Luxury fashion shop Matches has opened a beautiful retail space in a six storey townhouse on Mayfair’s Carlos Place. Acknowledging that we are in undeniably challenged times for physical-space retailers, the company has taken a fresh approach to the whole idea of setting up shop by fusing live streaming events, product launches, catwalk shows and podcasts into the mix of buying clothes. The idea is that the building can change face overnight, to suit whatever event is coming up. We can reveal, having taken a peek, that whatever is coming up it will be happening in a rather gorgeous room.
The building renovation was overseen by interior architects Philip and Peter Joseph of P Joseph who have, in Philip’s words, “curated the whole experience of the space, from the exterior of the building down to the knives and forks.” The duo looked at the history of the Queen Anne-style house, which was built in the late 19th century by the Duke of Westminster and was part of the wider development of Mount Street and Carlos Place. Nodding to this architectural heritage, the duo used a palette including terracotta that references the local use of brick and Portland stone.
To overlay this with a fresh narrative, the designers imagined that the home belonged to a chic, well-travelled, collecting couple and around this theme they’ve created two floors of retail space, including a courtyard garden, two floors for private shopping and an attic containing an open kitchen alongside the broadcasting space.
For their colour palette, they’ve adopted a tone-on-tone look to extremely satisfying effect. So shades of terracotta – including striking 30mm handmade terracotta and faience tiles (faience is a glaze applied to the bricks) – rub alongside caramel and coral in some of the rooms…
…While in others, teal dominates with sumptuous mustard accents. Materials such as velvet and sheepskin helping to drive home the idea of the imagined, high-class residents. Skirtingboards painted in the same shades as the walls also aid this feel. As well as, obviously, the rails of beautiful clothing. 
A fresh breath comes when you reach the all-white rooms. These too are mostly one-tone but remain far from chilly thanks to the addition of natural wood furniture and deep-pile wool Berber rugs. There are plenty of plants dotted around throughout and the whole place is designed to encourage lingering, relaxed browsing.
Australian chef Skye Gyngell has previously thrown a supper club in the kitchen at 5 Carlos Place, Mario Sorrenti has sat in-house singing copies of his book Kate (Moss) and Theresa Wayman from Warpaint has put on an intimate acoustic gig. It all sounds like a very fabulous house to hang out in and you can find out more about events going on here.
The post Must visit colour destination – Matches’ 5 Carlos Places appeared first on The Chromologist.
