The mission of Wilder, a new restaurant in the basement of Terence Conran’s hotel, Boundary London, is to spotlight the best of British produce.
Photography by Fergus Coyle, courtesy of Kirkwood McCarthy.
And we use what can be found from the meadows, woods and along the coastlines of these isles.” This forage-focused strategy has also informed its clever, inspired design.
“Bringing intimacy to a very large basement site, and being decisive about what design interventions we could implement given the tight budget,” says co-founder Fiona Kirkwood, were the biggest challenges.
One of the most striking features in the space is the terracotta-colored wall, a new addition.
1. Clay-Plaster Walls
2. A Geometric Marble Tiled Floor
The restaurant is divided into three sections—a bar/lounge area (pictured here), the main dining room, and a private dining area.
The original tiled marble floors, laid out in an arresting graphic pattern, remain; while it’s bold, it’s just subtle enough, thanks to muted grays, to play nicely with the minimalist decor.
3. Flexible Partitions
Kirkwood designed a partition between the bar and main dining area that can be moved to accommodate large events.
Exposed brick can look dated when too bright; luckily, the original brick walls here feature a light-colored and matte brick that feels both classic and modern.
4. Light Brick Walls
Portals give diners a peek into the kitchen and offer views that basements generally don’t or can’t.
5. Unexpected Views
6. A Hard-Working Console
An 11-foot-long waiter station is functional and provides storage for the restaurant’s glassware and bespoke ceramics.
7. Sisal Rugs
The designer used sisal rugs throughout.
Hovering over each of the three spaces (pictured here is the private dining room) is a striking suspended arrangement of foliage that features tree branches found on Conran’s home estate in Berkshire, Barton Court, combined with grasses and wildflowers.
8. Foraged Foliage
While some of the existing furniture was reused for the new restaurant, new custom furniture was also commissioned—like the olive ash banquettes upholstered in clay-red fabric and featuring rounded corners that reference the soft bullnose bricks and arches of the original building.
9. Furniture Inspired by the Architecture