Kiss-marked marbles, plush jewelled drapery, sweeping nude murals, hypnotic mirrored halls, and concealed passageways. There is a grainy patina and a 'forbidden fruit' allure to Roses of Elagabalus, the golden-hued, decadent queer clubhouse inaugurated in Dalston, East London, by James Nasmyth and Camille Jetzer earlier this year, one that transcends the frenetic rhythms of the digital age.
Reviving the atmosphere of the secret outsider clubs of the early 20th century, from the British capital's Cave of the Golden Calf and Paris's Le Carrousel and Le Chat Noir to Vienna's Cabaret Fledermaus and American Bar, the evocative hangout strives to remedy the absence of LGBTQ+ spaces where one can "have a casual drink, a late dinner, a date, and a dance", the co-founders explain.
Raised in Europe but now based in London, Nasmyth and Jetzer are accustomed to destinations where the boundaries between daytime catchups, dining, and nightlife aren't necessarily fixed in stone, but blur and dissolve as the hours pass — destinations that, even today, remain far more common in the continent than in the UK.
To fill that gap, the two decided to join forces with Irish interior designer Domhnall Nolan, and, together, envision a place "that was elegant, warm, and a little bit camp". Bathing in softly glowing amber light and reuniting six individually crafted, immersive environments, the result will have you reconsider the design potential of London's best bars, and put another address down in your books.
Roses of Elagabalus — A Taste of the 'Old World'
That the fascination with a glorious, glamorous past served as the foundation onto which Roses of Elagabalus came to be is obvious, whether in the Art Deco references that give the nightclub its patinated look, including the many sculptural lamps, tamps, and sconces that constellate the space, its dark wooden cabinetry, and opulent textiles, or the vaguely old-New York ambiance recreated by its canvases and murals-filled setting.
Still, it's the careful insertion of contemporary details like the unexpected, grungier metallic touches that, breaking with the space's air of romance, anchor it in the present, preventing it from becoming pastiche.
"The interior of Roses of Elagabalus borrows from various design eras, and isn't limited by one epoch, place, or theme," designer Domhnall Nolan tells me of the project. Named after a 1888 painting by Anglo-Dutch artist Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, an indulgent banquet scene capturing the hedonism of young trans Roman emperor Elagabalus's reign, the location plays with the idea of pleasure in all of its connotations.
It does so visually, through sensory decor that echoes the avant-garde look of places like the Viennese arts and crafts movement's headquarters, Wiener Werkstätte, architect Adolf Loos's color-blocked, fascinating commissions in Prague, Yves Saint Laurent's museum-like, eclectic Paris home, or the legendary dancefloor of NYC's disco nightclub Studio 54.
But also literally, by unleashing visceral tension through dimly lit corridors and an entire room "filled with books of nudes, erotica, and homoerotic visual literature and readings," Nolan explains.
Crafting "a Labyrinth, Mysterious Space"
The communal table of Roses of Elagabalus's Erotic Library, the second room in the club, which makes flipping through its volumes' pages even more social and fun.
At first glance, the inspirations behind Roses of Elagabalus don't have much in common, but that was exactly the point. "One key goal was to make people feel transported to another place," he says. "Letting them enter through the narrow cloakroom into this labyrinth, mysterious space." The idea was for it to be, yes, glamorous and elevated, "but with the edginess that Dalston brings, too," continues the designer.
A close friend of co-founders Nasmyth and Jetzer, Nolan has lived in the neighborhood for ten years. "I have seen how it has evolved," he explains. "So I wanted to take the things I love most about it and make sure they had a place within the club."
While finding a way to emulate the "effortlessness" of the famed bars and hangouts that informed it — their aura of mystery — was key, it was their role as a safe space for the queer community of the time to define the spirit of this new East London hub. "Curtains, fabrics, murals all existed in these historic venues, but in their own way," Nolan says. However, "it's the type of people they attracted that ultimately makes the feeling inside the space."
If there's one area of London where the city's LGBTQ+ residents feel at home, gather, and thrive, it's Dalston, and so the address of Roses of Elagabalus doesn't surprise. "Sensual, maximal, and sharp", as the designer likes to describe it, with its cinematic, moody vibe, it invites guests to leave all judgments behind, dress up, and give into the feeling of the night.
Each Room, a Mood
Underpinned by the same textural palette of ochre, maroon, chrome accents, and gold, the inside of Roses of Elagabalus feels whole in its stylistic consistency. Yet, it is only in the transition from one of its rooms into the next one, and the one after that, that visitors get to experience it to the fullest.
It is a sensorial climax.
First comes The Counter, the clubhouse's entry bar, inspired by last-century Vienna. A cozy, narrow, and warm bar with glossy surfaces designed to absorb you, "it's the ultimate spot for a date," Nolan explains, adorned "with a large, flowy curtain encrusted with custom jewelry pieces by Dill Schechner-Katz". His favorite room in the whole establishment, The Counter is lined with nostalgic booths, while less obvious details like the cassette player tucked behind the bar and the Bloomsbury Group-inspired sponge painting all contribute to making it into "one of the most coveted seats in the house".
Past this environment opens up Roses of Elagabalus's Erotic Library, a surreal space wrapped in hand-painted murals by queer London artist Ettore Larsen, where checkered floors, floating (or totemic) bespoke lighting, and a daring collection of written and visual erotica can be flipped through by single passersby or larger groups, thanks to the inclusion of a communal antique table.
Up next is the "verbose" Powder Room, "the gossipy place to gather and chat while redoing your makeup or freshening up," the designer explains. Almost like in a mystical passage, "the central sink acts as a bit of a roundabout for people passing through," he adds. Situated at the heart of the lower floor, the presence of the bathroom has altered the way people interact with one another, Nolan suggests. "It's a mirrored haven that always surprises guests when they head downstairs," he says.
Interior designer Domhnall Nolan, photographed inside the Powder Room at Roses of Elagabalus.
One of the most enigmatic, voyeuristic areas of the club, Bar Berini, also placed on the lower ground, "is framed in red curtains with fully carpeted, tiered seating where you can watch other guests go by — the ideal spot for either catching the action behind the bar or getting a sense of who else is in the crowd on a given night," Nolan explains.
The cherry on top of the cake, though in this case, situated downstairs, the Subrosa private cocktail room remains "a secret that most people don't even discover," the designer reveals. A sexy, heavily curtained and carpeted room, it is an exclusive retreat for couples looking to enjoy some alone time, and — Nolan adds — "it will begin to serve its own separate, special cocktail menu in the coming months!"
With multiple rooms to linger in as well as explore time and time again, Roses of Elagabalus is not just an edonistic escape; it is a home for the local queer community.
"Many regulars are already giving their friends tours of the spaces, proving they feel a sense of pride in it, which is great to see," shares the designer. "There aren't many places for LGBTQ+ people and their peers to gather other than pubs. Roses of Elagabalus offers something different, hopefully encouraging people to start thinking differently about how and where we decide to meet up."
Learn more about Roses of Elagabalus.
Not in London but obsessed with this kind of immersive nightlife hubs? Dive into our curation of the best New York bars for more retro-fueled inspiration and equally atmospheric interiors.
