In this stunning hotel interior, Andreu Carulla Studio sets out to unite sensory experiences with a natural, pared-back materiality that incorporates both a deep respect for craft and a sense of upmarket hospitality.

The new Hotel Mercer in Madrid opened just a couple of weeks ago, and from the moment visitors set foot inside, it radiates authenticity. Its walls are dressed in clay paint produced in Valencia. Blankets are woven from merino wool sourced in Castile while the granite elements were crafted in Almería. Oak flooring is brought to life by bespoke walnut that carries a warmth of quiet refinement.

Oak flooring and bespoke walnut furniture lend each space a quality of warm, considered refinement.

In the guest rooms, leather headboards sit alongside silk and alabaster lamps. "The entire hotel is a deliberate pursuit," explains designer and interior decorator Andreu Carulla, "of a natural, and approachable materiality. For us, true luxury is bound up in these materials, which, when applied in unexpected ways, elevate any space."

Housed in the former headquarters of the General Sugar Company of Spain, designed in 1905 by the Royal Household architect Enrique María Repullés, the building's origins and history have guided every design decision. Each element has been conceived and made specifically for this location, resulting in an experience that is wholly bespoke. Carulla continues, "We sought to connect the senses with the material. Most are local or sourced close by or pieces made by specialist workshops across Spain."

The new Hotel Mercer in Madrid occupies the former headquarters of the General Sugar Company of Spain, a building dating from 1905.

The collaborations with distinguished makers and artisans are equally compelling. Basket weaver Idoia Cuesta crafted a piece for the lobby in chestnut wood. Meanwhile Elisa Padrón created the hanging sculpture for the staircase, in wool and jute, which is a nod to the burlap sacking once used to store sugar. Blacksmith Sergi Cadenas produced the hotel's signage in wrought iron, drawing on the building's original railings that survive to this day.

The hotel's signage was made in wrought iron by a master blacksmith.

Stonemason Pedres Nobles hand-chiselled each pink granite table in the guest rooms, no two sharing the same geometry. The Wool4Life atelier is responsible for the woven blankets in 100% Spanish merino wool, made on small looms in Cuenca, left undyed so the natural colour of the fleece remains intact. Every one of these individuals is credited by name, a recognition of their expertise and their intimate understanding of their chosen material.

For La Azucarera, the hotel's cocktail bar, Carulla Studio once again drew on the building's past. It pays homage to the golden age of the cocktail bar at the turn of the twentieth century, the concept of the speakeasy and the pleasure of sugar, with details that match this narrative.

Natural materials are central to Andreu Carulla Studio's interior design vision.

The hotel's restaurant, Sociedad Gastronómika, has been conceived as a txoko, a traditional Basque social club, for chef Eneko Atxa, and stands as a tribute to the Basque Country. It comprises an open kitchen for 12 diners, an adjoining lounge for 24, and a private dining room with a cellar for a further 16.

Throughout, Andreu Carulla Studio reinforces the ethos of the luxury boutique hotel: a place where personalised service is paramount, and where that exclusivity extends to every last corner.

All pictures: © Hotel Mercer

Originally written by Marta Rodríguez Bosch, translated and slightly adapted by Helen Parton