exquisitely detailed stonework for an exceptional hotel
Jumeirah London, The Carlton Tower
Inlaid Calacatta and Moon Cream marble echo the design of the oval recessed ceiling above.
1508 London were chosen as the designers for the renovation of Jumeirah London, The Carlton Tower, the group’s European flagship hotel. The £100 million project used the designers’ experience of working in private residences to create a true feeling of being a “home from home”, using exquisite materials and fine craftsmanship for a sense of refined luxury.
stoneCIRCLE was commissioned by Beck Interiors to fabricate and install marble and porcelain throughout the public areas of the hotel, with attention to the finer details of the final appearance always uppermost in the team’s minds.
A Grand Entrance
The entrance hall features an oval domed recess in the ceiling, which has been precisely mirrored on the floor with an inlaid pattern of Calacatta and Moon Cream marbles, bordered with bronze. The stone was cut on the company’s waterjet machines, bonded and glued at the factory, using matching epoxy resin to render the joins invisible, and laid in large sections on site. Calacatta forms the rest of the floor and skirting with a rebated polished edge, with Moon Cream borders edged with bronze on the steps.
Calacatta was also used as cladding on the reveals and soffits of the entrances through to adjacent rooms and architraves and rebated panels of the lift surrounds. The reception and concierge desks were also in the same material, vein matched with inlaid bronze detailing.
Marble fluting on the curved ends of the patisserie unit
The public washrooms on the ground floor were clad in vein matched Cremo Delicato marble with the same marble on the floor. The vanity tops in the Ladies were fabricated in Cremo Delicato and fluting was carved into the front aprons.
Also on the ground floor, the bar area was fitted with Irish Green marble to the bar top and front, as well as the shelf area behind. Next to this is a fire surround in Fior di Bosco marble.
Nearby is a patisserie unit fabricated by the company in Calacatta with bronze inlay. The marble has been fluted and wrapped in one piece round the curved ends of the unit with a fluted apron at the base of the unit on both of the long sides. The marble is vein matched throughout and can be opened to allow access to the refrigeration unit within.
The main staircase which rises from the ground floor was clad with Fior di Bosco marble risers, treads and skirting with a bullnose edge.
The main staircase with risers, treads and skirting in Fior di Bosco marble
The vein matched Ivory Onyx reception desk
Onyx & Marble Spas
On the second floor, 600 x 600 mm porcelain floor tiles were installed throughout the reception and pool area, his and her steam rooms, saunas and treatment rooms.
Botticino Classico marble was used for the wall cladding and benches in the steam rooms and saunas, and for the pool changing rooms, and this was teamed with Ivory Onyx for the treatment room vanities.
The reception desk in Ivory Onyx took painstaking work to ensure that the veins matched exactly across the whole piece, including the drawers and doors which have been faced in the same material: a testament to the quality of stoneCIRCLE’s workmanship.
The pool itself had feature walls and hot tub clad in Silver Travertine. The travertine was vein matched across the whole width of the installation to stunning effect.
The steps leading up to the raised relaxation area above the pool were covered in the same porcelain tiles as the rest of the floor with a darker quartz anti-slip feature.
Veincut Silver Travertine wall cladding in the pool area
Porcelain with quartz anti slip detailing on the pool steps
Tundra Grey marble with inlaid bronze was the main material used for the stonework in the Peak Fitness club on the ninth and tenth floors, and this was used for the walkway leading to the entrance and the reception desk of the Fitness club as well as some floors inside. The treatment rooms and washrooms all had Tundra Grey vanities and wall cladding with porcelain floors. The only exceptions to this were the steam room and sauna which had sandblasted Botticino Classico wall cladding and benches.
Caesarstone Calacatta quartz was also used for window sills in the corridors and a buffet top in the restaurant on the 10th Floor.
A pleasure to work on
Jeff Vanhinsbergh, director at stoneCIRCLE, commented that “it is always a pleasure to work on a prestigious London hotel, as it means that our work is going to be seen and appreciated by many people.”
project details
client: Jumeirah Group
designers: 1508 London
contractor: Beck
materials: Calacatta, Moon Cream, Cremo Delicato, Irish Green, Fior di Bosco, Botticino Classico, Ivory Onyx, Silver Travertine, Tundra Grey, Caesarstone Calacatta quartz, porcelain
photography: Marco Joe Fazio