The Library at Knightsbridge Hotel

Tucked away on a leafy West London street is one of our three townhouses, Knightsbridge Hotel. Just a short walk from the V&A museum in one direction or from Harrods in the other, you will find our colourful Knightsbridge Library with a warming fire and cosy furnishings, whether you want to while away an hour, an evening or even a few weeks.

Stepping into this space you instantly feel a warm burst of calm, and not just because the fire is crackling in the hearth this time of year.

Whilst there is much detail in this room, the timeless scheme is influenced by the primaries – reds, yellows and blues. From here, the scheme has developed. The walls are lined in our signature way with fabric in a deep terracotta red. We have installed bookshelves with beautifully old bound books, their gold stamped titles gleaming from each spine and all with a hundred stories.

The pelmeted curtains are in Peter Dunham’s Samarkand fabric, where swathes of paisleys sweep across the linen back cloth. We have trimmed these in a tiny brass beads which really adds to the dance.

Two armchairs sit directly opposite the fireplace in a Carolina Irving fabric, trimmed in a raspberry red thick cord. The cord wraps around the top lip of the chair like a little woven worm. In front of the fire is a fender in bright lemon yellow. People often think fenders are dated but we urge you to use them on all possible occasions. They are a great opportunity to use a really bold fabric or colour as we have done here.

Above the fireplace is abstract painting by John Illsley, the bass guitarist and one of the founding members of Dire Straits, now a well-regarded modern painter in his own right. On Monday 23rd March, John Illsley will join us at Ham Yard Hotel for an evening of memories and music in aid of charity, Heritage of London Trust. CLICK HERE if you would like to purchase tickets.

Two large statement sofas sit in front of the crackling fire – perfect for curling up in front of this time of year, with an afternoon tea or an evening supper. The fabric is a brilliant weave in a powdery blue deconstructed check. Lining the floor is a fantastic woven rug which we designed especially to bring in the reds and blues from the scheme.

Statement lampshades are a great way to add an extra pop of colour, and where better to use them than somewhere you are both relaxing and entertaining. We love finding old silks and gathering them into pleated lampshades like these ones here.

In all of our hotels you will find an honesty bar. It’s something that really makes it feel like home, so our guests can help themselves to a glass of wine or an evening cocktail.  There’s nothing more important to us than feeling at home.