Just open: Cathay Pacific's newly-renovated Heathrow lounge

When interior design royal Ilse Crawford set the aesthetic for Cathy Pacific's lounges at Hong Kong International Airport, she and her team at London-based Studioilse were determined to avoid any institutional feel and create something in contrast to the utilitarian terminal beyond. To that end, they worked to make people "feel at home" in a friendly, very human space. Shunning big "wow factor" items, Studioilse instead focused on comfort and normalcy as its benchmarks of luxury.

Cathay's newly opened renovated Heathrow lounge follows the same game plan, designed to be "a calm and stress-free environment" with an abundance of plants, soothing lighting, residential furnishings in a gently energising palette, warm woods and soft finishes.

Likely to engender calm in a practical sense is plentiful space: at 1200 square metres, the new London lounge is 30 per cent larger than its predecessor, with floor-to-ceiling windows extending the expansiveness with views of the airport's apron and northerly runway.

And within that space, great touches, such as specially made wooden side tables with power and USB ports and quiet corners to regroup in. There are eight shower suites.

Catering, of course, is a big part of lounge-time-relaxation, and so a big part of the refurb. The Business Class area features Cathay Pacific's Noodle Bar and The Food Hall, which includes "traditional British fare" in its offerings.

The Heathrow refurbishment follows the airline's other recent lounge openings in Bangkok, Haneda (Tokyo), Manila, Taipei and Vancouver.