Ember Locke promises stays with a location-inspired splash of colour
Ember Locke, the lifestyle hospitality brand's sixth location in London, launches in Kensington and Chelsea in a splash of colour
Ember Locke is the luxury hospitality brand's sixth London outpost – and its most eye-catching yet. In west London’s high-end Kensington and Chelsea neighbourhood, the glamorous aparthotel company that redefines its genre has delivered standout interiors, spread across eight floors on the historic Cromwell Road.
The brand, whose past launches include Munich's WunderLocke aparthotel by Holloway Li and Buckle Street Studios in east London by New York City architecture studio Grzywinski+Pons, has established itself in a key position in its field, blending flexible services and a warm, domestic interior with a design-led approach to luxury hospitality.
Ember Locke: inspiration and creativity
Ember Locke was designed by creative and interior design studios Atelier Ochre and House of Dré. The collaborators drew inspiration from the local area (as do all the Locke venues), in particular the Kensington Roof Gardens and the 'laissez-faire flamboyance' of the iconic midcentury fashion brand Biba, which was created in Kensington.
The result is a wonderfully colourful interior that blends bold tones of red, orange and pink in a composition that feels at once sensual and cocooning. Meanwhile, the furniture populating the space blends art deco styles and 21st-century retro-futurism.
'We’re very excited to be opening our first property in west London, in an ideal neighbourhood for Locke. This part of west London has long captured the attention of leisure and business travellers alike – you have some of the city’s best museums and shopping locations on your doorstep and in the last few years the area has had a real spotlight on it, with some of the best restaurants in London opening here. With the buzzing neighbourhood of Notting Hill close by and tranquil Hyde Park moments away, we are excited for Ember Locke to open its doors for guests,' said Eric Jafari, chief development officer and creative director at Locke.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Rio Kobayashi’s new furniture bridges eras, shown alongside Fritz Rauh’s midcentury paintings at Blunk Space
Furniture designer Rio Kobayashi unveils a new series, informed by the paintings of midcentury artist Fritz Rauh, at California’s Blunk Space
By Ali Morris Published
-
New York restaurant Locanda Verde’s second outpost will transport you to a different time and place
Locanda Verde’s expansive new Hudson Yards osteria exudes a sophisticated yet intimate atmosphere overflowing with art treasures
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
LVMH watch week 2025: everything we know so far
Our guide to LVMH Watch Week 2025, taking place in New York and Paris, starting 21 January; keep an eye out for our updates
By James Gurney Published
-
London’s first all-suite hotel, The Emory, wins Wallpaper* Design Award 2025
The Emory earns our Best Suites award for flawlessly embodying the creative aesthetic of a host of world-class designers
By Lauren Ho Published
-
Wallpaper* Design Awards 2025: meet the travel winners transcending destinations
Discover the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2025 travel winners: the year’s places to stay, dine, drink and join
By Lauren Ho Published
-
Don’t Tell Dad: comfort eating is hot stuff at this new London bakery and restaurant
A bakery in the morning, a restaurant from lunchtime, Don’t Tell Dad is the talk of Queen’s Park
By Ben McCormack Published
-
Fine dining is plant-powered at this intimate east London restaurant
Chef Kirk Haworth’s Plates, designed by Design & That, thrives in its synergetic dialogue between people, nature and ingredients
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
The design-led restaurants to know in 2025
This year’s most read-about restaurant openings to inspire your 2025 cravings, from a playful diner in New York to an art-and-dining hub in Marrakech
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
The most whimsical hotel Christmas trees around the world
We round up the best hotel Christmas tree collaborations of the year, from an abstract take in Madrid to a heritage-rooted installation in Amsterdam
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Hyde London City, the perfect free-spirited bolthole
Hyde London City, the brand’s UK hotel debut, brings contagious energy and maximalism to a Victorian classic
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
The Park: step inside Jeremy King's mid-century diner
One of several 2024 openings from restauranteur, Jeremy King, food critic Ben McCormack books in at The Park
By Ben McCormack Published