Design Week Features Faber's Transformation of Salthouse Harbour Hotel
Being recognised by one of the UK's leading design publications is always a proud moment, particularly when the project represents so much more than a visual transformation.
Design Week recently featured Faber's redesign and rebrand of Salthouse Harbour Hotel in Suffolk, highlighting the hotel's art-led interior concept and the complete repositioning of its food and beverage offer. The feature explores how the project combines interior architecture, branding and commercial thinking to create a more distinctive hospitality experience.
A New Chapter for Salthouse Harbour Hotel
Working closely with the team at Gough Hotels, Faber was commissioned to rethink the hotel's public spaces as part of a wider investment into the property.
Rather than creating a traditional waterfront interior inspired by Suffolk's coastline, the design takes its cues from the hotel's long-standing relationship with art. The owners' personal collection became the starting point for a concept where the interiors themselves would become part of the artistic experience, creating spaces that feel curated rather than themed.
Alongside the interior transformation, Faber developed a new visual identity that extends across the hotel, bar, brasserie, spa and sauna boat, creating a consistent brand experience from arrival through to every guest touchpoint.
Designing for Commercial Impact
While Design Week focuses on the creative story behind the project, the transformation was equally driven by commercial objectives.
The existing lobby was reimagined as a vibrant destination bar, creating an additional 30 covers and transforming previously underused circulation space into a significant new revenue stream. Within the restaurant, relocating the original island bar released space for a further 20 dining covers while improving circulation and flexibility throughout the brasserie.
The result is a hospitality environment that not only feels more distinctive but also performs more effectively for the business.
Art as the Central Narrative
Throughout the project, art became more than decoration—it became the organising principle for both the interiors and the identity.
Large-scale commissioned artwork, expressive pattern, sculptural forms and carefully curated materials work together to create spaces that feel immersive and memorable. One of the defining features is the bespoke NaCl light installation, inspired by the microscopic structure of salt crystals. The suspended sculpture creates a visual connection between the hotel's name, its history and the guest experience, translating scientific geometry into an architectural centrepiece.
A Complete Hospitality Experience
The project demonstrates Faber's approach to hospitality design, where interior architecture, branding and operational thinking are developed together rather than as separate disciplines.
By aligning the physical environment with the hotel's evolving offer, the redesign helps strengthen Salthouse Harbour Hotel's position as one of Suffolk's leading independent hospitality destinations while creating a more coherent experience for guests from arrival through to departure.
Read the Full Feature
This page provides an overview of the project and the ideas behind it. For the full editorial feature, visit Design Week's article: "Faber transforms Suffolk's Salthouse Harbour Hotel with art-led interior and identity overhaul."
You can also explore more of the project through our:
