BARS & RESTAURANTS
The Guards Bar
Raffles at The OWO, London
Part of the wider Old War Office development on London’s Whitehall – featuring residences, a Raffles hotel, nine restaurants and three bars – The Guards Bar has a smart regimental livery perfectly suited to its location opposite Horse Guards. New York-based interior designer Thierry Despont created the bar, working with Ben Whistler on furniture that complements its grand wood-panelled setting.
Furniture that complements its grand wood-panelled setting.
The palette of colours and materials is repeated across the room, with tall red leather bar stools and complementary dining chairs, with mahogany legs and antique bronze details, alongside mirror-topped mahogany circular and square cocktail tables. Tucked into the window niches are petite curving sofas upholstered in brown mohair.
Occasional chairs provide the necessary comfort for a cocktail or two: one design features a continuous elegant curve of mahogany that forms the arms and base, while the other is an armless design with a notch cut into the lower back, giving a distinctive silhouette. Stout vase-shaped stools feature leather piping and pull-handles, with a cross-shaped mahogany base to add stability.
