the early 1900s. Whilst it is now redeveloped as a multipurpose building, playing home to residential complexes and other restaurants, within the building itself, there were some constraints that we had to adhere to and externally there were limitations with the signage due to the historic nature of the architecture and the sensitivity to the residents within the building.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Jiji has been very exciting to work on from a design perspective, even more so as it has been such a personal project to the owners. We worked closely with our client to create and develop their vision which was born from their passion of food and travel, resulting in the delivery of a stunning restaurant that represents their refreshing and unique personality, translated not only in the interiors but in the innovative food on the menu too.

Our creativity flowed extensively with this project – from carefully curated atmospheric neon lighting to several bespoke items featured, including the striking custom 3D artworks, blue hued geometric floor tiles and the intricately detailed wooden bar front with its patterned relief of circles interspersed with the iconic Jiji logo.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We put a great deal of strategic planning and creativity into our design for Jiji, and when we saw our vision come to life and the positive response it received from the public (as well as restaurant critics such as Giles Coren), both our client and the DesignLSM team felt incredibly proud of what we have achieved. The SBID Awards are renowned for celebrating the best of interior design and this restaurant has earned it rightful place in the running as one of London’s most vibrant new openings. To be in the company of the other finalists is an honour in itself.

Questions answered by Tom Munson, Senior Designer, DesignLSM.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a luxurious hotel suite design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, Hirsch Bedner Associates.

Canopy by Hilton Hotel in Qujiang Xi’an conveys the splendid leisure and carnival entertainment of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

The central premise of the design stems from the Chinese idiom 鲜衣怒马 xiānyī nùmǎ, which loosely translates to “wearing beautiful garments and riding powerful horses”. With this concept in mind, the interiors celebrate the vibrant fashion and design of the prosperous Tang Dynasty that for centuries has been integrated into the spiritual language of Xi’an’s neighborhoods, and now blends exquisitely with the opulent aesthetics of the Canopy brand.

The xiānyī nùmǎ motif is unraveled throughout the hotel style through the use of joyful colors and patterns inspired by Tang-era fabrics and artwork. By fusing the ancient with the modern to create a unique design story, the hotel creates a fresh perspective on historical elements, allowing people to enjoy traditional culture in a rejuvenated, vibrant, and fun way.

What was the client’s brief? 

The initial brief received by clients was to bring the rich historical, traditional and cultural background of the place into the project renovation, and to align it to the hotel brand style and feeling.

Canopy by Hilton conveys the brand lifestyle that offers the guests comfort, thoughtful details, an energizing atmosphere and a uniquely local experience, as extension of the local neighbourhood.

Storytelling has been used to design the hotel allowing guest to discover the delightful neighbourhood as an ‘explorer’, and reinterpreting the traditional design language for modern appreciation.

What inspired the design of the project?

Canopy by Hilton Xi’an is located in the Qujiang New District, a new cultural hub and economic center of the historic city.

The hotel is connected to the Grand Tang Mall, a fabulous pedestrian street with myriad cultural sights and recreational activities.

The central premise of the design stems from the Chinese idiom “鲜衣怒马 xiānyī nùmǎ”, which loosely translates to “wearing beautiful garments and riding powerful horses”. With this concept in mind, the design team set out to celebrate the vibrant fashion and design of the prosperous Tang Dynasty that for centuries has been integrated into the spiritual language of Xi’an’s neighborhoods, and now blends exquisitely with the opulent aesthetics of the Canopy brand.

The xiānyī nùmǎ motif is unraveled throughout the hotel style through the use of joyful colors and patterns inspired by Tang-era fabrics and artwork. By fusing the ancient with the modern to create a unique design story, the hotel creates a fresh perspective on historical elements, allowing people to enjoy traditional culture in a rejuvenated, vibrant, and fun way.

By adopting the easy-going lifestyle of Xi’an and the cultural elements of the city’s historic legacy, the hotel acts as an extension of the local neighborhood.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

As most of the projects, the team had to deal with a tight timeline on redesigning the whole hotel without compromising the construction programme.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Canopy by Hilton Xi’an conveys the splendid leisure and carnival entertainment of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

The hotel creates a new perspective that allows people to reveal the traditional culture in a way that is vibrant, fun and young, it adopts the easy-going Xi’an characteristic that enhance the vibe of the area it resides in.

The hotel has 125 guestrooms in the guest tower, including exclusive suites and lofts, leveraging little-bit difference with standard of Hilton group, the design of the guestroom tends to create different experience for the guests.

Guests are initially greeted by a room identity sign that echoes the design concept idiom and takes inspiration from a journey via horse and camel along the silk road. Upon entering the guestrooms, the design calls to mind a Tang-era scene of women pounding and making palace silk. During this time, women used mineral pigments to dye silk, and wrapped stones with wet raw rice paper or cotton to slowly seep the color into the silk. A nod to this ingenious process can be seen in the stylish canopy painted on the wall and ceiling surrounding the bed in each guestroom. The canopy is framed by clean black lines and features a strip of color in the center that fades from turquoise on the ceiling to a bright orange – a color spectrum cherished in the Tang Dynasty.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

The SBID International Design Awards are a prestigious recognition of excellence within the interior design industry across products, interiors and fit out.

Over a decade on, the Awards has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious interior design Awards in the global design calendar. It represents the outstanding industry achievements and top quality design services that continue to inspire the profession.

Questions answered by Flavio Patino, Associate, HBA Hong Kong.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a luxurious bar-restaurant design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, Albion & East.

What was the client’s brief? 

To create a 300 cover bar-restaurant with a grand, centre-piece bar, a very open kitchen integrated into the space and two iconic outside terraces.

What inspired the design of the project?

The building is the former 1930’s Forum Theatre, designed by Mr Stanley Beard who specialised in cinema architecture, but had long since closed and remained abandoned for 15 years until we resurrected it as Teatro Hall. The original interior had an Italian Renaissance style design with high ceilings and large columns. Our inspiration was to resurrect the building in ‘Stile Liberte’, an Italian variant of Art Nouveau and named after Arthur Liberty and the store he founded Liberty’s. We were rediscovering, resurrecting and reawakening and building of grand proportions in a subtle, not slavish, mind to its history.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

With new Brexit laws, delivery of bespoke items made for us in Europe needed careful planning and challenged budgets. Coupled with increases in raw material costs we had to focus hard on design elements which were stand out. Having to work harder than ever before, we didn’t compromise on design and hit budgets through planning and extending our network of suppliers of bespoke and hand made items.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

A grand island bar takes centre stage with a tall backdrop of etched blue Venetian Glass housed in cherry wood, marble bar top and pale parchment under tiled counter. Our Clock Tower is reminiscent of seating in the Waldorf Astoria lobby in NYC. Banquets, with rich midnight velvet seats and pale cream linen curtains, create intimacy. Four handmade Murano glass chandeliers, with over 100 glass columns each, create grandeur that the space demands.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

Having followed the awards for several years, I have always been impressed at the quality and diversity of the finalists. It has been a source of interest and inspiration for me over the years as I have been developing my company. SBID is a well recognised and prestigious organisation and it’s an honour to be a finalist with you.

Questions answered by Sarah Weir, Lead Designer and the Founder & Managing Director, Albion & East.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a timeless restaurant design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, EDG Design.

What was the client’s brief? 

Singapore’s famed Orchard Road was once lined with fruit plantations, spice gardens and orchard groves (hence its name). But with the country’s modernization these plantations gave way to office towers and shopping malls that we see today. Our brief was to pay homage to this bygone era of the location’s Colonial past, agricultural history and the beauty of the tropics seamlessly merged for diners to enjoy morning, noon and night. Thus the concept of Estate was born, a series of three distinct dining rooms linked to open theatrical food kitchens that celebrate one of Singapore’s favourite pastimes…eating!

What inspired the design of the project?

Using the concept brief as a starting point, we developed a story of a 19^th Century plantation owner living in a grand estate surrounded by lush orchards growing crops of cinnamon, nutmeg, gambir and peppercorns. The architecture of these Colonial houses also served as inspiration. We utilized a similar approach of creating a series of intimate yet interconnected rooms for dining, kitchens and private areas which encourage exploration while creating an inviting and comfortable atmosphere. The restaurant thus became a modern interpretation of a grand colonial estate that celebrates its heritage through design, palette, intricate details and gastronomy.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

This building is an iconic landmark on Orchard Road and although constructed in the 1970s, is considered old for Singapore. As such, the building has lower floor-to-floor heights seen in today’s towers; therefore we were challenged to maximize the interior ceiling heights and did so by streamlining mechanical services and adding visual tricks such as blackened mirrors on the ceiling which create the sense of height and depth in a subtle manner. We also found a hidden structural column in the middle of our buffet kitchen which was not on the original architectural drawings. We managed to re-plan the kitchen and dining rooms quickly whilst still maintaining the integrity of the design.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Seeing the total transformation from the old space into a beautiful and timeless restaurant and sharing in the positive energy and excitement of our client is what makes design so gratifying. Developing a strong design narrative told through design, overcoming a challenging building and unforeseen challenges, and adapting to a new working model of executing design and construction during the unpredictable heights of Covid-19, we feel especially proud that Estate has come out with the rest of the hotel as an exciting new venue for guests and visitors to enjoy.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

SBID is one of the most well-known and prestigious design awards in our industry. As an international design and branding studio, we feel the opportunity to promote our work through SBID’s platform also helps EDG Design gain visibility and recognition from the voting public as we continue to create exciting and memorable guest experiences through design.

Questions answered by Simon McDonald, Design Director, EDG Design.