A Summer on Sloane Square: Restoring the Exterior of a London Landmark

This summer, we had the privilege of working on some truly prestigious buildings across London, and one project that stands out is the Sloane Square Hotel in Chelsea.

Situated in one of London’s most recognisable squares, the hotel is a building with a fascinating history and an unmistakable presence. Our Commercial Decorating job was to give the exterior a fresh new look, completing the painting and redecoration in time for the busy summer season and, importantly, the Chelsea Flower Show.

It was a project that required careful planning, close coordination and a great deal of attention to detail — particularly as the hotel remained fully operational throughout the works.

A Building with History

The Sloane Square Hotel has been part of the character of Chelsea for well over a century.

The building was developed during the late Victorian transformation of Sloane Square, when the Cadogan Estate replaced earlier properties with larger, more prestigious buildings. In 1900, the property was acquired by George Bernard and Amos Ballard and opened as the Royal Court Hotel.

Over the years, the hotel became part of the fabric of London life. By the early 20th century it was under the management of hotelier Auguste Wild, and its history continued through some of the most remarkable periods of the capital's past.

During the Second World War, the hotel played an unexpected role in the story of the area. Following the bombing of Sloane Square Underground Station in November 1940, the hotel's basement was used as an emergency triage centre for casualties. Despite the damage suffered in the surrounding area, the building survived the war.

Its story continued into the 1960s, when Chelsea became synonymous with London's cultural revolution. The Beatles famously stayed at the hotel in the early 1960s, adding another chapter to the building's already colourful history.

Today, the hotel remains a prominent feature of Sloane Square, directly opposite the Underground station and just moments from King's Road.

A Challenging Exterior Project

Working on a historic and prominent building is always rewarding, but a project of this scale comes with its own set of challenges.

Our brief was to redecorate the entire exterior of the hotel, with the work needing to be completed in time for the Chelsea Flower Show and the arrival of the busy summer season.

The hotel, however, could not simply close while the work was carried out.

This meant our scaffolding had to be carefully planned around the hotel's day-to-day operation. In total, we installed approximately 150 metres of scaffolding, reaching five storeys high, wrapping around the building in stages.

Rather than erecting the entire scaffold at once, the works were carefully phased into five stages. This allowed the hotel to continue welcoming guests throughout the project, while giving our team safe and practical access to each section of the building.

It was a logistical challenge, but careful planning meant that the hotel could continue operating with as little disruption as possible.

Working Alongside the Council

The location presented another important consideration.

The hotel sits within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in one of London's busiest and most prestigious areas. The surrounding pavements had also recently been laid, so protecting them throughout the works was a major priority.

We worked closely with the council and took particular care to ensure that the new paving was protected from damage throughout the project.

With scaffolding, access equipment, deliveries and a busy public space all operating around the building, attention to detail was essential. Every stage had to be carefully considered, from how equipment was positioned to how materials were brought on and off site.

For us, looking after the surrounding area is just as important as achieving a high-quality finish on the building itself.

A Bold New Look

One of the most striking aspects of the project was the colour scheme.

The chosen colours have transformed the appearance of the hotel's exterior, particularly around the windows, giving the building a fresh and confident look.

It is a bold choice, but one that works exceptionally well within Sloane Square.

The building now catches the eye as you approach the square, yet it doesn't feel out of place. Instead, the new colours complement the surrounding architecture while giving the hotel its own distinct identity.

In fact, one of the best views comes as you turn off King's Road and enter Sloane Square. The hotel immediately stands out, but at the same time feels very much at home amongst the surrounding buildings.

That's always the balance we look for with a project like this — making a building look fresh and distinctive while respecting the character of its surroundings.

Delivered on Time

Despite the scale and complexity of the project, the work was completed on time, ready for the hotel and the surrounding area to welcome visitors for the summer.

For our team, it was a particularly satisfying project. Not only were we able to work on a building with such an interesting history, but we were able to do so while working around an operational hotel, a busy London location and newly laid public paving.

Projects like this are a reminder that painting and decorating is about far more than applying paint. The planning, preparation, access, protection, timing and attention to detail are all crucial to achieving the right result.

And when the scaffolding finally comes down, that's when the hard work really becomes visible.

A Project We Are Proud Of

We were delighted to be recommended for the project by the hotel's General Manager, and we're extremely pleased with the finished result.

The Sloane Square Hotel is an important part of the character of the area, and it was a privilege to play our part in giving the building a new lease of life.

If you're next in Chelsea, take a moment to look across Sloane Square. You may notice the difference.

And if you happen to turn the corner from King's Road into the square, you'll get one of our favourite views of the finished building.

A historic London landmark, freshly painted, looking rather splendid for the summer.