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@thenedlondon @theneddoha @thenednomad
CAPITAL GAINS Six years after launching The Ned London, we’re proud to be opening our fourth Ned’s Club location, in Washington DC W O R D S BY L U C Y S C O T T
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ast year The Ned announced a new addition to the family: Ned’s Club Washington DC. Set to open in late 2024, the private members’ club is set over three floors, situated within President’s Park with views of the White House and the Treasury. Ned’s Club Washington DC is a unique space because it straddles two buildings; the 1930s Art Deco Walker Building and the neo-classical American Security and Trust Company building, formerly Riggs National Bank. Opened in 1930, a number of former US Presidents – from Lincoln to Nixon – were known to have banked at Riggs. Located around the corner from the White House, Ned’s Club DC sits above the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, a nonprofit think tank that aims to advance economic and social mobility for all. As with each Ned property to date, the interiors of the new Club have been carefully developed in partnership
with Soho House’s award-winning design team and Stonehill Taylor. One of the most important elements – and something that lead designer Harriet Liley is passionate about – is that the interior of each addition to the Ned family is inspired by the style and period of its original building. ‘The fact the Club is in two buildings with different architectural styles makes a really interesting contrast and fed into the design we created,’ explains Liley. Entering the lobby, you are transported back to the 1930s via antique mirroring on the walls and an original terrazzo floor with a bold Deco pattern. ‘Walking in is a real wow moment,’ says Liley. ‘We’ve added a custom-made wall covering from de Gournay, which blends references to Washington’s buildings, horticultural history and annual cherry blossom season. This feature helps merge the property’s history and design together.’ The striking blend of design details continues as you travel around the
building. On the ninth-floor event space there are large columns with beautiful detailing on them – a nod to The Ned London – along with statement pendant lighting, a floral blossom pattern on the ceiling and vintage furniture sourced from markets just outside New York. In the Gallery, wall panels displayed over low-level banquette seating feature scenes from America’s history, curated by Soho House’s art team using local artists. Stepping through dramatic-scale draped curtains you arrive in the Conservatory. ‘This is a really special area with wrap-around windows and stunning views,’ says Liley. ‘We added light floral fabrics and rattan furniture to enhance the feeling of being outside. The flooring is the same here, and in the Gallery too, so the two spaces feel very connected.’ The team was also inspired by the White House itself. In the Library on the tenth floor, there are doubleheight ceilings, deep blue hues on the walls and a nod to the federal stripe of America. ‘We found a reference from
an old image of the White House of a really strong stripe and translated that to the upper walls in the Library and the ceiling of the Club restaurant,’ Liley explains. ‘The square-patterned carpet in the restaurant was inspired by the same picture.’ Beside this space is the Drawing Room with its original arched windows, a stage with a grand piano for entertainment and views of the Washington Monument. On the twelfth floor the Cocktail Bar and Rooftop Terrace offer unparalleled views of the city. Designed to feel like an extension of the restaurant, the Terrace features work by local artists and utilises planting to create pockets of privacy. One thing is consistent between the Ned properties however: the energy, services and amenities that make guests and members feel at home across the globe.