Green Room
The Curtain hotel and members club, one of the most anticipated openings of 2017, has celebrated its first birthday with the opening of a new world class cocktail bar.
Green Room opened on the 24th May and is headed up by The Curtain’s Director of Beverage, Jenny Willing. Based in East London herself, the cocktail menu reflects Jenny’s experiences of the area, using local products such as East London Liquor Company Rum, Land Chocolate, London Turmeric Honey and E5 Bakery sourdough as cocktail ingredients.
The drinks themselves are inspired by her favourite places in the area, with the delicate, floral MaBelle inspired by a walled rose garden in Victoria Park and Rough Trade, a vibrant tiki-style drink with a Bangladeshi twist inspired by Brick Lane. A small menu of seasonal bar snacks is also available, designed to work as the perfect drinking food alongside the cocktails.
Green Room has taken over the space occupied by The Curtain’s taqueria, Tienda Roosteria. A new interior look has been created by design studio Eleanor Horwell Design, who worked alongside the hotel’s creative director Olivier Weppe. Eleanor Horwell Design had previously worked on the Curtain’s lobby before being asked to design the new bar.
“The brief was that they wanted a fantastic cocktail bar, a proper hotel bar. The Curtain is owned by a New York company and when I’ve been to New York, the hotels have these fantastic bars but I don’t it’s as much of a thing in London,” said Ellie, who founded Eleanor Horwell Design in 2006. “That’s what The Curtain really needed! The idea is that if you’re staying at the hotel you have somewhere to hang out but it’s also a destination for people to come to, even if they’re not staying at the hotel.
“The design highlight I would say is the whole sweep of banquette seating that goes along the window wall. It’s the absolutely key feature of the place. There are two enclosed banquette areas where people can have a more private place to sit and then there’s a snake of seating along the window wall. This makes for a nice, open space and we’re hoping the middle will be somewhere people stand around, drink and maybe dance.”
The rest of Green Room’s design takes a great deal of inspiration from its surroundings, including striking locally-made artworks and a custom-made neon centrepiece that hangs above the bar.
The hotel’s Managing Director Elli Jafari commented:
“Green Room is the natural evolution of The Curtain as a Five Star hotel in Shoreditch. Since opening we have watched and we have listened, and it’s become clear that the thing our guests crave most is somewhere stylish and luxurious to enjoy an expertly-crafted cocktail. This is the new generation of hotel bar, and Jenny’s new menu is going to propel our drinks offering to the next level.”
Ellie added:
“It’s been absolutely amazing. I’ve loved thinking about how people will be using the space and I think it’s a great addition to the area. It’s an area I know really well and to be able to create this amazing space is really exciting.”
The Curtain – a restaurant, hotel and members club – is the first European venture from New York hotelier Michael Achenbaum, which launched in Shoreditch in May 2017. Located on Curtain Road, The Curtain has infused the area with a breath of new creative energy. In addition to its 120 luxurious guest rooms and suites, the members club is a place to work, network, play, learn and explore, facilitating both professional encounters and for those times when work needs to take a back seat.
Martyn Elmes Upholstery
Martyn Elmes Upholstery specialise in all aspects of upholstery, from contract to domestic works. The company was established in 1982 and has been involved with a range of prestigious projects, including work at The Royal Opera House.
Martyn Elmes Upholstery is currently working with Bill Amberg Studios on projects for The Royal Academy of Art and the Painted Hall, Greenwich. Most recently, the company has provided the upholstery at The Green Room – a new world class cocktail bar at The Curtain hotel.
Martyn Elmes, said:
“At Martyn Elmes Upholstery, we pride ourselves on our attention to detail, fulfilling our client’s high demands and completing all work on time.”
