I could have screamed hallelujah when I opened my hotel room and saw a designated workstation. It was aesthetically pleasing, functional, creative, and comfortable. The hotel designer of the new Brooklyn Hotel in Leicester City, Uk did an astounding job by applying an angular layout which divided the sleeping area from the work area, something that is most times just an afterthought, or a space-filler.
This room design was as clever as a house design with your garage next to the kitchen so that you can unpack your groceries straight from the car to your refrigerator or storage cupboards.
As a former hotelier, I have a keen eye for details and the serviceability of the items placed in rooms. Therefore, I appreciate a utilitarian design, with effective use of minimal space, and with cost-effective material that requires little maintenance. The designer has these concepts down pat.
The plan as seen in this photo was well thought out, from the direction of the door swing to having a solid structure for the closet on the supporting wall. with a sliding door. Therefore, if the guest is standing by the closet, there's ample space for the room door to be opened without risk of injury or jamming of two doors being opened at once.
The shelving unit which features a coffee station, mini-fridge, and safe was user-friendly, and logical, which brought orderliness to the room. Imagine that you were standing by the coffee station. See, on the left, there's free space for your feet so you can stand comfortably, and on the right, there is space next to the tray for guests to safely make beverages, or prepare a quick snack.
Right there at the back of the display are electrical outlets so you don't have to remove the kettle from the counter to go and plug it in at another section of the room. This is also important in terms of avoiding accidents of spillage or being burnt by the hot kettle.
So, if I needed a coffee or tea while working from the desk, it would be a quick and easy spin to put the kettle on and have somewhere to place my cup.
On the opposite side of the door upon entering, is the bathroom, a critical place which determines the condition of the entire room.
That's because the moisture from the wet room seeps out to the entire room and causes damage if there's not good ventilation.
The space was perfect and ideally laid out with little functional details. Such as this open circle in the glass door of the shower.
This gap is an escape for steam and it is handy in case you need to reach for an item while showering.
Have you ever checked into a hotel with badly used space, where there's a tiny face basin without any shelving or counter? This one had more than enough around the perimeter of the bathroom, which was practical and convenient.
The overhead shower and movable hand-held showers were both powerful and tactfully positioned to not flood the area if the shower door was open.
Just little details such as lighting, plugs, mirrors, handlebar, built-in shelf, and radiator gives the look and feel a hospitable vibe. These simple added details are all durable, which would definitely reduce maintenance and cost in the long run.
Sweet dreams came true in Brooklyn.
The designer's ability to think out-of-the-box with an angular division of the rooms created an illusion of space, compared to what the room would look like if the bed and furnishing were boxed against the wall.
Everything was serviceable, and I was pleased to have sufficient plug sockets, USB charge points, and switches conveniently installed.
The creativity of the layout gave the designer more room to play with, and this small multifunctional table with chair meant that if a couple was staying they would both have adequate working or seating.
Overall, the furnishing and fixtures were simple and elegant; Nothing gaudy or too one-off that might be difficult to replace.
In terms of functionality, comfort, aesthetics, and keeping with the "Brooklyn" theme, the designer did an amazing job in making the rooms elegant, homely, easy to maintain, and most important, unpretentious. The colour scheme added elegance, and the fixtures were made of durable materials that will not show signs of wear and tear easily.
All images were taken by me during my stay at the Hotel Brooklyn, Leicester August 2023.
