Paperspace Design Ltd. - Expert creative interior design consultancy for the leisure and hospitality sector.

Design Review: Bread Street Kitchen

Carrie Webb — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:48:52 +0000

A large, glazed, triple height unit in a brand new shopping centre might not seem like the ideal location for an intimate, relaxed restaurant with a vintage feel. But, at the Bread Street Kitchen, Russel Sage Studio (who also designed the Zetter Townhouse hotel we reviewed last year) have managed to create a characterful and surprisingly atmospheric environment in just such a space.

The restaurant, offering a whopping 300 covers, is split over two floors with a bar on the ground floor and the main restaurant on the first floor. Intimacy is skillfully created in this huge space by dividing it up into smaller areas each with their own individual features and identity. The look is fashionably eclectic, mixing industrial and reclaimed materials with vintage pieces and traditional elements. Illuminated timber clad columns and traditionally styled brass fittings suggest the grandeur of a Victorian railway station whilst steel, mesh and exposed ductwork add a more edgy and contemporary feel. The traditional black and white chequerboard floor, dark wood and tungsten lighting help to create a warm and friendly ambiance and a hint of period style sophistication.

Customers can see their food being prepared in the long open kitchen running most of the length of the restaurant which provides a dynamic backdrop linking the dining areas together. At high level a wine display of around 2000 bottles lines the balcony serving to illustrate the restaurant’s considerable drinks offer as well as create an eye catching feature.

On the down side the acoustics aren’t brilliant. The trend for hard surfaces such as concrete, steel and tiles has made this quite a common problem recently. High ceilings exacerbate the problem here and there’s really very little in the way of softer surfaces to help absorb sound. The restaurant does contain quite a few ‘well used’ design elements too (white brick-bond tiles, retro furniture, industrial lighting etc) but I think it has enough original ideas on top of these to avoid feeling too clichéd. Overall, the attention to detail, quality finish and skillful space planning make the Bread Street Kitchen an interesting and enjoyable place to be.

Thank you to Gordon Ramsay Holdings for the photos.

You may also be interested in our review of the Zetter Townhouse hotel, Dishoom restaurant and the Tommyfield pub

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Design Review: Banana Tree Canteen

Carrie Webb — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 21:28:42 +0000

Banana Tree Canteen is a well established chain of restaurants serving contemporary dishes from Indochina, run by chef-proprietor William Chow. This week sees the opening of their new Wardour Street restaurant and the launch of a new interior design concept.

The scheme is on-trend in its rustic-industrial styling – think the rawness of Pizza East meets the pared-down canteen style of Wagamama’s. The space is stylish and urban with a subdued colour scheme of greys, white and muted green punctuated by a sprinkling of bright red pendant lights. The layout is straightforward and well organised with a strip of sharing tables down the centre providing the main focus while a lively graphic on the wall by the entrance creates a cosy corner that is full of atmosphere. The furniture is rough and ready with concrete benches, reclaimed school style chairs and industrial stools.

Concrete and metal are the primary finishes with white ceramics and aged wood also making an appearance. This abundance of hard surfaces – concrete floor, ceiling and furniture, bare brick walls, metal ceiling rafts – does have a serious effect on the acoustics. The resulting high noise level, whilst creating a ‘buzzy’ and lively ambiance, unfortunately makes it quite hard to communicate both with the person you’re with and the waiting staff. A little more contrast in finishes would help ease the acoustic problem as well as adding some visual texture.

The lighting scheme is very successful providing a pleasant level of illumination and a warm, intimate mood. Huge spun metal pendants provide a sculptural feature and old fashioned carbon filament bulbs add atmosphere to the sharing tables. Industrial spotlights illuminate the concrete ceiling and galvanised ducts, making a them into a feature.

Being finished all in white, the open kitchen to the rear of the restaurant tends to blend into the background rather than providing the dramatic backdrop it ought to be. The theatre of the flames licking up the side of a wok or a chef chopping hurriedly with his cleaver are just not visible enough. The cocktail bar sitting between the customers and chefs acts as another barrier between that theatre and the audience. It would be great to see within the space some expression of the beautiful, fresh food being served. Displays of fresh fruit and vegetables or even just representations of the food, such as crates, sacks or herb plants, would hint at the style and quality of what’s on offer.

A great atmosphere, a cool, contemporary interior and delicious food make Banana Tree Canteen a must-try restaurant. Keep an eye of their website to see when it opens. www.banana-tree.co.uk

You can see more photos of Banana Tree Canteen Soho on our Facebook Page

Design Review: The Zetter Townhouse

Carrie Webb — Sun, 22 May 2011 17:17:33 +0000

Billed as the eccentric Great Aunt to the effortlessly cool Zetter Hotel, the Zetter Townhouse, which opened just six weeks ago, is a welcoming home from home in London’s trendy Clerkenwell. Previously a solicitors office, the beautiful Georgian Townhouse now hosts thirteen unique bedrooms, a well appointed cocktail lounge, private dining room and games room.

Designed by Russel Sage the interior is an eclectic mix of period style, quirky details and laid-back cosiness, and somehow feels both theatrical and homely at the same time. The Townhouse is crammed full of antiquities, curiosities and objet d’art, all presumably family heirlooms and souvenirs from Great Aunt’s travels. Strong heritage colours provide a rich backdrop for antique furniture and luxurious details – like the bespoke gold leaf designs on the lift doors. Timber floors with beautiful rugs, worn leather armchairs, old books, dark ceilings and soft lighting give the place a warm, intimate atmosphere. But, far from being stuffy or old fashioned the hotel feels fresh and exciting thanks largely to the humour provided by fun details and playful twists such as the newspaper clad walls in the stairwell, the pink pinstripe carpets and my particular favourite, the taxidermy kangaroo! Of course you will also find all the modern technology you require with retro styled ipod docks and flatscreen TVs in every room and a fully connected private function room that can be hired for meetings or private dining.

Although the eclectic, boutique style of the Zetter Townhouse is far from ground-breaking, the conviction with which the design has been executed and the attention to detail set this hotel apart from the crowd. And the care that has gone into the design is carried through by the staff who are clearly, and quite rightly, very proud of their beautiful new hotel.

A big thank you to Susannah Fields for the beautiful photos. You can see more of her work on her website: www.susannahfields.co.uk Or find her on Facebook

See more photos of the Zetter Townhouse on our Facebook page.

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You might also be interested in these reviews:

Seven Hotel
Citizen M Hotel Amsterdam
Novotel Amsterdam City

Design Review: Hotel Seven, Alice Suite

Carrie Webb — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:01:38 +0000

Last year we reviewed the Seven Hotel in Paris after staying in one of the stunning Levitation rooms. This time we were lucky enough to stay in the magical Alice Suite. As the name suggests the suite is based on Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and was designed by accomplished interior and furniture designer Paul Mathieu.

In my last review of the Seven I mentioned that the public spaces let the hotel down. On this visit we had breakfast in the basement dining room which, although pleasant, feels more like a late night bar than a breakfast room due to colour change lighting, wine display and luxurious fabrics. The same strange velour chairs as in the bar are too low for comfortable dining. It’s a shame the public areas haven’t been treated as imaginatively as the rooms.

First off I’d like to apologise for the quality of the photos. My lack of photographic skills and the un-photogenic nature of the room means that they don’t show the suite in the best light! There are some better photos on the Seven’s website but even these don’t really do it justice.

The main design feature of the Alice Suite is the back-lit walls and ceiling with a choice of programmes that create a variety of different colours and effects. A white membrane conceals an arrangement of LED lights that create moving and colour-changing lighting schemes. It’s an unusual and impressive feature and great fun to play with! The carpet is a neutral colour with a rabbit figure in the centre created with a deeper pile. The walls that are not illuminated are covered in an iridescent, floral fabric which subtly reflects the changing colours of the lights.

There is a nice selection of bespoke furniture including a small red velvet chaise longue, two slim mirrored wardrobes, a little writing desk and a large chest of drawers. The furniture is well designed and beautifully made with lovely details but some of the sizes and positions don’t work that well. The chaise longue is too small and doesn’t face the TV whilst the chest of drawers is enormous – you would never need that much drawer space in a hotel room! Beautiful pendants by fashionable Rothschild & Bickers hang strangely by the door unfortunately drawing attention to the ventilation grill; over the table would seem like a more suitable location to me but perhaps the position was intentionally quirky. There is also a lot of empty space in the room which isn’t a problem in itself but I think it could have been put to better use to give the guest a more comfortable experience.

The bathroom is well appointed and stylish with two large basins, a large shower and a claw foot slipper bath. The little porthole window you can look through to the bed from when bathing is another lovely detail but unfortunately the bath is really too small to relax in. There’s also nowhere to rest your glass of Champagne whilst bathing! A separate toilet located off the room’s lobby keeps it nicely separate from the bedroom. It’s completely clad in glamourous black tiles and an illuminated chess board sits between two white toilets – a fantastically eccentric feature!

The joy of this suite really is in the delightful details though. The convex mirror evoking Alice’s looking glass, the crockery lamps (by Mat & Jewski) reminiscent of the Mad Hatter’s tea party and the Hearts and Clubs wardrobe door handles all draw on the magic Alice in Wonderland.The textile artwork is also a fun and creative addition. French artist Anne-Valerie Dupond has created a Cheshire Cat, a giant toadstool, a wall mounted rabbit and a toadstool bed throw that add a playfulness to the room.

Unfortunately this suite doesn’t have the same impact as the Levitation rooms and lacks an overall coherence, feeling a bit like a collection of furniture and accessories in a room. There are also a few things missing like the all important luggage rack, a shelf in shower and next to the bath for shampoo etc. All small details but things that really make a difference to the guest experience. That said, the suite really is a pleasure to stay in. Like the Seven itself, the Alice Suite is a break from the norm and an exciting and fun place to be, and isn’t that what holidays should be about anyway?

You can see more photos of the Alice Suite on our Facebook page

To receive our blog by email you can subscribe here. You might also be interested in these reviews:

Seven Hotel (Levitation Room)

Citizen M Hotel Amsterdam

Novotel Amsterdam City

Paperspace Design Reveals New Concept for Aroma

Carrie Webb — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:28:53 +0000

Aroma came to us looking for ideas for the refurbishment of their Stevenage branch. The restaurant had not been refurbished for many years and the owners realised that the interior and exterior appearance was having a detrimental effect on sales. At the same time they were keen to minimise refurbishment costs. There were also a number of operational issues to be addressed.

We began by carrying out a site assessment to establish the problems facing the restaurant and also looked at the surrounding restaurants to build an understanding of the competition. It quickly became apparent that over the years the competition for Aroma had increased dramatically both in number and in quality. The increasingly high standards of the surrounding restaurants had left Aroma behind. A dramatic change was required to bring the restaurant up to scratch and make it stand out from the crowd.

The Aroma brand has always been about modern Chinese dining and targeted mainly at the family market. We wanted our concept to reflect this whilst creating a more sophisticated environment that would appeal to business customers and couples as well as families. The Aroma brand is also lacking a strong identity. We wanted to communicate it’s Oriental theme and give it an exciting new, modern look. Our inspiration came from the vibrant aesthetic of the modern Chinese city and combines contemporary references such as neon lights and brightly coloured graphics with more traditional materials such as bamboo and black stained timber. The bold colour scheme is based on the traditional Chinese black and red with highlights of more contemporary pink, orange and yellow.

Keeping the budget in mind our design allows for retaining (and re-cladding) the existing central buffet counters whilst creating a more dynamic plan layout focused around a new graphic feature wall to give the large space some structure and focus. The introduction of bespoke furniture including high level benches and seating booths offer customers a range of seating options whilst helping to visually break up the large space with variations in height.

The problem of the lack of identity to the exterior has been addressed with a new signage design and a bold new shopfront. Vinyl window graphics and painted brickwork are a low cost way of transforming the extensive external elevations.

The project is still in development but we’ll keep you posted on progress.

The Folly: A Design Review

Carrie Webb — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 20:26:14 +0000

Drake and Morgan’s fourth bar and restaurant, The Folly, is a secret garden in the centre of the City. It’s a huge place and offers a range of possibilities to the customer such as taking tea in the garden lounge, after work drinks in the large bar area, dinner by the open kitchen, private dining areas, even a flower shop. In spite of its vastness The Folly manages to maintain a certain intimacy due to clever space planning that creates separate zones without loosing the overall cohearance of the space. Like it’s older sister, The Anthologist, The Folly combines the rustic, quirky and elegant to achieve an eclectic and unusual interior. A colour palette of green, white and pink along with floral wallpapers and upholstery are nothing out of the ordinary but it’s the unpredictable elements that make it special. Picnic benches, flower pot lampshades, wire chairs and faux topiary all contribute to the pretty garden aesthetic. Bare brick wall, metal inserts into the timber floor and a shuttered concrete bar front add an industrial edge whilst on-trend elements like the hexagonal back bar display and white china pendant lights ensure an up-to-date feel. For me though it’s the attention to detail that makes The Folly such a delight. The bird cages, the tree stump column and my favourite, the little pot of basil wrapped in a sheet of the FT on each table. I think there’s a fine line between quirky and gimicy and between pretty and twee – happily The Folly just manages to stay on the right side of both.

For more photos of The Folly visit our Facebook page. You can visit The Folly’s website here.

You may also be interested in these reviews:

The Tommyfield

Brunswick House Cafe

Merry Christmas from Paperspace Design

Carrie Webb — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 19:45:34 +0000

It’s been a great year for us at Paperspace Design. We’ve enjoyed working on some interesting new projects such as Jaz and Jul’s Chocolate House, an exciting new wine retail project (can’t say too much yet!) and a new concept for our old friends Aroma Restaurants which we’ll be revealing soon!

We’ve also been to some great new restaurants, bars and hotels and enjoyed reviewing them. Some of our favourites include:

The pioneering Citizen M hotel, Amsterdam that we visited back in June, our new local The Tommyfield, London and Dishoom Restaurant, London which has also become a regular haunt, even playing host to my 30th birthday celebrations in October!

We’ve met some great people too – Leo Bedford of Yuforia Frozen Yoghurt talked to us about his new venture, Stephen and Juliette of Pho Vietnamese restaurants told us about their experiences of setting up a successful restaurant chain, and Phillippe Vaurs kindly took the time to respond to our review of his beautiful hotel in Paris – The Seven Hotel.

We’d like to say a big thank you to our clients, contractors, suppliers, Facebook fans, Twitter friends, people we’ve met at networking events and everyone who’s helped helped us throughout the year. Our studio will be closed from 24th December until 4th January. We look forward to catching up in the new year!

Best Wishes

Carrie & Bob

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Seven Hotel Paris: A Design Review & Conversation with the Owner

Carrie Webb — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 13:07:00 +0000

The Seven Hotel is an exciting new boutique hotel situated behind a relatively modest facade on a small road in the 5th Arrondissement. The fibre optic lights built in to the shopfront offer the only clue as to what awaits inside. The public areas although nice, are disappointing in comparison to the stunning rooms. The hotel bar has some interesting design features including the bubble type pendants and a cleverly designed louvred mirrored back wall. The bar, along with the reception area, is let down hugely by the abundance of rather tacky looking velour upholstery on strangely shaped seats. But you don’t come to this hotel for the bar.

A number of quirkily styled suites are available but to me the most interesting aspect of the hotel is its stunning ‘Levitation Rooms.’ The ambience is moody and sexy with a dark colour palette lifted by bright blues and purples and irridescant, light reflecting surfaces. The room focuses around a large ‘floating’ (cantilevered) bed, under-lit with bright blue LED light. On the ceiling a dramatic image of the sky is punctuated by fibre optic stars. All furniture (apart from the bed) is made from clear acrylic and is edge lit with blue or purple LEDs. Walls are dark blue as is the wave textured carpet. In the bathroom walls and floors are clad in black ridged tiles with blue fibre optics twinkling in the grout. The overall impression is dazzling.

The bathroom is separated from the bedroom with a clear glass screen mounted on top of the floating bath and the toilet is enclosed in an irridescant box. A rather superfluous glazed door can close off the bathroom although I couldn’t see any advantage of this and in fact I think the floating effect of the bath would have benefited from losing the door. Having no door furniture or manifestations it was also rather dangerous especially at night when the layers of reflections can be quite disorientating.

Whilst the room did include some very nice touches – such as the adjustable reading lights and the complimentary espresso machine, a few practical requirements have unfortunately been neglected. There was no suitcase stand. I found nowhere suitable for putting on make-up – the room is very dark and you can’t get close enough to the mirror. This could easily be resolved with the addition of an adjustable mirror mounted on the wall with a little spotlight. The number of light switches (fifteen in total!) was confusing especially as none were labelled. We also did not work out how to control the heating until it was time to leave. I think this hotel would benefit from an integrated control system such as the excellent one Citizen M use which is one simple remote control for heating/ lighting/ music and TV.

My main worry for this hotel though is durability. Acrylic wardrobes and glass doors look great but are very easily damaged. The hotel has been open just three months yet already the room was showing signs of damage. The toilet door had taken a bash and was cracked and the acrylic surface the coffee machine was on was also already very scratched. The opening and closing of the safe door had completely ruined the bottom of the wardrobe (a problem that could have been easily solved by raising it up slightly) and with all the surfaces in glass and acrylic I fear the room will quickly start to look tatty.

As a guest, I love this hotel and I admire the originality of the design. It has been executed with conviction and if compromises have been made it’s hard to see where. However, I would be worried if I was the owner because I suspect in another three months these rooms will really start to appear worn. And with such a slick design, the finish is everything. My advice would be to get over to Paris and check it out as soon as possible!

For more photos of the Seven Hotel visit our Facebook page.

You may also be interested in these reviews.
Citizen M Amsterdam
Novotel Amsterdam

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You can visit Seven Hotel’s website here

Conversation with Philippe Vaurs – Owner of the Seven Hotel
I was very pleasantly surprised to have a telephone call from the owner of the Seven Hotel, Philippe Vaurs. He had read my review and thanked me for my ‘excellent commentary’ and said that he would like to explain some of the points I raised in the review. So here’s what he had to say…

Apparently the glass door to the bathroom I criticised for being superfluous was in fact a last minute addition insisted upon by ‘security’ which I assume is similar to our building control? The issue was that the distance between the TV and the bath was too small for it to be allowed to be open. How the TV could accidentally fall into the bath is anyone’s guess but that’s building regs for you!

Most interesting though were his thoughts on durability and maintenance. He said that they were aware from the outset that the acrylic furniture would become damaged easily and that the plan is to send the damaged pieces back to the factory to be polished as and when required. He said he accepts that they will have to spend more on maintenance than usual for a hotel but he feels that it’s worth it to have such an interesting and original design. What a fantastic and refreshing thing to hear! I wish he was my client!

I was actually very pleased to hear that this issue had in fact been considered and that the Seven Hotel will still look great in a year’s time. Having had such a nice conversation with Philippe I now want the place to succeed even more than I did before. The hotel industry could do with more progressive and open-minded owners like him.

Book Review: BIID Interior Design Job Book

Carrie Webb — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:21:41 +0000

BIID Interior Design Job Book

This book provides an in depth, step by step guide to running an interior design project from start to finish. The book is divided into stages based on the RIBA’s Plan of Work and at each stage explanations, specimen documents and advice take you through the process. The subject matter is inevitably a little dry but the book is well written in an informal style that makes it surprisingly readable.

The book also draws on the RIBA’s Architect’s Job Book but reflects the differences between an interior design project and an architectural job. A section of the book is dedicated to guiding the reader through the Form of Appointment of Interior Design Services, ID/10 from BIID. Whether you intend to use this document or not the advice is sound and transferable to your own documentation.

Whilst experienced designers will be au fait with a good deal of the subject matter there are a number of more advanced topics, such as dispute resolution, that might be unfamiliar. The formalisation of a design project into detailed stages prompts you to think about your own processes and the model letters and forms could also be very useful. Essential reading for anyone setting up their own interior design practice or senior designers running their own jobs.

You can buy this book from RIBA Bookshops

Pho: A Design Review and Interview

Carrie Webb — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:28:49 +0000

The shopfront is tasteful, so discreet we managed to walk straight past! Painted a muted warm grey with small red lettering and a logo, from the outside Pho looks very appealing, like the sort of place you’d love to dive into on a rainy afternoon.

Inside the restaurant feels friendly, much more like an independent local restaurant than the fifth member of a modern chain. It’s divided into two parts by the entrance to the flats above which creates two intimate spaces. The high level sharing table that leads on from the bar counter is a focal point against the timber clad back wall and links the two areas together well. It’s a listed building and benefits from the original brickwork and two large fire places. The ceiling is quite low and has been painted in a bright red gloss which adds to the cosy atmosphere. The finishes are simple and rustic, like the rough timber panelling which helps conjure up the Vietnamese street food vendors on which the concept is based. Wicker lampshades on the walls and big pendants over the bar counter create texture with light. Furniture is simple, reclaimed timber chairs, dark wood stools and some fixed banquette. Not the most comfortable seating perhaps but more than adequate for a stay of an hour or so. And the table tops are a bamboo finish, another traditional material of Vietnam.

It’s interesting to compare the Wardour Street restaurant with the Brighton site, a large modern unit also designed by Martin Brudnizki. Although very different venues they both carry the concept convincingly and I’m impressed with how well it has been applied into these contrasting spaces. Pho have successfully drawn on their Vietnamese influences without creating a pastiche and have integrated them into this old London building beautifully.

As a footnote the food is also excellent and very reasonably priced so I’d highly recommend a visit! Check out their website for more information.

Read my interview with Stephen and Juliette, owners of Pho, after the pictures.

Stephen and Juliette Wall set up Pho after travelling to Vietnam. They have kindly agreed to share some of their ideas and experiences with us…

Carrie: Pho came about after you visited Vietnam and decided to set up a Vietnamese restaurant in London. What was it you found so inspiring about Vietnam?

Stephen & Juliette: We loved the street food and the way the street vendors specialise in one dish yet each time its eaten it is dressed by the customer in a different way providing a unique eating experience every time.

Carrie: Obviously the interiors draw inspiration from Vietnam too – what are the most important qualities you wanted to communicate and what other influences have been important?

Stephen & Juliette: We want our interiors to fit well with the location and the building. We want to provide a pleasurable environment that you want to stay in but at the same time keep the casualness of a cafe. It’s important to communicate the freshness of the product so where we can we will always have our fresh herb bar, fruit for the juices or stocks on display. In Wardour street we converted the area that used to house a pizza oven into a massive stock pot for making the pho.

Carrie: How do you go about choosing a site for a new restaurant? What are the most important considerations?

Stephen & Juliette: Location is the most important (there needs to be the custom) but the place has got to have the right feel. We’ve tried old and new buildings, small and large and while we have an ideal in our minds and Wardour street is everything we could hope for we can make the restaurant work anywhere with the right design.

Carrie: You started Pho in 2005 and Wardour Street is your fifth restaurant, has much changed in the restaurant market over the last 5 years?

Stephen & Juliette: The growth of fast casual sector and in particular specialists who want to do one or two things well rather than having an extensive menu. Also people’s understanding seems to have changed especially with Vietnamese food. When we opened in June 2005 in Clerkenwell we had to educate just about everyone that came in the door about the food. Most had never heard of Vietnam’s national dish and were very dubious to try bun noodles because they weren’t hot. Now Vietnamese places are popping up all over the place.

Carrie: How has your interior design developed in this time?

Stephen & Juliette: Our first site in Clerkenwell had many natural features – old concertina doors, wooden beams and brick walls with horse hair sticking out to a more modern building in Great Titchfield street. We took the same themes across like the bowl lights, chairs and bamboo tables but we should have take some professional advice. When we opened in Brighton those things wouldn’t work and the space was a huge concrete hanger. We worked with MBDS to bring in Vietnamese influence and to make the space atmospheric – having the open kitchen in the middle of the restaurant really helped with this. Wardour street is similar to our first site as its got the natural brick walls again and a wonderful frontage but apart from the bamboo tables, it’s quite different. It is important to change what you do to fit the space.

Carrie: What’s your favourite part of the Wardour Street design?

Stephen & Juliette: The natural features of the place – brickwork and fireplaces, sash windows. It’s a listed building.

Carrie: How important do you think the interior is to the success of your business?

Stephen & Juliette: We think it has had quite an influence on our success. When we first opened in Clerkenwell we were pretty much the first Vietnamese outlet with a modern design. we’ve always focussed on the ambience and want a place to feel comfortable for groups, solo diners, for lunch and for a Friday night out. Lighting, music as well as a nice clean decor is important. Still people write to us asking where we get our lights from.

Carrie: Do you have any advice for people thinking about setting up a restaurant or carrying out a refurbishment?

Stephen & Juliette: Think about durability and practically when looking at a design. Sit in the site as a customer.

Otarian: A Design Review

Carrie Webb — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:22:16 +0000

I would usually chose a venue to review on the basis that it has an interior that is in someway outstanding or interesting. Otarian is not a design-led venue but its primary concern is with sustainability, claiming to be London’s first low carbon restaurant. So perhaps it’s a little unfair for me to judge it against my usual criteria but as sustainability is such a hot topic in interior design right now I thought it would be interesting to see how Otarian have tackled the challenge.

Otarian is a vegetarian fast-food chain from New York. Its philosophy is that by eating vegetarian food supplied in a sustainable way (no air freight, recycled packaging etc) we can reduce our carbon footprint. The menu displays the quantity of carbon saved by purchasing that dish compared to a similar meat based product from an alternative fast food restaurant.

So, to the interior! I like the fact that on their website Otarian have acknowledged that, ‘Sustainable Building Design is a whole new area that is continually changing and evolving and we find the whole thing a bit confusing!’ I like it because it’s honest and all too often people (restaurants, hotels, suppliers, designers etc) make sweeping statements about being sustainable without really explaining what they mean specifically. It’s a massively complex issue and I’m always suspicious of these unqualified claims. Otarian then go on to say, ‘But we know that there are a few really important things so for the moment we’ve focused on these.’ The things that they have focused on in relation to design are, in brief, recycled materials, non-toxic paint, using existing buildings, using materials that reduce the use of energy. All good so far, but how does the interior actually look?

It’s a nice unit with a very high ceiling and beautiful arched windows so they had a great starting point. Unfortunately I wasn’t impressed with the overall look and feel. It feels rather sparse and bland. The walls are painted a very ordinary cream colour and the flooring, although a beautiful material, is a brownish orange colour which didn’t do it for me. The feature ceiling raft is curious consisting of recycled aluminium rings supporting the light fittings. At the back of the shop is the servery counter. The counter itself is a backlit panel perhaps made of recycled plastic, I’m not sure. Unfortunately it looks a bit cheap. The menu boards above the counter are backlit and mainly white. They contain a lot of information (don’t forget the carbon footprint) and could do with being lower down to make them easier to read. There are a few graphics around the interior and the graphic design is good. Unfortunately they have just been printed on board and stuck on the wall making them look rather unprofessional. The interior design also does not seem to relate to the graphic design with colours, shapes and images not being carried through.

There’s a large screen on one wall displaying info graphics relating to environmental issues. It’s highly educational, sometimes shocking. Even the paper napkins are printed with environmental statements, facts and figures. I found this barrage of information rather annoying. I don’t go to a restaurant to be lectured… Anyway, back to the interior design! Table tops are made from recycled plastic and are actually quite nice. Again though they are cream, offering no contrast. Most of the chairs are silver in colour and apparently made from sustainable bamboo. A display of wicker baskets made in India from recycled newspaper do add colour but also a rather cliched, hippy feel. It all looks a little bit make-shift. Finishes and furniture have been selected for their environmental credentials and unfortunately this seems to have been at the expense of aesthetic quality. It’s really the overall effect that is lacking. For me a sustainable restaurant should be great food, great service and a great interior with the bonus of sustainability. And being a fast food restaurant is also no defence these days with the likes of MacDonalds upping their game in terms of design too.

I hope Otarian will do well trading off its green credentials because I think it is well meaning and in many ways ground-breaking. But I fear that once the idea of sustainable interiors becomes more widespread, the design won’t stand up to the competition and Otarian won’t be able to maintain its leading position. Before too long all interiors will need to be sustainable and great looking, one or the other simply won’t be enough.

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Now: A Design Review

Carrie Webb — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 06:30:46 +0000

This is the kind of design that I find most exciting – it’s a vibrant and exciting expression of a strong idea. The concept behind Now is modern Chinese street food and the interior communicates this well. Large scale graphics of neon street signs dominate the interior evoking the hustle and bustle of a modern Chinese city whilst more traditional details such as black lacquer, a bamboo ceiling and cobble effect floor are combined to create a crisp and modern interpretation of the Chinese metropolis.

The shopfront is large and fully glazed to allow views into the restaurant and kitchen areas. The signage consists of bold bright letters against a black shiny fascia and the colours really sing out. Stacked high in the shop window are piles of steamers which I expect are meant to create a more authentic and less designed feel although I’m not sure how successful they are. I like the idea but to me the window display appears rather random and needed to be implemented with more conviction.

The ceiling is particularly successful. I’m always interested to see how other designers deal with the necessity for air conditioning and ventilation. In this case they’ve gone for the relatively inexpensive option of the standard square units but they’ve been cleverly camouflaged simply by painting them to match the bamboo and integrating them within the grid. You wouldn’t even notice them if you weren’t looking.

The counter has been kept simple in black and timber benches and stools provide a place to perch. You can see through to the kitchen area although when I was there it didn’t seem particularly exciting. I expect the place feels more lively at lunch time when it’s packed with people.

Now is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is good value for money. It’s a great concept and a well executed interior, well worth a visit.

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Koffmann’s at the Berkeley: A Design Review

Carrie Webb — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:47:20 +0000

Following the closure of Gorden Ramsay’s Boxwood Cafe, The Berkeley Hotel has been working with the legendary Pierre Koffmann on a new restaurant concept. The recently opened Koffmann’s was created by a team made up of representatives from the Maybourne group (The Berkeley, The Connaught and Claridge’s) and Pierre Koffmann’s team. Unusually for such a prestigious project there was no professional interior designers involved. Remember that The Berkeley is also home to David Collins’ iconic Blue Bar so it certainly has a lot to live up to.

First impressions are good, if not stunning. The atmosphere is elegant, calm and sophisticated. The restaurant is below ground level and has only two small windows so there is very little natural light. One criticism of Koffmann’s predecessor, The Boxwood Cafe, was that it was very dark. It is often difficult to create a venue that works equally well in the day and the evening. The design team have certainly addressed this issue and have been very successful in creating a light and bright restaurant in what could easily be a dingy, underground space.

The colour palette is understated with neutral, textured walls (apparently the colour is called ‘elephant’s breath!), a beige striped carpet and an unusual light timber. Lighting is key here and has been well executed with spotlights onto the tables and wall lights adding texture. Wall wash lighting highlights the textured walls. Food photography hangs on the walls in black frames and whilst the quality is good, the subjects are a little run of the mill and I think a venue of this calibre really deserves some more interesting artwork.

The restaurant is arranged over three levels, the first being the entrance with steps down to the small bar area and then further steps down to the main restaurant area. A route directly into the restaurant via the Blue Bar has been created so guests no longer have to leave the hotel and walk round to the restaurant.

The bar area at the top of the restaurant is very successful. There’s a beautiful white marble bar counter with coloured glass pendants over adding a slightly quirky modern touch. Small leather chairs sit in front of a tall bookcase stacked with beautiful books on the subject of French cuisine. This is possibly the nicest feature of the restaurant and adds a rare personal, even homely touch. Down in the main restaurant area banquette seating runs the length of the restaurant with loose round tables occupying the central area. There is a window to the kitchen towards the far end which offers views of the chefs and adds some dynamism to the otherwise quiet space. There’s also a wine station in front of the kitchen creating a little bit of theatre front of house.

This interior works because it has been well executed. It’s not the most exciting interior but its reserved elegance makes for a very pleasant place to enjoy an exceptional meal. To visit The Berkeley’s website click here

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If you’re thinking of opening a hotel, bar or restaurant and would like to discuss your interior design requirements please get in touch

Yuforia: Design Review and Interview with Leo Bedford

Carrie Webb — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:10:06 +0000

Yuforia Beak Street is the second frozen yoghurt shop opened by Leo Bedford. It’s a small shop with a big personality. The brand is centred around natural ingredients and environmental responsibility and this is expressed through the materials chosen for the interior. Walls are lined with plants and brick and furniture and fittings are made of natural oak. The look is original and dramatic with the living wall dominating the space. Its success lies in its simplicity. The space is very small but materials have been kept to a minimum with just four finishes creating the look. Natural oak, a stone floor and brick walls combine with the lush greenery to create the natural, environmentally friendly image.

The shopfront is perhaps the least successful element and sadly I felt it doesn’t do justice to the spectacular interior. The shop has been painted black and white and the signage is disappointingly made of plastic. There is a complete lack of the natural elements of the interior. Luckily the shop benefits from its corner site and the double frontage allows views in. The graphics also let the design down with some slightly odd cartoons internally and some rather brash photographic images in the shop window.

But these things are small enough to overlook and on the whole the design is a great success. A refreshing alternative to the plastic-fantastic interiors of other well known fro-yo stores!

Keep reading to find out how Leo developed the design and opened the store…

Interview with Leo Bedford, owner of Yuforia

Carrie: So this is your second outlet of Yuforia then?

Leo: Yes, the first one opened in June 2009 and this one opened May 2010 – it took us about a year to get the second one open. The design has got the same elements but it’s different because down in Covent Garden everything’s very heavily restricted. It’s all listed. There were a few restrictions on what we could do here but all the elements are the same, it’s all wood, brick and stone and plants. In Covent Garden we’ve got fewer plants and more brick because we’re in the arch way, we spent about a month hammering out the wall to get about 30 years of render off, it was a nightmare!

Carrie: So who came up with the idea for the interior design concept?

Leo: It was designed by a friend of mine who did it freelance for me. He’s a genius, he does amazing stuff! The brief was to create a space which was innovative in some way. I didn’t know which direction I wanted to go, I’m not creative really. It was his idea to pair the interior with the product. At that stage I was already really into having a natural product, we’d already sourced everything and the product was looking really good. He suggested designing a shop that mirrors everything about the product.

Carrie: So rather than go for something like Snog, quite brightly coloured and plasticky…

Leo: The reason everyone’s done that is because they’re trying to emulate Pinkberry in the States, they sell the most, everyone wants to be like Pinkberry. They were the first to have those plastic walls and now every other frozen yoghurt shop in the country’s got them! So we wanted to be not only innovative in our product but throughout. Obviously the theme is becoming more and more popular now but a year and a half ago we were one of the first people doing it

Carrie: Especially the living wall

Leo: Yeah they’re popping up all over the place!

Carrie: There’s one in Anthropology round the corner

Leo: Slightly disappointing that we’re right next to it! But it’s not a particularly nice one. What I love about this one is that it’s really thriving. A lot of them seem to be dying. This plant wall’s made by Green Fortune, a Swedish company. It was the first one they’d ever built in the UK. Another thing that we did that no-one else has done is just go for one plant. Almost every other plant wall has got a mixture, they’ve got ferns and stuff in there, I just wanted to go really, really bold with it. I really love it!

Carrie: I take it this is your favourite part of the design?

Leo: Yeah, I think it is, this shop’s really all about the plants. Anything we couldn’t cover in plants we covered in brick and everything else is wood. Our furniture’s got a really cool story. I can’t remember the name of the guy but it’s just him and his wife and they’ve got some land up in Scotland and it’s covered in oak trees and they plant a lot and chop some down and make some furniture out of it. It’s literally him with a saw, hacking away at it, massive hunks of oak! They’re a complete nightmare to live with though!

Carrie: Moving them around for cleaning?

Leo: Yeah!

Carrie: What was the most important consideration when choosing the site? Was it the location, was it this particular shop being on the corner or…

Leo: Well, Covent Garden was great but when I was there I didn’t really have much choice over where I could go. Anyway it was a great location, it had the bricks there but it was the only place I could go. When I got the second store I became really picky about what I was doing. having a corner’s fantastic really because if you’re going to do a fantastic interior like this people need to see it so that’s why I’m really pleased about the double frontage. It wasn’t the double frontage or the size, in reality it’s a bit small. It was a combination of everything. The actual location, in terms of London and the surrounding crowd, the people working here, the people that come in, that’s what makes this really work. Our brand, and our product match the people that are walking around outside.

Carrie: That’s the most important thing really isn’t it?

Leo: Yes, there’s no point in doing what we’re doing somewhere inappropriate.

Carrie: How much did your fit-out cost?

Leo: This place is done on a minuscule budget, compared to what you’d expect. I pride myself that since I’ve started on this whole adventure the thing I’ve really excelled at is the project managing of the two stores. Managed to get them both open in a ludicrously short amount of time and with very little money.

Carrie: How did you do that?

Leo: It’s just being on top of it. When it was falling behind I’d come and work all night on it just to get it back on track again. There are ways of doing things that are still amazing but are a tenth of the price. Everything in here’s custom made and it’s made of oak which is a fantastic material but because it’s so much easier to work with, so for example the cost of that counter there is just nothing compared to the same thing out of Corian. And things like instead of knocking down all the structural walls these are just plasterboard and the brick, as you’ve probably noticed being a designer, are tiles, which also helps save a couple of inches in every direction. There’s a couple of things I splashed out on, like the plant wall, that was very expensive and that bit of glass is UV bonded. The things that I hate, that air conditioning unit there. The trouble is the condenser would have to be about 50 miles away so the cost of the AC was going to be about 35% of the cost of our build, it’s crackers. You see the coffee machine, it’s on top of the freezer but in order to get into the freezer we had to cut the lid in half! Just the little things like that that we’ve done, rather than having a custom made freezer we’ve managed to keep the costs well down.

Carrie: Well it’s certainly got a very professional look

Leo: Yes I’m really proud of it. The people at Covent Garden ask ‘where’s your head office’ and seem to think we’re a global company! – We soon will be!! But right now it’s just me and some contractors in Watford. That was really the main idea, to build something to compete with the likes of Snog who have a colossal interior design budget.
Carrie: Do you have an idea of the square metre price? How many square metres have you got here?

Leo: 25 square metres approximately, I think we probably spent about £2000/sqm. About £50,000 in total. We spent about £17,000 on the plant wall. But you need to invest in the interior on a space like this because when push comes to shove we’re selling a simple product for quite a decent premium. We’re able to do what we do because we’re selling an experience

Carrie: It’s such an important part of your brand

Leo: Yeah, the whole brand hinges on the experience you have in the shop – the interior, the staff, the music, everything

Carrie: So is there any advice you could give to someone starting up a cafe or restaurant?

Leo: Yes, I’ve got some advice, if someone tells you it can’t be done then either they don’t know how to do it or they do know how to do it but they’re not prepared to tell you. When I opened the first shop I got told that a thousand times. I opened the shop 3 weeks after I’d signed the lease, I got told you couldn’t possibly do it in less than three months. You couldn’t possibly get away with not putting in fake ceilings, having ducting A/C and the living wall – I got told that a hundred times! Two years ago I was told no way, you can’t get plants to grow inside, it’s impossible. All you’ve got to do is find the right people then you’ll be able to do it. Then again, on the flip side of that it’s really important not to get carried away with it. I was doing the snagging list here and thinking I’m not quite happy with the brackets for the speakers but new ones would be about £250 each, then you think are those brackets going to sell me another 200 pots of yoghurt? So it is really a combination of those things.

Carrie: Yes, just being in control and keeping an eye on yourself as well as everyone else!

Leo: Yeah, that’s it. You don’t want to give up on the little things because the little things are what make it, but you can’t get carried away. Oh and do your planning permission early!
Carrie: So how did that work then, if you managed to open 3 weeks after you signed the lease you obviously had the design and everything all ready to go..?
Leo: I actually followed an extremely high risk way of doing things. Firstly it was designed around planning regulations so we didn’t need permission to change it – that’s why we haven’t changed the frontage – all we needed was advertising consent. When I decided I was going to do this, as soon as I’d had the offer accepted on the space I put the advertisement consent in straight away. I also did a huge amount of design work way before I’d had an offer accepted and then as the lease gets more and more serious I actually built the vast majority of this place in a warehouse in Watford

Carrie: Ok, then you brought everything in?

Leo: Yeah, as soon as I got the impression we could get on without major risk I got them building the back wall, they built all these counters, all the glass, and it was an extremely high risk thing to do but the fact of the matter was I had to be open at the beginning of the summer. If the lease had fallen through I’d have been in big, big trouble. But as it happened the guys in the workshop pretty much ran out of things to do on the day that we signed the lease so they came down here, and tore it apart and cleaned it up and went for it. It was extremely tight. The guys doing the plasterboard would do that and the guys doing the skimming would come in overnight and skim it. Then for example the guys doing the floor would come in at night to really push it on. The really time consuming thing was the bricks, it took two guys a week! They’re proper bricks but you just buy the outside inch, they’re individual bricks, they need pointing. And that wall over there is massive!

Leo: I really do think it’s cool here. I’m really proud of it, the speed and the budget that we achieved, I think there’s no similar sized commercial space of any budget or any background that’s any better than this anywhere in London so I’m really proud of that. We’re competing with the big boys!

Carrie: So have you got plans for expansion?

Leo: Yeah, lots of stuff in the pipeline but I’m a big dreamer so I chase after every opportunity. We’re looking at various interior sites as well, so that’ll be cool, how to pull a place like this off without four walls. How do you translate the brand across? We’ll still have the plant wall and everything, every surface where possible will be made of wood, the floor will be stone and walls will be brick

Carrie: Well I’m sure it will be a great success! Thank you so much for your time today and good luck for the future!

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Dishoom: A Design Review

Carrie Webb — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:15:55 +0000

Dishoom caught my eye the other day whilst walking along Upper St. Martin’s Lane. With its smart black shopfront and little gold pendants hanging over the long marble sharing table in the window I just had to go in and have a look around. I didn’t have time to stop though so I made a plan to come back as soon as possible for a better look and to try some of the tempting dishes.

The name Dishoom has two meanings; the first refers to the old Bollywood sound effect produced when a hero lands a good punch, or when a bullet flies through the air and the second is its similarity to popular slang usage of the expression “Mojo”; e.g. “He’s got that Dishoom!” Dishoom’s concept is based on the traditional old Bombay Cafes which used to be abundant in the city but are now, apparently, down to about 30 in number. Designer Afroditi Krassa has created an interior which reflects these traditional, vintage influences whilst feeling stylish and up to date.

The 150 cover restaurant is arranged over two floors, the main dining area and kitchen being upstairs and a further dining space and bar including semi-private booth areas downstairs. The interior has vintage colonial feel with dark timber, bentwood chairs and ceiling fans. An open kitchen provides a backdrop and large tinted mirrors overhead reflect the to-ing and fro-ing of the waiting staff. The colour scheme is paired back, greys and browns with gold accents and colourful details like the Indian posters and portraits of the owner’s family members that hang on the walls. It feels very contemporary with fashionable additions such as the geometric floor tiles and the gold pendants by Alvar Aalto that seem to be cropping up all over the place at the moment. Other contemporary details include button back leather banquettes (almost obligatory the last couple of years), painted brick walls and crackle glazed pantry tiles. Perhaps surprisingly I found a lot of similarities with the Tommyfield pub I recently reviewed which also comprises a lot of these on trend elements. If I had one criticism of Dishoom it would be that perhaps some of these features are starting to feel a little over-used. However the details are in context and the way they have been integrated with traditional Indian elements and the cohesion of the overall design makes it clear that this is a well thought-out scheme and not a box ticking exercise.

As I might have mentioned before (!) I always look to the toilets as a measure of the establishment’s commitment to quality design because it’s in this area that all to often corners are cut and standards slip. Not so at Dishoon however with the feature floor tiles continuing throughout, large butler sinks, timber doors and decorative mirrors creating a first class impression. The burning incense is also a lovely touch but my favourite detail has to be the little cabinet in each cubicle containing various Indian cosmetic products in beautiful, brightly coloured packaging.

Dishoom is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is located at 12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane, London WC2H 9FB. The food is as good as the interior so get along and see for yourself!

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CitizenM Amsterdam: A Design Review

Carrie Webb — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:26:11 +0000

I recently went to Amsterdam and had the pleasure of staying at the CitizenM hotel there. With their brand new Glasgow hotel opening in August I thougt now might be be a good time to share my thoughts.

In case you’re not familiar with it, CitizenM is a new hotel concept based around the needs of the modern traveller, or ‘Mobile Citizen’. Affordable luxury is what’s on offer and this is based upon stylish design, good value, new technology and comfort.

The idea is that CitizenM has taken out all the out-dated and unnecessary ’stuff’ like an a la carte restaurant, lots of staff, a massive lobby etc and instead concentrated on the things that make your stay better like a big comfy bed, 24 hour food availability and modern technology. The Dutch design company Concrete were responsible for the design concept which is modern, stylish and fun. Bold colours like black and red dominate and they layout is open and easy to navigate. There’s a place to use the internet, watch the TV and grab a bite to eat or a drink at the bar. Loose furniture has been supplied by Vitra and so includes design classic like the Eames Lounge Chair and Verner Panton’s Cone Chair. The food and beverage area is the main focus of the ground floor and consists of a bright red counter and high level sharing tables sitting under a black ceiling soffit which adds intimacy and drama.

The bedrooms are even more inspired with their cylindrical pods for the shower and toilet complete with colour changing lighting so you can set the mood (and generally have fun playing with the settings!) You can also control the temperature, music, TV, blinds and lighting from a remote mounted by the bed. Rooms are small but perfectly formed and you don’t feel cramped. The bed is large and comfortable and the room is light and airy with a wall to wall window.

Two criticisms would be that the TV is mounted far to high up the wall for no good reason so you get a crick in the neck lying in bed watching TV. Another slight issue is the lack of, shall we say, insulation in the toilet pod! Perhaps the Dutch being generally more open and liberal might not have a problem with this but I think it could cause some embarrassment for us more conservative Brits perhaps not used to that level of intimacy!

Aside from that CitizenM is a refreshing alternative to the traditional hotel and I’m sure we’re going to see a lot more of this style of accommodation in the future as the hotel industry finally latches on to what people really want when they’re aware from home on a short break or for business.

Check out their website at www.citizenm.com And for more photos check out our Facebook page.

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Brunswick House Cafe: A Design Review

Carrie Webb — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:37:07 +0000

Lassco, the architectural salvage company, has recently opened the Brunswick House Cafe at its premises in Vauxhall.

Now dwarfed by the super-ugly St Georges Wharf complex, the once imposing Brunswick House stands proudly where it has done since 1758. To the right of the main doors, the cafe entrance is flanked by two large blackboards displaying the day’s offerings. You can chose to sit outside amongst the cornucopia of statuary, electricity pylon components and old London street signs or sit inside at one of the large wooden tables.

The interior gives the impression of having been assembled rather than designed, using items from Lassco’s stock to furnish and decorate. But I don’t mean this in a derogatory way because the result is actually very pleasing. It’s interesting and individual and quirky. Items such as the world clocks and kitsch printed mirrors give it a retro feel, a concrete floor and factory style lighting suspended from scaffold poles add an urban edge, whilst the blue painted dresser and tin jelly moulds provide a warm, homely feeling. Wall finishes of large white tiles and a very fashionable greyish green paint colour pull it all together and provide a neutral backdrop.

Everything is for sale from tables to light fittings to a large Victorian coffee grinder so you can shop while you drink your tea or simply relax and enjoy the laid back atmosphere. Most definitely a welcome addition to the Vauxhall area. For more pictures visit our Facebook page and for more about the Brunswick House Cafe and Lassco architectural salvage visit their website.

Novotel Amsterdam City: A Design Review

Carrie Webb — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:09:48 +0000

OK so first of all I have to come clean and admit that I was actually part of the design team who created this interior! I will try to be objective but I’m making no promises!

The project began in 2006 with the masterplanning stage. I joined Proof Consultancy in 2007 and we began work on the concept. As the European flagship hotel for Accor’s biggest brand this hotel was to be exciting, new and different. It was to blend Novotel’s tradition for modern design, new technology and a focus on the business customer, with their new campaign ‘Natural Living.’

The brief covered designs for all the public areas of this 600 room hotel including reception, cafe, bar, two restaurants, a large convention centre, a gym and a spa. In order to achieve a consistency throughout the areas we developed a ‘base palette’ of neutral colours and materials and used vivid highlight colours to define the individual areas. The massive stone-clad feature wall runs from one end of the hotel to the other, uniting the spaces and providing a dramatic backdrop to the different activities. Another unifying element is the black timber-clad ‘core’ which provides a structure to house the cafe and kids area and then gives intimacy to the bar area with it’s black ceiling and floor finishes. Use of colour is bold and effective with highlight colours moving through the spectrum from dark blues in the conference areas to teal and turquoise in the reception, green in the cafe, yellow in the bar, orange and pink in the Asian grill and reds and burgundy’s in the main restaurant. Novotel’s ‘natural living’ camapaign has also been accommodated, particularly in the use of materials such as the stone wall and timber flooring.

Well I promised I’d try to give a balanced view so here’s some criticism…! The lighting scheme needs to be improved. As I understood it the lighting isn’t quite finished. The feature wall needs a wall wash light to bring it to life and the Asian grill is also awaiting lighting. The large glass-clad columns in the reception should be internally illuminated and disappointingly are not. I’m not sure if this is something that is yet to be finished, I hope so because it will make a lot of difference to this space. There are some areas that feel a little neglected. For example the cafe area could do with some pendants hanging over the standing tables and is also feels rather light on furniture. There have also been some corners cut on furniture specification with lower quality models substituted in and inappropriate fabrics used, I think it won’t be long before the client starts to regret these decisions. I also felt the colour scheme got a little jumbled around the top end of the bar area and would have been better restricted to the yellow of the bar which itself is very striking.

However, overall I think the design is a success. It manages to create a stylish, modern yet welcoming series of spaces that flow and feel coherent. The hotel has a fun quality with its bright colours and quirky details and yet manages to maintain a business-like atmosphere. A big step forward for the Novotel Brand.

I’ve included a few snaps from my phone below but once I get some professional photos I will add them to our Facebook Page. You can also see some photos of the launch party there now.

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The Tommyfield: A Design Review

Carrie Webb — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:23:29 +0000

Inspired by Victorian chop houses and food markets, The Tommyfield in Kennington, South London, has a nostalgic feel without being cliched or old-fashioned.

The exterior has been painted black with smart striped awnings and simple, stylish signage. Unfortunately views in are seriously restricted by the high backed banquette seating on the raised floor by the windows. I don’t know if there were good reasons for the raised floor such as existing services or structure, but I think it’s a pity that such a great interior can’t help to sell the place from the outside more effectively.

However, once inside the space feels bright, warm and comfortable. On-trend white pantry tiles clad the main wall with a double yellow stripe detail adding interest and the dark timber bar really stands out against it. The colour palette is quite neutral with warm timber, tan leather and a greenish taupe paint colour. Blackboards and timber cladding reminiscent of market crates add a slightly rustic feel whilst the classic, and currently very fashionable, Emeco Navy chair brings it bang up to date. A small criticism would be the blackboard over the bar which looks very much like an after-thought and is not well integrated into the design. The blackboards would also benefit from a better sign-writer. One of my favourite aspects of the design is the light fittings which are raw, industrial metal and glass pendants and wall lights with beautiful carbon filament bulbs providing a warm and gentle quality of light. Unfortunately a lack of light directly onto the tables made it difficult to see what you were eating and there was a notable absence of candles which can add so much to the ambience.

The layout works well, with drinkers and diners separated by a low wall. Standing space and high level seating in front of the bar provides adequate room for drinking and the raised area allows diners to dine undisturbed by the crowd below. There is definitely a short straw to be drawn in terms of seating though where the lucky one gets to sit on the comfortable and generous button-back banquette and the unlucky one (in this case my partner!) gets stuck with a rather small, hard old church chair! Finally the toilets. Simply clad with lovely uneven cream brickbond tiles and beautiful little marine style light fittings over the mirrors to add some character. Fresh flowers are a nice touch too.

The Tommyfield’s aim is to offer fresh, seasonal, honestly cooked food and good quality traditional drinks and I think the interior supports and enhances this image successfully. It has been well conceived and executed and provides a very appealing place to enjoy a drink or a meal with friends. www.thetommyfield.com

Contemporary Architecture – Bars and Restaurants: Book Review

Carrie Webb — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:39:09 +0000

This substantial book examines a wide range of recently completed cutting edge bar and restaurant interiors. Their dramatic architecture plays a fundamental role in the identity and popularity of the featured establishments. Styles vary but the design is always a talking point.

Whilst some of the twenty-one projects covered are quite well known, such as Inamo in London or Gilt in New York, the book also includes more unfamiliar interiors like Teatron in Stockholm or Downtown Bar in Milwauke. For each project a list is provided of consultants, contractors and supplier as well as the client and designer’s details. Thorough descriptions introduce the design and contribute details of materials and technologies used. The abundance of photos is both this book’s main strength and it’s weakness. Large photos, often full page, are a great feature but on occasions the images can be repetitive. At an average of 10-12 pages per project you sometimes feel that uninteresting images have been used to bulk out the content. However, the well annotated floor plans and sketches are very interesting and help the reader to gain a good understanding of the space.

Overall, a well written and thoroughly illustrated review of some of the most interesting bar and restaurant interiors of recent years.

You can buy this book on the RIBA Bookshops website