London-based consultancy Run For The Hills has unveiled its design for TIVOLI, a new breed of boutique cinema, which recently opened in Bath.
The studio has created not only the brand’s visual identity but has also designed the interior of this first debut location, which showcases TIVOLI’S exciting and stylish screening rooms and its high-end social and dining spaces – a destination in their own right.
Chris Trotman, Run For The Hills Creative Director, said of the project, “Being lovers of film, this project was very exciting, getting to create a new brand in a really cool sector. We are also bang on the target demographic, being die-hard boutique cinemagoers ourselves, so It’s also been a real privilege to be part of the re-shaping the UK’s cinema lands cape. We love what we’ve created for the Tivoli brand. It has a laid back, welcoming and charismatic personality, which is laced with shots of grit and wit. Stylish and sophisticated, with an enigmatic motif.”
Run For The Hills worked very closely with the cinema to conceptualise and create the new brand’s signature visual identity and the launch marketing campaign for this inaugural location. TIVOLI’s characterful tone of voice is echoed across the cinema’s advertising campaign, menus, and signage. TIVOLI’s core palette is cream and deep charcoal grey, which creates a classy ‘more than monochrome’ look. This has been paired with red, teal and purple as secondary colours. Gold is added where an ultra luxurious touch is needed.
The RFTH branding team also crafted the ‘Cinema, Re-classified’ marketing campaign, and the animated ident graphics that appear on screens around the venue.
On the design studio’s appointment, Justin Ribbons, CEO, TIVOLI Cinemas, commented, “We chose Run For The Hills because we’d seen their standout bar and restaurant design work and wanted a specialist hospitality design partner to help make TIVOLI a destination in its own right, that also happens to be a boutique cinema. We also like the fact they do both branding and interiors, so we got to work with just one design shop to create a seamless, new brand identity and in-venue look, from the decorative scheme to the design of the menu, signage and ad campaign.”
INTERIOR DESIGN
The overall design of the main hospitality space on the first floor is laid-back luxe. The core colour palette is rich golds, ochres, olive greens and dusky blue tones in slouchy linens, brassy velvets and deeply textured weaves. The venue is dotted with comfy sofas, deep armchairs, decorative rugs, warm wooden chairs and upholstered stools in contrasting textures and patterns. The layout is designed to create natural zones between the bar, café-lounge area and more formal dining areas. Flooring and tiles are kept monochromatic, ranging from stone-hued neutrals to black and white stripes, letting the upholstery and soft furnishings add colour and patterns.
HOSPITALITY
The Bath venue has four, fifty-seat screening studios and a twelve-seat Directors Lounge/Screen bookable upon request, offering an exclusive cinematic and dining experience in a premium environment. The first thing which greets people on the first floor is a beautiful hero cocktail bar where six glamorous stools in a mix of antique brass, blackened steel and dark tropical patterned velvet run alongside the nine metre long arabescatto marble topped bar with heavy antique brass bullnose edging and a softly lit mesh front. The exposed bar storage is crafted from a mix of rich toned timber, antique mirror and blackened metal and brass joinery. Floor-to-ceiling pillars decorated with crackle-glazed artisan tiles and contrasting paintwork are dotted throughout the space. The columns directly by the bar are wrapped by circular drinks tables and upholstered bar stools.
Beyond the bar is a beautiful, inviting and relaxed café-bar and lounge area. Seating and tables within the lounge include an eclectic mix of leather, wood and upholstered dining chairs and chunky tables in wood, antique brass, marble and zinc. The intimate, curved shaped sofa is perfect for romantic couples. At the far end of the space is a more formal restaurant area, the entrance is framed by curved urban deco crittal screens that divide the space without closing it off completely. Behind the screens are full height drapes, allowing for more intimate private dining and events.
SCREENING ROOMS
The four screening studios are glamourous boutique-sized cinema auditoria that use a palette of midnight blue and gold. Decorative trims and border details frame bold painted walls, creating a powerful backdrop to the relaxing atmosphere. Fabrics and soft furnishings feature block colours, bold geometric patterns and pastels with pops of bright colours with contrasting piping and trims. The velvet-clad, sink-into, two-man and single sofas are paired with decorative cushions for extra comfort. Each sofa has handy shelves on the back for personal effects and is matched with a table for in-screen drinks and dining. The sofas on the front row are paired with velvet and leather footstools. The inky-blue fabric-draped walls are lit with soft washes of light and low-level bespoke table lamps add to the gentle ambiance. For the floor, Run For The Hills designed a carpet that features a pattern derived from TIVOLI’s logo.
DIRECTOR’S LOUNGE
The cosy, exclusive twelve-seater Director’s Lounge is sleek and sophisticated. The room has its own dedicated foyer and entrance with a private adjoining hospitality lounge featuring high-end leather sofas and an in-screen honesty bar. Dark leather seating, geometric wall-fabric and upholstered wood panels are used throughout. Dark tropical print cushions add an unexpected flair. The room is filled with custom joinery and brass accents and each of the two-seater sofas is paired with a footstool ensuring the ultimate cinematic experience.
LIGHTING
Run For The Hills custom designed almost all the lighting to create a bespoke TIVOLI style unique to the brand. Modern features pay homage to decorative old-world chandeliers, juxtaposed with industrial-chic, modern fixtures, shapes and finishes. The interiors and graphics teams worked closely to merge lighting and signage throughout the space, ensuring that all the practical details were particularly pleasing to the eye. The exterior of the building features a large, bespoke retro-styled ‘Now Showing’ screen within a crittal frame, and the soft welcoming glow of warm off-white backlit lettering is integrated with the blackened steel framework. The moody entrance is dressed with beautiful light fittings and softly illuminated decorative signage. An orange/red TIVOLI neon sign, designed by the Run For The Hills graphics team, takes centre stage above the bar on the first floor adding a vibrant shot of glamour.
BATHROOMS
A decorative blackened steel archway, with globe feature lighting, leads to beautifully light and airy statement bathrooms. The design team created an unusual pivoting window mirror to make the most of the statement windows within the space. The bathrooms are filled with highlight basins, bronze fretwork mirrors and terrazzo flooring. Everything is monochrome with just a hint of colour on the floors.
ART & OBJECTS
The Bath venue is finished with layers of accessories to add soul and underline the subtext of the TIVOLI story. Shelves are decorated with quirky artworks and decorative objects that are subtly filmic and designed to get people talking. Framed and unframed fine art and prints (some designed by Run For The Hills’ in-house artists) are woven into the canvas of the overall design, nestled amongst props and objects decorating walls and fireplace mantels, softly lit by picture lighting. The venue is also filled with partially hidden TIVOLI logo marks for visitors to discover.
PROJECT TEAM
Client – Tivoli Cinemas
Designers – Run For The Hills
Architect – Unick Arachitects
Main Contractor – Maeve Contractors
Joinery – Edmont
Lighting – Elektra Lighting
Bar – Serva Clean
Kitchen – Blue Stone Catering
Signage – Image Technique
Electrical – AJR Electrical
Studio Accoustics – Eomac
Studio Seating – Eurogroup
Bespoke Lighting – Northern Lighting
Tiled flooring – Otto Tiles
