In New Orleans, chic decay is cultivated in interiors. Paint disintegrates off crumbling plaster walls, structures crumble into the mud of the old French Quarter. Entropy is almost an interior design style. New Orleanians are masters at creating beautiful, theatrical, eccentric interiors where the decor incorporates not only ruin and decay, but also ancestor worship, tropical motifs, shadowy homages to religion and a sense of grandeur gone to seed. Interiors aren’t decorated, but rather filled with objects that evoke a memory or a pleasure. It’s a hauntingly beautiful aesthetic and the inspiration for the interior of Henderson & Glass.
Henderson & Glass is situated in a historic coach house from the mid 19th Century so it was important to honour the building’s unique heritage. Its architectural elements were reinvigorated. Derelict elements were elevated and amplified: centuries old Manx stone walls were exposed, cleaned and then the raw stone sealed. Other walls were gently washed with pastel colours. Original wooden plank flooring was unearthed and then carefully distressed and resealed. Oxidised mirrors, reclaimed church pews, vintage chemist bottles, old oak bank doors, wooden panelling and aged railway sleepers sit harmoniously alongside layers of real and faux ‘urban decay’.
The rough, raw aspects were given some necessary balance and elegance with a solid layer of soft luxury over the top: velvet upholstery and sheepskin rugs adorn the decayed veneer. Chic marble table tops contrast with the glow of low flickering table lights, creating a comfortable and inviting ambiance.
In a room of exposed solid stone, the lighting was crucial. Exposed steel conduit bulkhead wall lights and suspended Edison filament bulbs were draped from the vertical axis of the space to add a warm, welcoming yet vintage ambience. Decorative reclaimed architectural oak and glass bank doors were re-engineered into impressive 3-metre tall wall installations, which were backlit around the perimeter with LED strips.
Added to this were some custom-made large-scale vintage signage and some rebellious design features such as a bright white LED neon cross positioned centrally high above the bar. Coffee and cocktails is a religion. This is our church.
The resulting aesthetic is an overly exaggerated embodiment of chic urban decay. Destroyed but sophisticated. Engineered but casual. Old but entirely new. Ageless but entirely of our time.
