INTERIORS
SENSE OF SOFTNESS
Eleanor Hartley shares all on the sensory haven that is Hart Medical, and how she is inspiring the future of clinic interiors
Stepping into Hart Medical feels more like entering a cocoon than a clinical environment, creating calmness from the outset.
Founder and medical director Eleanor Hartley drew inspiration from a creative mix of “Dune, Kim Kardashian’s house, and a little bit of Mykonos”, and that vision certainly shines through.
“A lot of clinics I’ve been in have either been more typically medical-looking, which can be overwhelming and almost aggressive for patients, or too much like a beauty parlour – fluffy, plush and full of soft furnishings,” explains Hartley.
Leaning away from the familiar clinical interiors of many aesthetic clinics, Hartley chose to strike a balance between clean lines and raw, organic surfaces.
“I wanted that minimalist clinic vibe, with some modernist warmth that made people feel comfortable as soon as they came in.
Before opening her own clinic in Mayfair, Hartley began renting rooms on Harley Street – that is, until she was asked to leave.
“Hilariously, I was kicked out of one of the room rentals on Harley Street because I kept burning palo santo and setting off the fire alarm. So they said, ‘You’re no longer welcome here on Harley Street.’”
And that was the catalyst for Hart Medical. “I wanted my clinic to be a sensory experience the moment people walked in.”
STEP IN, SWITCH OFF
“Being in central London, moments from Oxford Street and in the middle of Mayfair, I wanted to achieve that feeling of stepping in and stepping out of the mayhem and busyness. Suddenly, it’s all about you, and everything quietens down.”
For Hartley, this goes beyond the visuals of the clinic and focuses on the energy – the smells, the sounds, the lighting, and the overall atmosphere.
The clinic is completely closed off from the bustle of London; from the outside, no one can see through the windows. “I wanted to create the feeling of it being sheltered in a shell away from the outside.”
A large aspect of Hart’s sensory experience is the scent. “The immediacy of walking into somewhere and smelling something is always powerful.”
Hartley hasn’t strayed from her signature scent of palo santo. “It’s warm, inviting, and smoky. It has a kind of luxury and richness to it, which automatically makes patients feel cosy and safe.”
Hartley was inspired by the Diptyque store on New Bond Street. “Each room is its own journey, with individual scents. It was more about the experience of moving through the building rather than it just being one big room.
“Moving downstairs, is where it becomes more clinical, and the lighting reflects that. We chose warmer lighting upstairs and more clinical white lighting in the treatment rooms.”
Patients share their music preferences before their appointment, so when they enter the clinic, it’s already playing, following them throughout the reception, consultation room and treatment area.
A SOFTER APPROACH
Hartley’s favourite area, the consultation room, is designed to combat the medical hierarchy.
“I didn’t want the consultation room to look or feel like a clinic. I wanted people to feel comfortable rather than intimidated; it’s a collaborative journey.”
Rather than the usual two chairs and a desk separating patient and practitioner, Hartley opted for a large, curved warm-ivory sofa, positioned opposite a sculptural curved mirror.
Hart Medical consultation lounge
“There’s intimacy in sitting beside each other. It’s still respectful, but it breaks up that initial fear some patients might have, and it allows you to build a much better rapport.”
This softness continues into the treatment room, with space for patients to bring a chaperone or friend.
“Using some soft furnishings in the consultation room helped to keep the room calm and avoided the intimidating feel of overly clinical environments.
“It carries through what we have created upstairs, so there wasn’t a stark contrast between going from a beautiful, scented, cosy, dimly lit room into a clinical theatre where it feels like something bad is about to happen.”
Continuing the cocoon-like atmosphere, wall-to-ceiling Venetian plaster is one of Hartley’s most expensive design choices – and one of the most complimented.
“It really sets the scene with the textures – it’s a beautiful, matte, almost stone effect.” Despite admitting to “blowing half of the budget” on the feature, Hartley says it has been worth the investment: “Everyone always comments on the walls, and it really encompasses the patients.”
But there is one lesson she learned the hard way. For practitioners considering Venetian plaster or microcement, Hartley has one piece of advice: “Do it, but seal it afterwards. I refused to seal it, because I wanted it to stay matte, which was a stupid error. It scratches so easily.”
Hart Medical treatment room
Reception area and lobby
A REASON TO LINGER
At Hart Medical, patients come for the treatment, and stay for the environment.
“People will finish their treatment and say, ‘Oh, do you mind if I stay upstairs and just do some work for a little bit?’ They always want to stay and experience the space before they have to go back out into the world.”
That’s why Hartley has such grand plans for the expansion next door.
Expanding on her wellness haven, the extension will continue the tranquil journey from the treatment area to a recovery lounge, allowing patients to stay, enjoy some red light therapy, have a drink, and relax until they are ready to leave.
The concept for the recovery lounge features warm ambient lighting, salt rocks and textured, earthy finishes, with the space designed to feel more like a private wellness retreat than a traditional clinical recovery area.
THE FUTURE OF HART MEDICAL
Beyond the relaxation room, the new development will take patients through to a retail space.
Mirroring the “exit through the gift shop experience,” Hartley’s retail concept aims to act as a touchpoint for brands to speak to their client base and for patients to explore and experience new products.
“The space will house our roster of brands, with new brands coming in every three months. I want it to be a place of discovery for my patients.
“Each product or brand we house in the retail store will be purposeful and intentional, with a story behind it. We will build a treatment around each product that we showcase and feature for those three months.
“It will then stay in the Hart Beauty archive, and the product will move on to our online e-commerce.”
The retail concept draws on what Hartley loved about Space NK in its early days.
“It was almost like a little apothecary. Every time you went in, there were new, undiscovered brands. I think a lot of that has now been replaced by mass beauty consumption culture.
“I wanted to move away from the experience of walking into a shop with too much choice, and make purchasing more intentional. Everything is Hart-approved, so my patients can feel confident they’re getting the right thing.
“I think excessive choice creates anxiety and stress. I want to remove that and create an experience that is simply about discovering amazing products.”
Working with zynk Design, the concept for the retail space reflects Hartley’s ethos of serenity, continuing the clinic’s sanctuary aesthetic, with curved walls, warm lighting, organic textures, and integrated shelving designed to create a calm, immersive environment.
Within the retail space, inspired in part by Los Angeles’ health-focused supermarket Erewhon, will be The Matcha Hatch – Hart Medical’s own matcha bar, serving signature drinks inspired by Hartley’s iconic patients.
Unfortunately, the logistics of working with a listed building have delayed the next chapter for Hart Medical, with changes to the building’s use and planning issues with Westminster adding to an already lengthy process.
After what Hartley describes as an “absolute nightmare”, work is due to restart on 12 October, with a launch hoped for at the beginning of 2027.The expansion will bring three additional treatment rooms and a recovery lounge, alongside the new retail and Matcha Hatch concept – extending the clinic’s sensory experience.
Street view of Hart Medical in Mayfair