Have you ever stayed at a boutique hotel and decided you could comfortably live there forever? Surrounded by custom furniture and designer pieces you'd desperately cram into your luggage if only given the chance. Well, I have some news for you: the contents of South Croydon boutique hotel and members' club, Birch Selsdon, are being auctioned off on April 14. I'm talking about every designer lamp, side table, sofa, even the custom-made reception desks, and a "wall of curtains". You could pocket a £655 Ferm Living Dou Floor Lamp for £15 if you're lucky (at least, that's my plan).
Set on a 200-acre estate just outside of London, the 181-room London hotel re-opened its doors back in 2023 following an extensive overhaul by London-based interior design studio A-nrd. The team worked alongside award-winning furniture designer Sebastian Cox on several bespoke pieces that are now — unfortunately for the hotel, but fortunately for us — up for grabs, after it closed again later that same year.
In terms of important information to know: you'll need to set up an account with Bidspotter.com, providing your email, phone number, and card details. The live auction starts at 10am on April 14, and payment is required within 24 hours, plus anything you win must be collected by April 23 ("during specified business hours on a Business Day"). It's also worth noting that a Buyer's Premium (24% of the Hammer Price), administrative charges, and VAT (20%) are all added on top of your final bid. Okay, fine print done, now onto the fun stuff.
With 734 items listed, sorting through is understandably an overwhelming experience — plus, once the auction is live, things will move quickly. As such, I couldn't help but ask those who know best — the ones who designed the space and much of the furniture within it — what they'd bid on first.
For Alessio Nardi, it's the unique reception desks. "We designed them as functional anchors to the space, but the process behind them is what makes them so special," he shares. "They were crafted by Sebastian Cox using timber offcuts from the estate itself as part of its rewilding programme. There’s a real integrity to that material story, and the timber-shake finish gives them an honest tactility."
And as for how he'd reimagine a 'reception' in his own home, "I’d see them working as statement consoles or even sculptural islands within a residential setting," he says. "You could even convert them into storage pieces." Me, personally? I'd style it as a floating home bar.
It's currently at just £80 and there are two available.
Another big standout when scrolling through the listings was the bespoke, double-sided blue sofa seen in the orangery. It's another piece Alessio says he'd bid on.
"It was designed by us to bring a sense of fluidity into the architecture; it’s very organic — drawing you into the room through its form," he says. "Upholstered in a Klein blue bouclé by Kvadrat/Raf Simons, it’s bold, but the low, curved silhouette makes it versatile and inviting. It’s one of those pieces that can completely define a space, whether in a large living room or a more open-plan setting."
As for the other half of A-rnd, Lukas Persakovas, the wardrobes would make a worthwhile purchase. (Thankfully, there are 181 of them available.)
"They're a good example of how we as a studio approach even the most functional elements, treating them as part of the overall architectural language rather than something purely practical," he explains. "I really like the green veneer — paired with the oak detailing and raw steel accents, the forms have a strong presence, but the linen curtain softens that, adding a more domestic, tactile layer.
"The marquetry pieces by Chelsea Vivash add that extra layer of uniqueness," he adds. "I think they could work equally well in a hallway, as standalone pieces, or in a bedroom — they have a sculptural quality that goes beyond storage."
There are lots of these custom wardrobe units on offer, with bids starting as low as £5.
Some Other Standout Pieces
A hot contest is already at foot with these sling chairs. There's been 12 bids so far, and they're currently sitting at £200 for the pair.
Certainly one of the more expensive pieces right now, the current £320 bid is still an outrageous price for two Carl Hansen chairs.
Currently sitting at just £280, even with watermarks on the top, this sideboard would be an absolute steal.
Even if you never get to stay, there is so much inspiration to steal from the world's best design hotels — but in this case, it's just a little bit easier to 'recreate the look' in your own home.
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