THE WOLSELEY: A LUNCH WITH SMALLWOOD ARCHITECTS
WOOLF were invited to a most elegant and refined lunch by Smallwood Architects in the Wolseley’s private dining room which overlooks the chic restaurant and bar below. It is without doubt one of our most treasured restaurant spots in London. This is a very special building with a great history and provenance. The design is inspiring both in the detail and in the overall setting. It is luxurious and opulent yet understated and very chic.
A fascinating history lies behind the iconic building of 160 Piccadilly. Combining British heritage with European grandeur, one of London’s most respected and timeless café-restaurants. Explore WOOLF commercial projects.
The Wolseley is a restaurant located at 160 Piccadilly in London, England, next to the Ritz Hotel. Designed by the architect William Curtis Green, the Grade II* listed building was erected by Wolseley Motors in 1921 as their regional offices with a ground floor showroom. The ground floor was occupied by a branch of Barclays Bank between 1927 and 1999. It was a Chinese restaurant for a couple of years then reopened in 2003 as an upscale European restaurant after renovation by British restaurateurs Chris Corbin and Jeremy King.
THE HISTORY Of THE WOLSELEY MOTORS
The Wolseley Motors showroom was built In 1921 by the English architect, William Curtis Green. He was commissioned to design a prestigious car showroom at the site of 160 Piccadilly. He drew on Venetian and Florentine influences, adding Eastern exotic touches which were fashionable at the time to create a modern deco building. The six-storey building was commissioned as part of the Vickers engineering group, drawing inspiration from a recently constructed bank building, Curtis Green had seen in Boston, Massachusetts. The building features an interior, decorated with lavish marble pillars and archways. Wolseley Motors lost its long-term leadership of the British car industry in the early 1920s and fell into receivership in 1926. The Wolseley showroom was sold in June 1926.
ARCHITECTURE & DECORATION
When the building opened in 1921, elevations to both Arlington Street and Piccadilly were faced with Portland stone. Wolseley's car showroom occupied the entire ground floor. The interior walls were of polished Portland stone with blue York stone dressings, and the floor laid with white and black marble in intricate geometric designs, which remain today.
The ceiling consisted of nine domes supported by Doric columns finished in red Japanese lacquer. Red, black and gold lacquer were also used on the doors, screens and wall panels. Lighting was provided by elaborate bronze pendants and concealed lamps which threw their rays into the domes to be reflected to the floor. Apart from covering the red lacquer columns with a black wrapping, the present interior remains very close to the original designs of William Curtis Green.
THE BANK
Barclays Bank took over the site and their new branch opened in the spring of 1927. Green was called upon once again to construct a banking counter and managers’ offices either side of the main entrance, which today serve as the bar and tea salon. He also continued to design furniture and fittings with Japanese lacquer as a nod to the popularity of Eastern influences at the time. Green incorporated marble pillars and archways with Venetian and Florentine-inspired details, making for a grand and impressive building befitting of the company’s ambitions. Explore WOOLF commercial projects.
THE WOLSELEY
It was in July 2003 that restaurateurs Chris Corbin and Jeremy King came to acquire the building. A sympathetic restoration and renovation process was overseen by David Collins Architects, who said of the project,
“Now older and aged with a dignified elegance. The Wolseley stands as a powerful testimony to the prudence of investment in quality. The restaurant has become a byword for dramatic and impeccable hospitality, for timeless comfort food and for the charm of ceremony and occasion. Equally, it has become a benchmark for the long-term returns on intelligent investment. The Wolseley, although it would never itself boast, is a defining example of the true meaning of value, never to be confused with cheap or low cost. Value is the complex convergence of fiscal cost, integrity, quality of product and service, and confident, astute long range commercial worth.
The weightiest accolade to offer The Wolseley is that it is genuinely difficult to now imagine a London without it. Fortunately, it would seem unlikely to be a real dilemma for the foreseeable future. In an era of concepts and trends which last as long as the filament bulb which illuminates it, there is a solid pleasure in the permanent allure of an establishment which simply performs a tradition to the highest possible standard to a devoted and extremely diverse coterie.” Explore WOOLF commercial projects.
Testament to the longevity of Green’s vision however, many aspects of his original design, such as the domed ceiling and monochrome geometric marble flooring, are still on view today.
Since its opening it has operated as an all-day café in the "Grand European" style. It has received numerous accolades, including Harper & Moet's Restaurant of the Year 2004, The Observer's Best Breakfast 2005 and 2009, Tatler's Restaurant of the Year 2007 and Zagat's Favourite Restaurant 2012 and 2013. The legendary restaurant critic A.A. Gill wrote the book 'Breakfast at The Wolseley. The Wolseley has consistently been among London's most profitable restaurants.
The restaurant and bar are always full and there are usually a number of tourists having a cream tea at any one time. This extraordinary building is always busy no matter what time of day you drop in, yet the space is very peaceful. Explore WOOLF commercial projects.
The interior architecture is incredibly detailed from the high gloss lacquered Chinese inspired gold joinery to the refined detailed metal work. Geometric tile work and gorgeous bathroom accessories add opulence to this beautiful building and interior . The whole space is opulent yet restrained.
Discover The Art of Afternoon Tea at The Wolseley with Jeremy King OBE, Co-Founder and CEO of Corbin & King, The Wolseley who derives his inspiration from literature “the best design does not shout for attention, but will withstand scrutiny “
