The Cornerhouse, Canterbury
Initial Concept Plan for the Ground Floor
Concept interior design of bar area
The new Corner House Restaurant and Hotel set within within a Grade II Listed 16th century former coach house, Canterbury's second oldest pub. Situated near the city centre, it has been sensitively refurbished and upgraded for modern comfort and functionality within a historic setting.
The ground floor comprises a bar, lavatories, private dining area and restaurant, and a high-end catering kitchen. The floors above comprise a three-bedroom boutique hotel, a self-contained manager's flat and plant room. Externally, a new paved dining area was created.
The 40-cover restaurant features an 'open kitchen' in view of diners, by way of large openings either side of a chimney breast. The restaurant's head chef designed the layout of the state of the art stainless steel kitchen and equipment. The original kitchen was converted into a back of house facilities area and its quarry tiled floor restored.
Facing the restaurant is an antiqued mirror, generating space and light and concealing a door to the lavatories. Contemporary light oak herringbone flooring harmonises with a light, muted palette. The smaller private dining room offers intimacy and warmth using darker tones over wooden panelling.
The bar's old carcass is modified with a 'waney' Oak bar top, complementing the oak beamed ceiling. The back bar features glass-topped metal square-section shelving, stacked behind an antiqued mirror.
The boutique hotel bedrooms are accessed by a separate entrance hall and stairwell, two being on the first floor and the third on the floor above, accessed by an original spiral staircase. This level required extensive lime plastering and overhaul of original sash windows. Discreet secondary glazing was specified to reduce sound from a busy road.
A new one-bedroom manager's apartment is situated above an adjoining Georgian coach house via a private stair access in rustic oak. New oak-framed glazing and oak louvre screening provide a view of the courtyard and privacy.
www.cornerhouserestaurants.co.uk
Interior design: Gabriel Holland