Eating out is a lifestyle, an entertainment that goes beyond seeking scrumptious meals. The ambience in which the delicacies are served is important as it is a relaxation for the mind too while the palate is being addressed. Our modern eateries amply recognise this as borne out by the striking designs opted for, eliciting the theme of the restaurant, complementing the mouth-watering feast served at their tables.
At a recent event held by the Institute of Indian Interior Designers, Bangalore Regional Chapter, Architects Kavita Sastry of KS Designs and Shruti Jaipuria of MAIA Design Studio, presented a range of restaurant designs from their respective hospitality projects.
When approached to offer a rustic, warm and inviting space that served Italian food with robust flavours and local fresh ingredients, architect Kavita studied the type of clientele the restaurant Chianti proposed to serve, in this case being entire families, even the portions of the meal served which was found to be generous. Her first priority was to focus on comfort, the furniture used large and sturdy along with a dedicated wine bar that served wine and mocktails.
Three key design elements evolved: a curved bar that brings an element of drama with its stacked log façade, accentuating the geometry; vertical wine columns to store wine bottles in the traditional horizontal position; and raw brick wall to demarcate the kitchen and service sections. The layout was simple, materials used in their natural form, the style totally contemporary, with a single crystal chandelier that infused the romance of old fashioned dining.
“The warm rustic interiors used bricks, recycled pine, all kept raw and unfinished with matt polish that created an aged look. Walls were hand textured to enhance the rustic flavour while large terracotta urns featured with limes and pomegranate plants”, says Kavita, commenting on the design elements. Artwork comprising travel pictures, quirky posters and Leonardo da Vinci’s hand-drawn sketches added to the strong Italian flavour of the design as the guests dipped voraciously into the delectable Italian cuisine.
Less is more
Toast and Tonic, reflecting East village style sentiments, is a New American dining space which believes less is more. Commissioned to design the eatery, architect Shruti set about bringing in chip-board walls and roof, floor laid with decade-old sleeper wood, while a voluminous barn-like structure made with timber framework housed literal and artistic representations of animals and livestock commonly found in a farm.
The façade entrance displays mild-steel sheets and flats exposed to a natural rusting process, the roof and the elaborate bar catching the eye as one walks in. Crate wood panelling weave in layered patterns that are carried on to the seating.
Brightly coloured tiled floors, textured waffle glass, embossed ceilings and light-coloured wood juxtaposed against old sleeper wood, further infuse a feeling of comfort and timelessness to the ambience.
Symbols and miniatures
Shruti’s project ‘Black Rabbit’ displays abstractions inspired from traditional Indian symbols and miniature paintings, overlaid on to a classic monochromatic English pub aesthetic. “The objective was to create a visual quality that is both fresh and bold with a casual elegance that is strongly rooted to the Indian context”, says Shruti.
A large bell installation comprising 16 bells arrests the attention at the entrance, the 1m tall bells hand cast in polycarbonate, with their insides hand-painted with motifs borrowed from Indian miniature paintings.
The wood clad walls and surfaces bring in warmth while the floor is custom made, reflecting four shades of stained cement to resemble faux brick.
The wood, metal and leather furniture bring in an element of masculinity to the space, while lighter, more delicate details such as slender wrought iron railings, chandeliers, and embossed tin ceilings lit with cove lights, lend softness and subtlety.
The ambience offered is one of comfort and freshness, a trendy feel that encourages easy communication and mingling of guests.
