How to Design Nooks and Niches

This is a time of year where we naturally seek spaces to snuggle up and get cosy. There’s something about being cocooned that creates a sense of comfort and for this very reason, small nooks and niches are areas that we celebrate.

In The Potting Shed at Dorset Square Hotel, we’ve tucked colourful banquette seating into arches and alcoves throughout the room. There’s something incredibly joyful and intimate about sliding into a banquette with your nearest and dearest to share a meal away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

Throughout our hotels you’ll find Martha Freud’s delicate ceramics. We love to place Martha’s bespoke pots in purposefully designed niches that illuminate the space and create a poetic ambience that exudes warmth and comfort. Below, you can see how these magical creations have been used in The Orangery at The Whitby Hotel to create an enchanting display.

For a recent residential project we designed a children’s bunk bed that was built into the wall to create a dreamy nook that encapsulates all things whimsical. The woodwork was brought to life by a specialist mural painter and together we created an adventure-filled cocoon, layered with colourful creatures designed to spark one’s imagination and stimulate the senses.

We hope you’ve been inspired by our cosy nooks and niches and feel ready to create your own charming retreats.

This Junior Loft Suite at Covent Garden Hotel is full of eccentricities. Utilising the architectural wooden beams, we designed a beautiful corona tester that drapes around the head of the bed to create a cosseted space. You can’t help but want to nestle into this bed! It’s regal and romantic, but also cosy. The turreted window also creates a charming space where our guests can sit and watch the world go by.

We love a study area and nooks can be used to create a focused zone that can inspire and delight. In Apartment 22 at One Denman Place we used our fabulous Ozone for Christopher Farr wallpaper for its geometric boldness. Paired alongside the calming blue kitchen it makes a fun contrast that adds a sense of playfulness. If in doubt, always dare to go big and bright.