Discover how British artisan specialists Northern Lights and interior designers First Within captured the glamour of 1930’s Shanghai, on the rooftop of the Hilton London Park Lane…
Shanghai Me London, the brand’s latest opening after Dubai and Doha, crowns the London Hilton on Park Lane with a rooftop dining experience shaped as much by design as cuisine. At its heart is a suite of bespoke lighting by British artisan specialists Northern Lights, crafted in close collaboration with interior designers First Within to capture the glamour of 1930’s Shanghai.
Statement lighting as storytelling
Northern Lights worked closely with First Within to translate the studios concept into lighting that evokes the elegance and sophistication of 1930s Shanghai – combining sculptural form, cultural richness, and heightened tactility. Guests are welcomed by a dramatic ceiling installation featuring a series of pendants in two cohesive styles, each balancing form and materiality.
Faux alabaster panels with an amber tint are layered with ivory silk fabric to maximise light diffusion, while the medium brass metalwork adds warmth and a sophisticated depth. Matching single pendants, suspended in carefully staggered formations, are fitted with discreet inner pegs to keep the formation in place.
In The Dragon’s Eye, an intimate dining room with panoramic views over Hyde Park, soft, sculptural elegance takes centre stage. Here, pendant designs feature scalloped edges, pleated ivory fabric shades, and matching brass detailing to introduce variation in silhouette and scale. By day, the pendant installation frames Hyde Park’s sweeping views. As night falls, their shapes softly reflect in the windows, amplifying the sense of depth and creating a refined, cinematic atmosphere.
Image credit: Johnny Stephens Photography
Intimate luxury in the Bund Lounge Bar
In the Bund Lounge bar, the lighting adopts a tactile and intimate tone. Fixed table lamps with reeded brass stems, delicate fabric shades, and tassel fringing recall the glamour of 1930s Shanghai, providing a warm, relaxed ambiance for evening dining and socialising.
Image credit: Johnny Stephens Photography
Crafting immersive experiences
Shanghai Me London represents the next chapter in a global journey that fuses culinary excellence, immersive design, and bespoke lighting. Northern Lights’ collaboration with First Within demonstrates the power of precision craftsmanship to elevate unique interiors, creating spaces that are at once theatrical, elegant, and deeply authentic.
Northern Lights is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our Recommended Suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.
Main image credit: Johnny Stephens Photography
