Nestled in the heart of Florence’s vibrant Piazza della Libertà, The Hoxton Florence marries Renaissance heritage with sleek modernity. This 161-room property spans a late-16th-century palazzo and a contrasting 1980s Andrea Branzi-designed building. With its vaulted arcade, original frescoes, modernist façade, courtyard fountain, and multiple bars and restaurants, the hotel serves as a captivating urban retreat.

The Brief

Leaflike was commissioned by Cedar Capital, in collaboration with hotel operator Ennismore, and tasked by interior designers AIME Studios to create an interior planting scheme for The Hoxton’s main public areas—specifically the ground-floor lobby, Alassio restaurant atrium, and Enoteca Violetta wine bar. The aim? Introduce lush greenery to enhance ambience, amplify biophilic wellness, and complement the juxtaposition of historical grandeur and contemporary design.

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The Solution

Leaflike curated a dynamic planting design tuned to each space:

• Lobby & Reception: Low- to mid-height planters featuring aromatic lavenders, loose grasses, and sculptural evergreens were placed near seating clusters and the coffee counter, welcoming guests and softening the concrete and marble surfaces.

• Alassio Atrium: Large potted olive and citrus trees, along with Mediterranean herb mixes, echoed the coastal Italian theme and played off vaulted ceilings and frescoed walls. Seasonal floral accents reflected the evolving Florentine seasons.

• Enoteca Violetta Wine Bar: Vertical greenery lines and elegant trailing vines were arranged against the wine-cabinet walls, creating a tactile, vine-laden backdrop for convivial evenings.

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Plant species were selected for shade tolerance and low-maintenance resilience, ensuring a vibrant presence with sustainable upkeep.

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The Results

• Enhanced Atmosphere: Biophilic elements created comforting micro‑environments—scented lavenders at check‑in, shady olive groves in the atrium, and vine-draped backdrops in the bar—heightening the immersive guest experience.

• Design Harmony: The greenery harmonised with tactile surfaces—lime-washed walls, timber accents, marble tables—and softened the property’s structural contrasts .

• Wellness & Sustainability: Planting contributed to air quality and psychological wellbeing—key metrics for the hotel’s health and community-focus—while requiring minimal water and maintenance in keeping with The Hoxton’s environmental ethos.

Leaflike’s interior planting scheme for The Hoxton, Florence, infused the hotel’s public spaces with sensory depth and vibrant life. By marrying fragrant Mediterranean plantings with lush greenery in hospitality hubs, our design elevated user wellbeing and complemented an eclectic aesthetic narrative—from Renaissance elegance to contemporary flair. This project exemplifies Leaflike’s ability to bring harmony between architecture, design, and nature within premium hospitality settings.