Design Sleuth: 7 'Weird and Wonderful' Ceramics at Birch Hotel, from Hooks to Taps - Remodelista
Earlier this year, we were drawn to the muted tones and wobbly shapes of ceramicist Emma Louise Payne’s first homeware collection, London Plane, inspired by the towering plane trees which line the edges of London’s city parks. Delving into Emma’s work, we spotted some familiar forms…and a look back at our post on the Birch Hotel in Hertfordshire—winner of the Time’s Hotel of the Year 2020—revealed the ceramicist’s role in the project. There are 140 rooms at Birch, each of which has three coat hooks, two pendant lights... ...one vase, one door number, and two key rooms made by Emma. In addition to the room details, Emma’s vases and candle holders appear in communal spaces across the hotel—even the ceramic bar taps are hers. Emma’s extruded vessels appear throughout the communal areas at Birch and are available to purchase from her website (from £70). Even the beer taps got the ceramic treatment. Emma’s handmade ceramic room numbers line the corridors (left); knotted coat hooks come in handy in the guest rooms (right). 3 + 4. Room numbers and all-purpose hooks Emma’s sculptural valet stands are integral to the handmade design ideology of Birch. 6. Bedside pendant lights One of Emma’s glazed, suspended pendant lights. Visitors receive a unique ceramic key ring at check-in. Emma’s London Plane collection, which launched at this year’s London Craft Week, turned us onto her work. Photograph by Kirsty Noble.