Fallen out of time
Creative Director Ryan Todd is drawn to places that feel lived in rather than styled.
What’s a space that felt right the moment you walked in, and why?
feels like a little pocket of old Soho that’s somehow fallen out of time. I love how dark and atmospheric it is, with the candlelit tables, old furniture and worn Georgian interiors. There’s something really intimate and romantic about it. Nothing feels overly designed or polished, and I think that’s a big part of its charm. It’s the sort of place you walk into and immediately want to settle in for the evening.
What’s your favourite space, and why?
I’ve always loved the . There’s something about the scale of the brutalist concrete architecture that feels almost like a subterranean landscape. The different levels, tunnels, walkways and unexpected openings remind me of exploring caves or natural rock formations, but all constructed out of concrete. I particularly love the contrast between the imposing architecture and the water and tropical planting. It feels like a whole other world in the middle of London.
What makes a space work, in your view?
For me, it’s much more about how a space makes you feel than how it looks. You can have an incredibly beautiful interior, but if the atmosphere isn’t right, it doesn’t really work. Lighting makes such a difference, but also sound, scent, materials and the people in it. The best spaces are the ones where all those things come together without feeling too considered or overly designed.
What’s one detail people often overlook in a space?
Scent. It’s something we don’t always consciously notice, but it can completely change how a place feels. Certain smells can instantly take you back to somewhere you’ve been, sometimes years later. Whether it’s an open fire, a particular fragrance or food coming from the kitchen, scent plays a huge part in how we experience and remember spaces, but it rarely gets the same attention as the visual side of things.
Certain smells can instantly take you back to somewhere you’ve been, sometimes years later.
What’s a place you think more people should know about?
in Desert Hot Springs, California. We stayed in one of the original units designed by John Lautner in the 1940s, and it felt like stepping onto the set of a 1960s James Bond film. The architecture is incredible, with these dramatic concrete forms, angled ceilings and huge expanses of glass. What I particularly loved was how private it felt. You’re in this little compound, surrounded by glass looking out onto your own cactus garden, so it’s incredibly light and open but also completely secluded.
Where’s at the top of your list to visit next?
has opened up in my old stomping ground, and it’s somewhere I’ve been meaning to visit for a while. I’ve seen photos of the interior and read a little about its influences from British folklore and Japanese folk art. I’m also drawn to the emphasis on music, with its vinyl collection and vintage sound system. What appeals to me most, though, is how playful and authentic it seems.