The Culpeper stands on a busy high street in London’s historic Spitalfields district. In 2014, architect Gareth Roberts and entrepreneur Nico Treguer came together to redesign this once neglected public house into an inspirational hospitality space, adding a restaurant and a rooftop farm to supply vegetables for the kitchen, where a subway-tiled bar sits inside a greenhouse. The concept marries localization and sustainability, influenced by both nature and industry in urban environments. “We developed a unique narrative for the design, which drew on the history of the building,” Roberts explains, “giving original features a new lease of life.” The result is a mix of brick walls and parquet floors juxtaposed with metal stools and several styles of wooden chairs.

The aesthetic is repeated upstairs in the five guestrooms. Local interior designer Mada Vicassiau came onboard to execute the concept, turning what was a stylish eatery into a chic place to stay. Here, a key feature is the walls, where the plaster has been left exposed, revealing flecks of old paint and wallpaper. “We didn’t know what we would find until we stripped back the walls,” Vicassiau says, adding those in one room were in bad condition, necessitating painting them white.

Scandinavian elements such as throws on the beds and Acapulco chairs with sheepskins soften the look, and many of the furnishings and accessories were sourced from East London artisans, including prints by artist Rebecca Salvadori. The headboards were made from locally grown wood, chopped to size and sanded. “The interior style marries two worlds,” Vicassiau explains. “It has both a rawness and a coziness that work beautifully together.”