It was important we created an interior that reflected the incredible quality of food to be developed by the team at Tropea…..yet still stayed true to what it was, a neighbourhood Italian restaurant.
They were in a space that was tired and not fit for purpose and required a bespoke restaurant fit-out in Birmingham. After we completed their restaurant their average spend per head more than doubled and were listed in the Michelin Guide.
The Challenge
With an increasing demand on bookings, 2G needed to optimise the space in the Restaurant & Bar design to fit more covers yet it was just as important that people didn’t feel crammed in. With limited space, we were also challenged with creating more storage, as Ben & Kasia found more and more restaurant items being stored at their home. It was important to also address the poor acoustics and utilise as much furniture as budget was a consideration. In addition they could only be closed for a couple of weeks. The design needed to encapsulate a Rustic restaurant interior design perfectly partnered with fine dining restaurant design to demonstrate the quality of the cuisine.
Our Solution
Some of the elements that we focussed on during the design & restaurant fit out was; Firstly, we shortened the existing bar to create more space at the front of the restaurant. Using what we had to save costs, the existing pergola was cut down and the leftovers were used to create an overhead shelf for glasses and bottles. At the front of the bar, we built fixed seating to maximise covers and allow for flexibility for different sized parties. It was important that we used every bit of space more efficiently, so the cushions were fastened with velcro to allow access to the storage cleverly designed within the fixed seating.
In terms of the look & feel, we needed to echo the quality but also work with some of the existing mis-matched furniture, zinc top tables and keep the unpolished feel. Due to the existing space having many hard surfaces, meaning sound bounced around, we addressed the acoustics with a number of methods some of which were using acoustic wooden panelling on the bar and behind the fixed seating to absorb the sound. The material used on the fitted seating also helped this issue and we installed acoustic felt underneath the tables to dampen the sound.
Moving onto the exterior, originally this looked very tired, we gave Tropea a complete revamp. With a whole new crittall style frontage, a new raised external seating area and awning to allow for more covers. This certainly raised the bar for the ever important first impression.
Through the design process and careful planning we ensured all was ordered & delivered to guarantee it was completed, to the highest standard, in 2 weeks.
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