This gentleman's dressing room is among the finest, most sophisticated, completely resolved spaces we have ever built. The lobby of the Connaught Hotel in London inspired the finish intent and feel of this museum-quality space. A collaborative effort resulting in several meetings among the architect, interior designer, client, cabinet maker, and finisher defined, refined, and perfected every detail.
The eye is immediately drawn to the amber English antique bureau that protects the crotch mahogany paneling in the background. A closer look at the paneling reveals a depth and reflective quality usually only seen in the finest, most sophisticated furniture. To achieve this quality, the cabinet maker meticulously selects the rarest veneers, which are sequenced and then laminated to the most stable substrates. The panels are then joined to 6" solid mahogany stile and rail frames with period panel moldings and cove returns. The resulting fabrication creates a raised paneled wall which joins to adjacent cabinetry by two matching doors which enter the room. Following fabrication and installation, twenty coats of French polish are expertly applied through a most labor-intensive process of sanding, staining, finishing, and polishing coat after coat after coat. This most intriguing space evokes a sense of rarity and beauty.
