Guilty pleasure

Hammered brass adds glamour at the Gilt Champagne Lounge in London's swank Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel

Tucked between bustling Cadogan Place and Sloane Street in London is the luxurious Gilt Champagne Lounge within the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel. Sparkle is everywhere from the champagne glasses to the hammered brass floor. Cream-colored cowhide wall trim and strung-together screens of hand-blown Merano glass balls set against a backdrop of liquor-filled bottles set an upscale tone.

Inspired by the '40s, Inge Moore, designer of the lounge and associate director for the London office of Hirsch Bedner Associates, envisioned a flooring application with feminine curves. "Lines became more fluid and softer — curvier forms were used and we wanted the space to reflect that feel," Moore says.

Alvaro Ziani de Ferranti, managing and creative director of London-based flooring manufacturer De Ferranti, was approached to provide the flooring based upon Moore's vision. His selection of rich gold-colored brass planks from his Repoussage Collection was a natural choice. The collection includes parquet planks that come in a range of metals rather than traditional wood. From selections of German silver, copper, bronze, iron and copper, brass in particular was chosen and exclusively used throughout the Gilt Champagne Lounge. "Gilt, meaning gold, was a fitting name for the champagne bar with a fitting product — brass," de Ferranti says.

The name of the collection itself is borrowed from the metalworking technique that gives the parquet boards a contrasting, almost grain-like luster. Under the repoussage process, malleable metal is ornamented and shaped by hammering from the reverse side of the planks while it is heated over a constant, low heat. The metal briquettes, or planks, are also given a marine ply base that acts as a sturdy substrate. "Technically you are installing a wood floor," de Ferranti explains, adding that it was a surprisingly effortless installation. Even maintenance suits its commercial application — easier to uphold than stain-prone traditional hardwood, its tendency to tarnish with time is abated with periodic cleaning.

Glowing with a hue between amber and a soft buttery yellow, the floor holds its own among an impressive blend of decadent furnishings. Intimate leather banquettes and velvet mohair seats in deep brunette with gold accents are just a few items that sit atop the glimmering floor planks. Marble slabs adjacent to the planks and the solid brass doors acting as the entrance to the main bar complement the flooring.

For what started as a simple application, the flooring turned into a centerpiece of the lounge, contributing to the lively atmosphere that serves to both invite visitors and retain its patrons. The flooring exudes "opulence, decadence and warmth," de Ferranti says.

PHOTO (COLOR): Hammered brass flooring complements the elegant hues of the Gilt Champagne Lounge.

By Angela Malta

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