With light passing through in a variety of ways, transparent items bring unique character to any space. Join us as we share some examples from around our hotels…

Here in the lobby at Covent Garden Hotel, this unique conversation bench doubles as a planter. Its transparent cane back creates an elongated and artistic appearance. This extraordinary bench makes a great spot to wait for friends before enjoying a meal at Brasserie Max!

Adding a transparent top is an innovative way to transform an object into a functional table. Occasionally we use this technique to create coffee tables. At The Whitby Hotel and Covent Garden Hotel, you’ll find nineteenth century Indian doors have been turned into coffee tables, with transparent glass tops to protect the ancient wood.

Here in Refuel Bar at The Soho Hotel, we have encased toy vehicles in transparent boxes to celebrate the history of the hotel’s site – a former car garage.

We love bringing together traditional and contemporary materials in our designs and a great example of this is our touches of Perspex throughout the hotels. From lamps to table legs, this material is a great way to introduce bold and playful colour.

Using Perspex to encase found objects is a great way to display something of sentimental value as we have done here in the Library at The Soho Hotel. This collection of vintage playing cards makes a cheerful decorative sculpture.

Adding a painted frame border to a shadow box with a transparent front makes a fun art piece. These embroidered plush animals take the spotlight!

The way light transfers through a material’s depth can affect the mood and ambience of a space. Alabaster shell is a translucent material which can be used to create a calming atmosphere through lighting.

Here in The Whitby Bar’s Orangery,  you’ll find a beautifully crafted alabaster shell chandelier. It lights the space alongside the natural daylight.

One of our favourite artworks which pays an ode to transparency are these light shell figures. Lit from behind, they bring a layer of texture to The Soho Hotel’s Refuel Restaurant.

Transparency can also be used through architecture to create divisions in a space. In our Richmond Buildings project, we’ve achieved this through Crittall doors. For more ideas, find our blog post: How to Set Clear Boundaries with Crittall Windows.

We hope we’ve inspired you to incorporate transparent elements into your own spaces. Explore further with our blog post: Perky Perspex!