House of Gods – Democratised Luxury

About House of GodsEssentially a 'start-up' accommodation, House of Gods is a boutique concept hotel in Edinburgh's Cowgate, built on themes of 'democratised luxury' and 'a balance of opposites'.These themes are largely inspired by the stippled history of The Cowgate itself—the area developed from a cattle market, to an underground of outcasts, gamblers and thieves before flourishing into one of the city's most fashionable addresses. Through centuries of change, the one thing that has remained in Edinburgh's characterful underbelly is the juxtaposition of it's glamorous and gloomy past.This juxtaposition lives in House of Gods through both its' build and its' brand—combining luxe finishes with gritty undertones at every touchpoint."A gucci-clad cocktail bar with rooms attached. Democratic decadence is the ambition in this mashup of Orient Express opulence and rock 'n' roll louche. Rooms are snug cabins tricked out in wine dark colours with lashings of velvet, faux fur and moody lighting—just made for misbehaviour." — The TelegraphThe BrandThe balance of opposites spills into all aspects of the House of Gods brand, from the colour palette and photography treatment, to neon signage, tone of voice and print.Visually, this manifests through unexpected pairings, such as Dymo labels on gold-foiled fine paper envelopes, masking tape clashed with Rosso Lavanto marble and contrasting font pairings which allow the brand to dance towards either end of the spectrum, depending on the occasion, audience or mood.To further express the theme of 'democratised luxury' every output is driven by quality and craft—like hand-stitched bar books, the custom designed neon signage or the hand-gilded lamps by signpainter, Thomas Payne. As with the build of the hotel, craftsmanship and high-quality materials are as much a part of the brand as the design itself.Brand PerformanceThe development of the brand largely helped to secure the funding to build House of Gods hotel. Since launch, the hotel has operated at a high capacity of bookings, gained a rapid following of 9,000+ and earned an average social media engagement rate of 8% (against the industry average of 1.7%). The hotel has also been featured in The Telegraph, Edinburgh Live, The Scotsman, The Traveller and more.