There is a new mood on the hedonist scene, away from shiny, overdesigned venues to something more appropriate for the times. You could call it “austerity chic,” but do not confuse it with cheap. It mirrors fashion:
The shift means that aggressive design and unnecessary accouterments, like tricky lighting walls, are definitely out. The Met Bar is no longer the desirable place it once was, and the glossy Buddha Bar went bust in May, less than two years after it opened. Instead the look is deconstructed, un-glossed and a little bit messy. While the aesthetic may change from place to place, the components favor the use of salvaged and “preloved”materials.
So what places are in London's crowd? Dalston Superstore gets an approval. It has a daytime cafe and rotating exhibitions, and I can vouch for its party scene. While East End dive bars have perfected the worn and recycled look for some time, it is now reaching the West End social scene. London’s new-wave-style bars are proudly rough around the edges. The Venetian tapas bar Polpo on Beak Street has tin roofing, secondhand crockery and manila menus that double as tablemats. The Swan & Edgar pub features used books for a bar, Scrabble tiles in the restrooms and The Financial Times for wallpaper. Callooh Callay on Rivington Street is even more flamboyant.
The new bar, opened by the ex-Lounge Lover manager Richard Wynne, is the love child of Lewis Carroll and C.S. Lewis. The flamboyantly decorated rooms are entered through a wardrobe, and the restrooms are decorated with old cassettes. South of the river, Britten recommends Shunt. This warehouse site is furnished with pickup trucks and H.G. Wells-esque machinery. The two-room 40 Winks hotel in Stepney Green may be short on amenities — you have to make your own tea — but its eclectic interiors are long on atmosphere.
Hotels are also adjusting to this new mood. Rough Luxe in Kings Cross combines peeling wallpaper and an informal atmosphere with a collection of art that includes works by Gilbert & George, among others. The low-amenity 40 Winks in Stepney Green started taking reservations after photographic crews asked to stay the night after location shoots. The Queen Anne town house is the home of the interior designer David Carter, and his eclectic collection of objets trouvés is whimsical and charming. There are only two rooms, and you have to make your own tea in the morning.
While the use of salvaged materials may check a few sustainability boxes, it is definitely not a cheap alternative. To get the look in London — be it an antique mantelpiece or religious artifact — head to Westland, Lassco or Alfies Antiques Market. These places know the value of their wares, and are not afraid to charge accordingly. But hurry, before the winds of fashion change.
“Purchasing a full catwalk look and outwardly spending lots of money is now considered vulgar and shows no inventiveness. In the same way, an interior that just looks expensive and like every other ‘trendy’ bar is just not good enough anymore. People enjoy spaces that show some personality and soul.”
The shift means that aggressive design and unnecessary accouterments, like tricky lighting walls, are definitely out. The Met Bar is no longer the desirable place it once was, and the glossy Buddha Bar went bust in May, less than two years after it opened. Instead the look is deconstructed, un-glossed and a little bit messy. While the aesthetic may change from place to place, the components favor the use of salvaged and “preloved”materials.
So what places are in London's crowd? Dalston Superstore gets an approval. It has a daytime cafe and rotating exhibitions, and I can vouch for its party scene. While East End dive bars have perfected the worn and recycled look for some time, it is now reaching the West End social scene. London’s new-wave-style bars are proudly rough around the edges. The Venetian tapas bar Polpo on Beak Street has tin roofing, secondhand crockery and manila menus that double as tablemats. The Swan & Edgar pub features used books for a bar, Scrabble tiles in the restrooms and The Financial Times for wallpaper. Callooh Callay on Rivington Street is even more flamboyant.
The new bar, opened by the ex-Lounge Lover manager Richard Wynne, is the love child of Lewis Carroll and C.S. Lewis. The flamboyantly decorated rooms are entered through a wardrobe, and the restrooms are decorated with old cassettes. South of the river, Britten recommends Shunt. This warehouse site is furnished with pickup trucks and H.G. Wells-esque machinery. The two-room 40 Winks hotel in Stepney Green may be short on amenities — you have to make your own tea — but its eclectic interiors are long on atmosphere.
Hotels are also adjusting to this new mood. Rough Luxe in Kings Cross combines peeling wallpaper and an informal atmosphere with a collection of art that includes works by Gilbert & George, among others. The low-amenity 40 Winks in Stepney Green started taking reservations after photographic crews asked to stay the night after location shoots. The Queen Anne town house is the home of the interior designer David Carter, and his eclectic collection of objets trouvés is whimsical and charming. There are only two rooms, and you have to make your own tea in the morning.
While the use of salvaged materials may check a few sustainability boxes, it is definitely not a cheap alternative. To get the look in London — be it an antique mantelpiece or religious artifact — head to Westland, Lassco or Alfies Antiques Market. These places know the value of their wares, and are not afraid to charge accordingly. But hurry, before the winds of fashion change.
“The look is spreading across London, and, like any trend, it is hard to predict how long the trend will last. One day we will wake up and think, ‘I don’t actually want to eat somewhere that looks like my Grandma’s living room.’”
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