White Rose

About This Project

White Rose is a small chain of launderettes and dry cleaners who pride themselves on their standards of care and servicing – and one of our first clients. We were asked to redesign their logo and then create two very different retail spaces. Our first task was to convert a former travel agent shop in Marylebone into a hi-end dry cleaners and laundry service. Using clean lines and honest materials, we built the counter from a scaffold frame covered in stretched canvas and laid a reclaimed wooden floor from an old Selfridges store. For the second site, we refurbished one of their existing launderettes in Hammersmith. The client’s request for a sociable coffee bar area was inspired by the 50’s-style diner theme.

The 50s vibe wasn’t just a style make-over, the business model was different too. The launderette would be continuously staffed and payments made centrally to the operator with variable machine rates depending on the time of day, for example, a ‘happy hour’ during quiet periods. The counter accessed the dry cleaning service and the addition of a cappuccino machine and bar stools made it a great place to meet and hang out. We sourced all of the posters from the wonderful Vintage Magazine Shop in Brewer Street, Soho, but sadly there wasn’t quite enough room for a jukebox. The project featured in FX magazine