Rooms with a View
As one of England’s first seaside resorts, Margate has a long and varied relationship with hospitality accommodation. Over the years, fluctuations in the number of tourists staying in town have led to the coming and going of many a hotel, guesthouse or BnB (today, more likely an Airbnb). Before the pandemic visitor numbers were steadily on the rise, and Margate’s varied sleeping spots were re-awakening as a result. No doubt when the lockdowns are finally lifted, tourists will come back to Margate - many of them to visit relatives and friends who live here. Thankfully, over lockdown, the creative spacemakers of the town have been busy designing some great new spots for them to stay.
Chromatic wonder
The Buoy and Oyster is a draw for locals and tourists - the balcony overlooking the Main Sands is a top spot for a cocktail and food, along with some of the best views in Margate. Those views are an enviable ingredient of their newly installed guestrooms on the floors above, although guests would be forgiven for focusing all their attention on the interior view alone. Newly formed Studio Margate has created spaces that fuse the glamour of Hollywood, the flamboyance of Memphis and the vibrancy of Margate’s own Dreamland amusement park. From pastel shades to pops of bold colour, round beds to scalloped arches, the newly created Margate Suites stand out proud.
“I knew we wanted to create something that would stand out from other coastal holiday lets, but I'm not as brave with my interior choices and wouldn't have known where to start to create this in a luxurious but fun way,” says Buoy and Oyster owner Nadine Morris. Her hopes for the spaces were made possible by the skill set of the all-female trio behind Studio Margate. The team is carpenter Elouise Farley, upholsterer Jessica du Preez and set designer Amy Exton, and their collaborative approach and daring creative style is what gave Morris the confidence to do something different with Margate Rooms. “As soon as Studio Margate showed us the digital renders, with their out-there bright and pastel colour palette, we were instantly drawn in by their vision and knew we were in safe hands.”
Period-style luxury
The newly transformed spaces above bar and restaurant the George & Heart underlines the importance of finding the right tradespeople when trying to make a big idea real. Owners Kelly Napoli and Dan Williams knew that they wanted to restore as much of the building’s original character, while adding to the charm of the “rustic-decadent” style they’d already established in the ground floor bar and restaurant. But were also aware that they’d have to adapt to the limitations of the grade II-listed building as they went along. With Williams project-managing as well as carrying out a lot of the ground work alongside numerous local trade professionals, the spaces were made ready for the designer touches.
Having enjoyed working with such a breadth of specialists, the pair recognised the town’s creative community were a resource to help them create extraordinary sleeping spaces: “We asked some of the people that we feel inspired by if they wanted to get involved by designing one of the rooms and they all jumped at the chance.” They include Amy Exton (again) and fellow local designer Whinnie Williams, as well as Mrs Jones (also known Fee Doran). Margate-based Burley and Field have applied their upcycling magic on second-hand furniture pieces including on furniture left by Napoli’s late grandfather Reggie, whose legacy lives on in the guest mini-bar named in honour of him. Each room is full of special touches and charming surprises which, as Napoli and Williams note, is testament to the collaborative spirit of the refit: “We’ve learnt a lot from each and everyone involved and you can feel the love that’s gone into the rooms. We like to think there is something for everyone.”
Stripped-back simplicity
Of course, being a designer yourself can certainly help when looking to rejuvenate a space, something that Natasha Lawless has drawn upon in the creation of Kindred House, which is currently partly completed. Being co-owner of Aqua Oleum, an award-winning aromatherapy natural skincare company, has also inspired the design choices of the two guest rooms currently available in the converted townhouse, with a clear focus placed on health and wellbeing.
“Kindred House is offered not only as a space to retreat to, but also to connect within as we invite our guests to be active participants in cultivating our community,” says Lawless, adding, “Our workshops and various events play a key role in the spirit of Kindred House, in crafting an environment that actively inspires and encourages connection, creativity and learning.
The house has been sensitively restored with an emphasis on natural materials, creating an atmosphere of calm and tranquillity. There is a subtle softness and warmth to the entire property, which encourages guests to unwind, slow down and relax.
This article was first published by Margate Mercury