Light is a remarkable tool for unlocking the imagination. It can be subtle or bold, playful or refined, yet it is often the unexpected sources of light that bring true narrative to a space. We love discovering objects with personality and giving them an entirely new role, transforming something functional into something with a touch of magic. Craft takes centre stage, transforming familiar forms into something fresh and unexpected. Across our hotels, we use light not just to illuminate, but to inspire curiosity and bring a smile to every guest. Here are a few of our favourite unconventional ideas.
In the Bar and Restaurant at Crosby Street Hotel, old-fashioned telephones hang on the wall and quite literally light up the conversation. The effect is playful and nostalgic, a gentle nod to the past that reminds us how everyday objects can be reborn as sculptural lighting. Above the bar, colourful rounded pendants glow like a cluster of oversized sweets. These unexpected touches turn the room into a joyful and eclectic gathering place.
In the Events Lobby below, the bar is illuminated by a giant glowing popsicle. It becomes a beacon of fun. We love playing with scale to transform the familiar into something fantastical. The result is artful and a little irreverent, a reminder that lighting can be utterly delicious.
In the Prince Room, the chandelier tells an entirely different story. Formed from baked and coloured mud, it radiates a warm, earthy glow. Its texture, hand-shaped forms and sense of craft create a richness that manufactured fittings could never achieve. Light does not always need to come from glass or metal. Sometimes the humblest materials offer the greatest soul.
Walk through the lobby and you will meet a charming paper bulldog who glows gently from within. He is fun and unexpected, and he never fails to make guests pause and smile. Light can animate a space, but it can also animate characters. It reminds us that humour and imagination deserve a place in design.
Nature is one of the best collaborators. In the Sculpture Garden, woven balls of twigs are suspended as pendant lights, casting shadows that dance as the light shifts. They blur the line between sculpture and illumination, between art and utility.
At Ham Yard Hotel, vibrant woven pendants crafted from recycled plastic bottles hang gracefully. They glow like lanterns collected from far-flung markets. Using familiar objects in unexpected ways sparks creativity and inspires us to see the everyday in a new light.
At Ham Yard Hotel, fluorescent signs hum with energy. Phrases such as Wedding Chapel and Freak Show light up the room with a sense of humour and a touch of theatre. Neon is bold and unapologetic. It says that this is a place where things happen. We love using it as a reminder not to take design, or life, too seriously.
At Warren Street Hotel, dozens of illuminated flower-shaped cups hang gently from the ceiling. They form a soft, enchanting canopy, almost like something from a fairy tale. It shows that lighting can be delicate and ethereal while still making a striking impression.
When we let go of the idea that light must come from a standard fixture, the world expands. A basket, sculpted twigs or even a paper dog can become a source of illumination when approached with imagination. Light has the power to alter a mood, spark a story or prompt a smile.
The most memorable spaces are often those that surprise us. Whether crafted from mud or glowing like a giant popsicle, these unconventional ideas remind us that design should be joyful, thoughtful and always full of delight.