The Library at Ham Yard Hotel

Our much loved library at Ham Yard Hotel has had a mini makeover. The walls and curtains are unchanged, with our ‘Ozone’ fabric on the walls and our hand embroidered ‘Suzani’ design for Chelsea Textiles on the curtains. We couldn’t quite tear ourselves away from these fabrics just yet. However, we have reupholstered all of the furniture in some new and exciting designs.

As a library should be, this room is lined with books which creates a warm and inviting space, especially when it is carefully curated with an abundance of prize winning literature. We just love how the book spines spring to life against the peaceful smoky backdrop.

The scheme has a traditional English feel, with a fresh and contemporary edge. The high ceilings and large windows let a huge amount of natural light in. Although you are in the middle of Piccadilly, you feel so far removed from the hustle and bustle.

The two large sofas and armchairs have been recovered in ‘Chainstitch’ by Hazelton House which we have recently recoloured for them. The new colourway is a lovely warm oatmeal, with splashes of red, yellow and sky blue.

The scale of the pattern repeat is huge and the linen has such a luxurious heavy weight, giving it a wonderful drape but also making it incredibly durable for upholstery.

The artwork in this room is also very important. Above the fireplace hangs a painting by Joanna Carrington which depicts a reflection of a fisherman on a bridge in France. There is an abstract quality about this piece and it takes the viewer to another time.

The focal point of the room is the fireplace which creates a sense of symmetry in the scheme. We framed the fireplace with two antique armchairs which are covered in our ‘Lost and Found’ fabric. The blue dotted stripe complements the more whimsical fabric designs in the rest of the room.

The two Ikat lampshades pick up on the same hues as the Chainstitch fabric, only a much stronger and brighter dye. When these lights are on, the room exudes warmth and romance making it very hard to leave!

On the largest wall in the room is one of our favourite paintings, ‘Ploughing on the South Coast’ which was painted by Lucy Kemp Welch soon after the first World War.

The quirky ladder lamp introduces an element of craft, contrasting against the more traditional artwork and showing how art and craft can exist harmoniously.

In all the best libraries there should be a secret door leading you somewhere mischievous! In this case we have ‘Tim’s Snug’. This sliding door may look wooden, but in fact it is a paint effect by our specialist painter.

Our ‘Large Suzani’ design for Chelsea Textiles is used on the curtains and sofa scatter cushions. The design pairs beautifully with ‘Chainstitch’, picking out the mustard yellows and olive greens within the design.

In this little secret room there is a large honesty bar where we encourage guests to make themselves at home by fixing themselves a cocktail, coffee or nightcap.

This library really is a hidden gem and we hope you like this new and improved look as much as we do!