Behind The Scenes At The Twenty Two: Natalia Miyar On What It Takes To Be A Hotel Designer

When The Twenty Two, an opulent hotel and private members’ club, opened in Grosvenor Square earlier this year [May 2022], it positively shimmered with glamour. It was all down to renowned architectural designer Natalia Miyar, in what was her first hotel project. Here, exclusively for Forbes, she talks about what it means to design a landmark building.

As your first hotel project, did you approach this differently to a residential project?

Absolutely. I’ve always been interested in designing a hotel, but felt I wanted to wait for the right moment. When that opportunity did finally present itself, I knew immediately that this represented something completely unique. It was unlike any previous project, not least due to the sheer scale of the proposition: a 31 bedroom hotel, restaurant and members’ club in one of London’s most prestigious locations. So, to make it manageable, I decided to think of it as the manor house that it originally was – it was once a five-storey, Grade II listed, family home – and I gave the various spaces their own unique personalities.

I would say the most similar aspect of the design of this hotel to that of a residential project was the collaborative element between myself and proprietor Navid Mirtorabi. I felt like my creativity could run wild, while delivering on Navid’s singular vision – of a hotel that would feel like a sumptuous hideaway for the creative and curious, in the midst of Mayfair. I am very pleased with what we have created.

What was your starting point?

The Twenty Two is an Edwardian Grade II listed building on Grosvenor Square, it recalls the buildings you find on Avenue de Montagne in Paris – that grandeur and elegance, with layers of history. The extraordinary exterior is the first impression guests have of The Twenty Two and it was important that this same grandiose feeling continued inside. This is what informed the design inspiration for the interiors: we chose to mix 18th and 19th century classical French details, but with a modern twist.

How would you sum up the interiors at The Twenty Two?

We wanted to highlight a sense of luxurious informality in the hotel space. We did this largely through the material choices and textures which then set the tone for the hotel’s mood. With the hotel carrying themes of 18th century and Napoleonic influences throughout, materials and colours were an essential part of showcasing these characteristics of classic French décor combined with modern Mayfair.

What is your favourite bedroom in the hotel?

The bedrooms are a modern interpretation of glamorous 18th century Parisienne style – lots of rich palettes, sumptuous drapery, patterned papers and passementerie [decorative trimming] – each are unique and decorated in fine bespoke furnishings. I especially love the eaves bedrooms, where I applied the same pattern to virtually every surface, for a contemporary take on classical French décor.

The rooms are rich in colour and texture – can you tell us more about your inspiration?

It was important to me that we focused on materiality to help create Navid’s vision for the hotel. It is aimed at a relaxed and vibrant clientele: so you will find rich inviting velvets, piping and fringe, vintage crystal chandeliers and bevelled mirrors’ and on top of this we opted for saturated colour themes. By juxtaposing classical design elements with luxurious materials, like velvets, and fringe in distinctive, bold colours we imbued the space with exuberance and energy. I had so much fun shopping at the Paris Flea Market for vintage artworks, furniture, and other objects to make each space a truly unique experience. The overall effect is fun and memorable without taking itself too seriously.

In terms of public spaces, each has its own personality – can you tell us more about your thinking behind some of those areas?

Every room was designed to create a sense of flow and cohesion throughout the hotel, so in that respect, the approach to the members’ areas didn’t change. We viewed the project as a whole experience rather than isolated pieces, and chose to accent this with signature touches which can be seen across the hotel. Some areas of the members’ club are designed for evening only, so while they serve a different purpose, it didn’t make sense to change the style or material palette. We wanted the experience at The Twenty Two to be universal for guests and members, and to allow everyone to benefit from the same level of bespoke detailing, quality and style.

Were you inspired by other hotels or historic houses?

In the early design stages. I visited Chateau de Malmaison, home of Joséphine Bonaparte, and I also looked to Christian Dior’s opulent Parisian apartment. In particular, the black and white cabochon marble floor in the lobby was influenced by the classical elegance of the French Empire.

What are hotel ‘musts’ for you – in terms of when you were designing for The Twenty Two?

The 19th Century paneling is a classic detail that we used throughout the hotel, to help reflect the grand nature of the exterior. Design signatures, such as pouffes and club chairs, reappear in different spaces and help to continue that sense of cohesion between the private and public areas.

Tell us about some of the special bespoke pieces – wallpaper/ fabrics/ lighting – at the hotel?

Decorative arts specialist Fromental collaborated on the hand-painted wall coverings, that are framed by a decorative border within 19th century panels. The bedroom of the one-storey Mews House is adorned from wall to ceiling in bespoke wallpaper by Iksell. There is fabric to match, in order to achieve a tromp l’oeil effect.

The Heritage Suite takes its cue from exotic landscapes and faraway lands, with walls lined in a bespoke Moghul-inspired mosaic wallpaper, again by Iksell.

For the restaurant and private dining room, we used bespoke whimsical chandeliers in cadets of handblown blue glass, designed in collaboration with bespoke lighting specialist Tyson, a skilled British craftsman who made them in his Sussex workshop. We also had specially commissioned passementerie by Samuel & Sons and Les Passementeries de Iîle de France. Working with a trusted selection of decorative specialists and artisans was very both inspiring and fulfilling.

Finally, you have also launched a new wallpaper collection with Fromental, which is inspired by your Cuban background. Has Cuba influenced you in terms of your design career?

My style is influenced by my surroundings – my interiors are founded on a deep understanding of space stemming from my architectural background – as well as my cultural heritage and an intuitive love of colour, craft, art and beauty. Colour plays a key part in my work, it helps to anchor a project with an individual identity and sense of place.

In Cuba, you can wander around and see old colonial buildings alongside houses with incredible colourful combinations. Then you have the art scene, the people and food, which all have an influence on me when I’m there. I’m an avid Cuban art collector and my parents definitely got me into that, so I grew up feeling inspired by colours seen in the lush greenery, the sky and the ocean, the people.

The initial spark for the Ambia wallcovering collection was drawn from renowned Cuban painter, and master of cubism and surrealism, Wifredo Lam’s strikingly coloured painting, La Jungla. It’s Lam’s best-known piece, and is widely revered as a critical painting in the history of Latin American art and 20th-century modernism. This collection is in some ways a love letter to my Cuban heritage.

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Fromenthal x Natalia Miyer