Nestled in vibrant Notting Hill Gate, Ruby Zoe draws inspiration from the area’s Caribbean carnival heritage—blending lively colours, bold textures, and musical motifs. The 173-room hotel features a spacious ground‑floor public area comprising a reception, bar, and retail/vinyl zone.

The Brief

Leaflike was engaged by Ruby Hotels to design and install an interior planting scheme throughout the hotel’s main public spaces. Working alongside Ruby’s in‑house design team and Squire & Partners’ architects, our aim was to enrich the guest experience—introducing greenery that complements the vibrant, relaxed, and “Lean Luxury” character of Ruby Zoe, while enhancing ambience and wellbeing in communal areas.

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The Solution

We developed a planting strategy harmonised with the hotel’s upbeat carnival atmosphere:

• Reception & Bar
  Strategic placement of mid-height planters with lush tropical foliage—such as broad-leaf philodendrons, croton, and tall palms—created welcoming zones. These softened bold decorative finishes and provided organic contrast to vibrant seating and wooden accents .

• Retail/Vinyl Space
  Table-level plant vignettes featuring aromatic herbs and trailing greenery were incorporated into communal tables and shelving units. These subtle greenery accents offered sensory calm amid the energetic vinyl and bar ambience.

• Circulation & Transition Zones
  Scattered pots of sculptural plants and leafy arrangements were positioned near stairways, window ledges, and seating niches—drawing the eye through the open-plan space and enhancing visual depth.

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Plant species were selected for shade tolerance, resilience, and minimal maintenance, ensuring consistent greenery in a bustling public environment.

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The Results

• Amplified Atmosphere
  The greenery brought cohesion to the open-plan layout, creating natural pockets of calm and enhancing the lively, colourful décor with organic softness.

• Enhanced Guest Wellbeing
  Guests experienced a more immersive, sensory-rich environment—complemented by aromatics, tactile foliage, and visual respite from vibrant interiors—in line with the hotel’s hospitality objectives.

• Design Harmony
  The planting felt native to Ruby Zoe’s aesthetic—accentuating the West Indian infusion and “carnival meets calm” ethos, while strengthening the connection between architecture and nature.

Leaflike’s planting installation at Ruby Zoe injected vital greenery into the hotel’s public zones—elevating the guest experience with warmth, texture, and wellbeing. It’s the perfect complement to Ruby’s bold design narrative, showcasing how biophilic design can organically enhance vibrant hospitality spaces.