‘Fantasy Duality’ from Areen Hospitality featuring Axor Citterio E

Areen Hospitality is one of five esteemed interior design practices who are finalists in this year’s Sleep Set competition at the Sleep Event, 24-25th November, Business Design Centre in Islington, London. Using a common theme in fairy tales of transportation to another realm, the hotel room design from Areen communicates two overlapping worlds offering the guest different sensory experiences. Andrew Linwood, Head of Areen Hospitality Design, comments. “We want to try and change people’s expectations as they walk through our sleep set room. We therefore started to focus on a theme of duality, reflecting the idea that things are not always what they seem in fairytales.“

Axor Citterio E from Hansgrohe SE is the collection chosen for the bathroom along with Axor Universal Accessories, all in polished black chrome finish to create dark contrasts.

Out of this World

Four designers from Areen have collaborated on the scheme for Sleep. Eugenia Rolando comments that all team members, Balkaran Bassan, Ida Isaksson and Jolanta Kurpniece were very enthusiastic with the project. They describe the process as “very enjoyable due to the freedom provided by the brief”. Experts in international hotel design, the country and culture in which the project is set usually plays a key role in the brief. “This concept has no country and no culture. It could be anywhere in the world as long as it exists within the realm of fairy tale and wonder. We are very adept at working with context and so we explored the culture of the fairy tale.”

Two Become One

Central to the design scheme is two worlds and two spaces offering different sensory experiences. This is communicated through contrast in materials and also colour; the two worlds also determine furniture finishes, lighting and textures - “We create an experiential feel, the layout is not traditional. There is a feeling of moving through the different areas."

The bathroom has an architectural feel and has elements of fantasy and the two worlds, but could also function in a real build situation. This is also true of the bathroom where all the items specified from Axor and other suppliers are practical and functional. “It is a 4-piece design, but with a twist. A couple of the items are bespoke and combined. Axor Citterio E is stylish and functional which fits with the strong lines of the room. It has no decorative embellishment or flourishes, but the product still has a striking look.”

A Deliverable Concept

Areen’s proposal for the Sleep Set is different but also achievable. “It would be easy to produce something that could never be produced! Our challenge was to create a functional room that could be picked up by the market.” Products within the room that are designed to be used by guests on a frequent and continual basis clearly play an important role in this. “We specify Axor because they are very good quality and the functionality is excellent.”

The winning design will be announced in the Sleep Bar on 24th November at 7pm. The Areen team hopes that lots of people who visit Sleep will come to look and enjoy their design which is just now receiving its final finishing touches.