Kimpton Fitzroy London has unveiled a glamorous redesign of its ground floor, spanning the lobby and reception through to Fitz’s Brasserie, The Parlour, The Snug and seasonal Summer Terrace.
The transformation brings a new energy to the Bloomsbury hotel’s interiors, evolving the lobby into a vibrant destination in its own right. Alongside the landmark 19th-century tiled zodiac floor, intimate seating nooks now surround the grand staircase, with the redesign reflecting a wider shift within hospitality towards hotels as third spaces.
Inspired by the building’s historic architecture and Bloomsbury’s creative heritage, the transformation introduces bespoke furniture, banquette seating, antiques and layered materials that bring warmth and tactility to the hotel’s public spaces.
Materiality and colour are used to define each space. The entrance lobby features warm reds, yellows and greens, alongside mohair, distressed brass, rich timber and softly shaped upholstery. The Snug uses deeper reds, rich timbers and textured upholstery, creating a more intimate, residential atmosphere rooted in the building’s original character.
The redesign of Fitz’s Brasserie is inspired by one of the building’s historical connections. Kimpton Fitzroy London’s architect, Charles Fitzroy Doll, was also commissioned to design the First Class dining room aboard the RMS Titanic, which is said to have been an exact replica of the dining room found within the hotel.
The redesigned space pays homage to this heritage, blending the grandeur of the original interiors with a fresh contemporary feel. Rich colours, elegant detailing and carefully chosen finishes celebrate the building’s past while ensuring the space feels just as relevant today as it did over a century ago.
“The overall vision was to create a feeling of relaxed luxury throughout the ground floor,” comments interior designer Emily Gunning. “The building itself was the starting point. With a hotel like Kimpton Fitzroy London, it was important to let the history and architecture guide the design, so the scheme feels as though it belongs rather than competes with it. Bloomsbury’s creative history was also a key reference, particularly the spirit of the Bloomsbury Group; layered, eclectic and lived-in. The furniture draws on Art Deco and Mid-Century influences, with curved upholstery, dark timber, brass detailing and rich fabrics helping the spaces feel rooted in the building, while still feeling fresh and contemporary.”
