British hotel chain Birch has opened an outpost in south London, with grounds rewilded by designer Sebastian Cox and interiors conceived by local studios A-nrd and Sella Concept.Birch Selsdon is housed in a 19th-century mansion in the borough of Croydon and accommodates 181 rooms alongside a wellness space and lido, co-working facilities and a medley of restaurants and bars.

Local studios A-nrd took a "restorative approach" to the interior works, stripping back much of the existing fit-out to allow the building's original architecture to come to the fore.Restoration was also the focus for Sebastian Cox, who developed a woodland management plan for the hotel's grounds as well as a rewilding strategy for its 18-hole golf course.

Among Cox's furniture contributions is a pair of shingled timber reception desks in the entrance lobby, backed by an ombre curtain that mirrors the shifting seasonal hues of the landscape around Birch Selsdon.The lobby's floral bas-relief ceiling was preserved alongside the original masonry walls, which peek out from behind the curtain.Dotted throughout the space are moss-green velvet sofas as well as wicker armchairs, potted plants and vintage petal-shaped pendant lamps made from Murano glass.

Oversized rice paper lanterns hang from the ceiling overhead, which is painted a rich apricot shade to highlight the existing ornate bas-relief.The hotel includes another bar called The Snug with wood-panelled walls.The space is dressed with vintage travertine coffee tables and an array of lounge chairs in sumptuous colours like ochre, olive green and damson purple.

To one side of the room lies a curved seating nook that was uncovered during the renovation works. Its interior was rendered in blush pink to foster a warm, intimate dining ambience.There's also the option to relax in The Orangery, a light-filled space centred by a wiggly cobalt-blue sofa. Terracotta tiles are arranged in a traditional checkerboard pattern across the floor in a nod to the building's Victorian past.

The aesthetic of the hotel's communal spaces is maintained in the guest bedrooms, which are finished with textural decorative elements like linen curtains and hand-blown glass lamps that cast dappled light across the limewashed walls.Larger suites come complete with lounge areas, dressed with plump armchairs and sisal rugs.