Steeped in History
Oozing art deco glamour, Harrods tea salon The Georgian has a sumptuous new look
The incomparable Harrods had humble beginnings, with Charles Henry Harrod opening first a drapery and then a grocer’s in Regency London. Tea was in an initial speciality, and remains so – with afternoon tea at the fabled department store a must-do for lovers of luxury. The afternoon tea salon, The Georgian (which now transforms into a restaurant serving British classics by night) has recently had a glittering rebirth at the hands of David Collins Studio – with many products from the showrooms helping to create its dashingly theatrical atmosphere.
“We were tasked with paying homage to its rich past as a tea retailer and the glamour and theatricality of the original restaurant, drawing on its art deco heritage and splendour,” says David Collins Studio’ chief creative officer Simon Rawlings. The Grade-II listed room dates back to 1911, with 1928 updates that put it at the height of chic for the age, including crystal chandeliers, a curved coffered ceiling and ornamental wrought ironwork. These have been beautifully restored, with the studio then adding new layers of sumptuousness that speak of the timelessness of deco’s design language.
There’s a theatricality and sense of performance to the dining experience – whether that’s created by the luxuriously heavyweight curtains (made from Gastón y Daniela’s ‘Castilla Bereneja’ jacquard, available from Elitis, and secured with a lavish Samuel & Sons’ ‘Aurelia’ double tassel tieback) or the “servers promenading trolleys around the room with exacting precision,” says Rawlings. The studio designed a beautiful monochromatic radial marble floor spotted with polka-dots, which traces the walkway for service that echoes the shape of the coffered ceiling above; diners are placed in generous banquettes at the perimeter or at the centre under the coffered ceiling.
There’s a tonal theme to the colour scheme, with shades of purple and mauve – pleated mauve satin drapery, booths upholstered in a rich purple velvet and a purple carpet underfoot. An intimate bar reclaimed from back-of-house storage is now topped with richly veined calacatta viola marble. Rawlings says that the palette “is traditionally associated with refinery, pageantry and royalty, and felt perfectly fitting for this historic space. Our vision was to deliver a refined colour story through a rich materials palette that would each bring their own patina, depth and character.” Many of the fabrics were sourced from the Design Centre’s showrooms, including Elitis, Dedar, Lelièvre Paris and Rubelli, with trimmings from Turnell & Gigon giving a finishing touch to the lamps.
Lighting is hugely important (as it was in art deco’s heyday, when electric lighting was something new to be celebrated) and there are lots of twinkly reflective surfaces, from the original columns – now silver-leafed – to the moiré walls and the cornice made up of hundreds of rectangular bevelled mirrors that glitter like art deco Cartier diamonds. Supplementing the original restored chandeliers, “we introduced a canopy of 25 crystal chandeliers which hang around the original ceiling with its striking curved coffer,” says Rawlings; these light fittings are suspended from cloud-like bowl shapes wrapped in fabric, which themselves are internally illuminated. “The restaurant is infused with the most wonderful, delicate fairytale-like glow from day to night,” says Rawlings.
The room’s skilful play of colour and materials, backed by the beautifully restored period features, is wonderfully seductive – but as with all successful hospitality spaces, the less visible interventions are what round off a perfect experience for diners. The careful layout creates an elegant flow, balancing open sightlines with architectural punctuation-marks such as the scalloped banquettes in the central seating area. And the palette of materials “is not only visually striking, but also practical,” says Rawlings. “The rich velvet curtains, carpet and leather upholstery absorb sound, a perfect way to ensure an excellent acoustic balance and allow the daily live music performances to take centre stage.”
Dedar, Ground Floor, Design Centre East
Elitis, First Floor, North Dome
Lelièvre Paris, First Floor, North & Centre Domes
Rubelli, Ground Floor, Design Centre East
Samuel & Sons, Third Floor, Centre Dome
Turnell & Gigon, Ground Floor, North Dome
