A hybrid restaurant, spa, and hair salon, Linnaean is inspired by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus with a fresh and clean design evocative of a secret garden in London’s central Nine Elms neighborhood. “Linnaean responds to nature with its choice of materiality,” says Martin Brudnizki, founder of his New York- and London-based namesake firm, which collaborated on the design with local architect Holloway Li. “[It is] whimsical and relaxing and feels like a private garden-turned-wellness sanctuary.”

Warm pastel hues and natural materials like rattan, linen, terrazzo, and woven leather connect the various spaces. Upstairs treatment rooms echo the pale green and pink found in the hair salon and restaurant below, while wallpaper on the ceilings and walls envelopes guests in the space’s overall fecund aesthetic.

Pastel green and pink hues mark the treatment area

The restaurant is home to three commissioned drawings that recall Linnaeus’ work and a botanically infused pergola that blooms overhead, covering the light and airy space with a sumptuous crown. “The flow of the property feels organic and intuitive, meaning guests feel at ease and happy to navigate their way through each section,” he says. “We’ve focused on clean lines and soft finishes, so the ambiance is calm and not distracting.”

A timber-clad reception desk greets guests at the salon

This article originally appeared in HD’s March/April 2020 issue.