The Newman Hotel

In 2021, the newly established hospitality group Kinsfolk & Co approached us to lead the design of The Newman, a 81-bedroom contemporary boutique hotel located on its namesake Newman Street in London’s vibrant Fitzrovia district. The interiors seamlessly blend Victorian nuances with Art Deco elements, featuring rich wood tones, muted hues of deep burnt red and green and polishes of stainless steel.

One particularly striking design feature includes bathroom custom-tiling and stone-carved vanities inspired by a photographic study of local Victorian glazed brick façades and bubble balconies, balanced alongside guest room curves that echo the expressive pen strokes of historic illustrators.

This design elegantly merges the historic, discreet eccentricity and bohemian spirit of the area with the dynamic, contemporary urban fabric of London. Spanning from street level to subterranean spaces, the hotel features Brasserie Angelica, a buzzy all-day dining destination with a graphic monochrome palette; Gambit Bar, a hidden underground den characterised by the fractured geometries of the Vorticist art movement ; and an entire wellness floor warmly styled around the textures and tones of the Swedish Grace movement. The hotel is crowned by a standout Penthouse Suite featuring an expansive private terrace with sweeping views over the Central London skyline.

Art and local history play a pivotal role in defining the hotel’s character. A curated selection of works and design prints pay direct tribute to the intellectually curious and rebellious figures who made Fitzrovia their home during its golden bohemian years from the 1920s to the 1950s – including literary maverick George Orwell, occultist Aleister Crowley, furniture designer Gerald Summers and Fitzrovia’s bohemian queen, Nancy Cunard, whose iconic bangles and polka dots are subtly woven into the hotel’s visual narrative.