Architectural lighting design for the Octagon Bar at the prestigious Sopwell House Hotel in Hertfordshire
SECTOR
HOSPITALITY
LOCATION
Hertfordshire, UK
Project Brief
Detail Lighting was appointed by AB Hotels to design a lighting scheme that would emulate the tone and character of the stylish cocktail bar of the group’s Sopwell House spa hotel.
Sopwell House is a 127 room, luxury hotel in St Albans, Hertfordshire. Offering ‘sophisticated facilities and services’, Sopwell House is a Georgian property set in 12 acres of countryside. It has a rich history as a stately home dating back to the early 1600s until it was converted into a hotel in 1969. These historical and architectural details of the hotel influenced our lighting scheme designs.
Detail Lighting has worked with AB Hotels for over 10 years, helping to bring their vision of luxury and opulence to life, paying attention to the finest of details to achieve the required air of comfortable refinement.
The Octagon Bar is a relaxed, luxurious cocktail bar with stylish leather bar stools, a stunning marble topped bar with vintage glass backdrop, and a mixed range of comfortable seating, soft furnishings and decorative pieces. There are French doors to the side of the bar, with views of the lawns, that bring natural light into the space.
For this project we were asked to use our expertise and experience of working with the client on multiple projects, to design a layered lighting scheme of ambient, accent and task lighting. The focus was on creating a bijou, opulent setting for all times of day and night, using natural daylight and lighting fixtures that would highlight architectural elements and create different spaces within the room.
Development
We worked in careful coordination with AB Hotels, design consultants Sparc Studio and the joinery firm appointed to the project, to provide technical lighting designs that supported the expected outcomes of the refurbishment.
Corona Pro round, recessed dark-light downlights were installed in ceilings with a warm 2700K colour rating. This colour temperature was chosen due to the warmer hues of oranges and yellows it emits. The Corona Pro’s adjustable 20 degree tilt allowed for highlighting different features in the room, and its discreet, anti-glare look was in keeping with the elegance of the bar.
We chose the Volans Aston ‘side lit’ sealed, linear flexi LED lighting for joinery elements and the bar. The Volans Aston is cut to required lengths and emits subtle non-directional light that accentuates architectural and joinery features.
For the curved bar and banquette we decided to mock up the design first, rather than go straight to installation. This is how we used our expertise, and experience with this client, to test the design, identify any potential issues and ensure we were meeting the brief.
Outcome
On this project, we were particularly pleased with the finish of the bookcases and waiters’ stations where we installed the Volans Aston linear LED lighting. The LED strips were inch perfect and avoided shadowing and dark spots.
Mocking up the lighting for the curved bar and banquette paid dividends. Being such a focal point of the room, it was essential that our lighting design was effective in accentuating the unique detail of the curved bar. The end result is stunning, and features in the main image of The Octagon Bar’s web page.
We were very happy to be asked to work with AB Hotels again. The collaboration with the designer and joinery firm was instrumental in achieving the desired vision. The client was delighted with the results and we hope to be involved in future lighting design projects for the group.
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Detail Lighting works with interior designers, architects and contractors to create exceptional lighting schemes for a wide range of projects. Get in touch to find out how we can work together.