The Barnum Hospitality Destination in Nottingham
A Contemporary Hospitality Interior Designed Around Comfort and Connection
The most memorable hospitality interiors are not defined by a single element. They emerge from the relationship between atmosphere, comfort and the way people naturally experience a space.
At The Barnum in Nottingham, TEN London created a contemporary hospitality environment where refined design and welcoming comfort come together to shape the guest experience.
Throughout the interior, furniture plays an important role in establishing that balance.
For the project, TEN London selected the Ada and Goa Lounge chairs by Sentta, bringing together two distinctive seating designs with different personalities but a shared emphasis on comfort, craftsmanship and sculptural form.
Carefully positioned throughout the space, the seating creates welcoming areas for conversation, relaxation and the moments between activities that often define the experience of a hospitality interior.
The Ada introduces a softer, more elegant expression.
Its organic lines and sculptural silhouette bring visual fluidity to the space, creating a refined presence without overwhelming the surrounding interior. The chair becomes part of the architecture while maintaining the warmth and approachability expected from contemporary luxury hospitality furniture.
Alongside it, the Goa Lounge Chair changes the rhythm.
Its generous proportions introduce a more relaxed, residential character, creating spaces where guests can settle comfortably rather than simply pass through. This sense of ease reflects an important evolution in contemporary hospitality design, where the boundaries between contract and residential interiors are becoming increasingly fluid.
Hotels, restaurants, lounges and social spaces are expected to perform professionally while feeling increasingly personal.
Furniture is central to achieving that balance.
Ada brings elegance and organic form. Goa Lounge introduces generosity and relaxation. Together, they create different seating experiences while contributing to a coherent visual identity throughout The Barnum.
The combination also demonstrates how luxury hospitality furniture can influence the way a space is used.
A lounge chair positioned within an intimate setting creates an invitation to pause. A pair of chairs naturally establishes a place for conversation. A more generous seating arrangement can transform an otherwise transitional area into somewhere guests choose to remain.
These may appear to be subtle decisions, but collectively they influence how an interior feels and how long people want to experience it.
For designers working across hospitality environments, this relationship between aesthetics and use is increasingly important.
Furniture needs to complement the architecture and strengthen the visual identity of a project, but it must also respond to the human experience of the space. Proportion, upholstery, materiality and comfort all become part of that equation.
At The Barnum, the selection of Ada and Goa Lounge reflects this approach.
Their contrasting yet complementary characters allow different areas to develop their own atmosphere while remaining connected to the wider interior conceived by TEN London.
The result is contemporary without feeling temporary, sophisticated without becoming formal and comfortable without losing visual refinement.
It is an approach particularly relevant to today’s hospitality landscape, where memorable interiors increasingly borrow the warmth and familiarity of residential spaces while retaining the design clarity required for professional environments.
The Barnum demonstrates what happens when seating is considered as more than the final layer of an interior.
It becomes part of the atmosphere.
Part of the conversation.
Part of the reason to stay a little longer.
Contemporary hospitality with a residential sensibility. Sculptural furniture balanced by genuine comfort. An interior designed not simply to be seen, but to be experienced.
Featured Sentta pieces: Ada · Goa Lounge
Project: The Barnum, Nottingham
Interior Design: TEN London
Furniture: Sentta · Ada · Goa Lounge
