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UK: The Georgian mansion where Coco Chanel and the Duke of Westminster conducted their affair is to become a boutique hotel.
The 20-room mansion at the heart of Rosehall Estate, near Lairg in Sutherland, has lain empty for more than 60 years but Scottish architects Bell Ingram Design has been tasked with transforming it into a £6 million hotel with a number of holiday apartments in the grounds.
The house was a romantic hideout for Chanel during her 10 -year affair with the 2nd Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, then Britain’s wealthiest man. It has also played host to Winston Churchill, who was a guest of the couple in 1928.
The Duke allowed Chanel to decorate the house in her own style, thought to have been inspired by her Parisian apartment. Parts of Chanel’s decor remain intact, including beige wallpaper, wooden fire places, hand-painted French floral wallpaper, and green cloakroom colour scheme.
A spokesman for the estate said: “Rosehall has a fascinating history and is one of the most unique buildings in the country which is why it is so important that it was saved from further decline. The heritage and conservation of the property have been at the forefront of the restoration and the design process.”
Iain Cram, a director of Bell Ingram said:Â “Rosehall has sadly lain uninhabited for 60 years and as a result was in danger of accelerated decline. Rosehall is thought to be the only property outside of France and Switzerland to contain a genuine Chanel designed interior and reputedly, Scotland’s first bidet.”
“However while it will be impossible to save all the features, we have a real chance to restore this cultural gem to something like its former glory. Our aim is to work very closely with planners to try to utilise every possible remaining feature of the building to ensure its conservation, as well as preserving the influence of Chanel as far as possible.”
“We don’t know what the final interior design will look like, but we do know that it will have a strong nod to the 1920’s era and the time when Coco Chanel lived there. The much talked about bidet will also play an important feature in the design and an ornamental feature will be made out of it – keeping with the building’s heritage,” he added.
design.bellingram.co.uk
