Erik Bratsberg fills Persona restaurant with tactile materials
CategoriesInterior Design

Erik Bratsberg fills Persona restaurant with tactile materials

Interior designer Erik Bratsberg has created unique artwork for the interior of the Persona restaurant in Stockholm, which also features asymmetrical terrazzo and patinated brass details.

Bratsberg, who worked in finance before moving into interior design, wanted the fine dining restaurant in Stockholm’s upmarket Östermalm neighbourhood to have a warm and welcoming feel.

Terrazzo floor at PersonaTerrazzo floor at Persona
Persona is located in Stockholm’s Östermalm area

“The inspiration is drawn from a mix of personal experiences, subconscious imprints from admired styles, particularly mid-century Italian design, and a desire to integrate a homely warmth into a hospitality environment,” he told Dezeen.

“The design philosophy centres around creating a timeless, inviting space that enhances the dining experience while maintaining a sense of personal touch and intimacy.”

Bar in Stockholm restaurantBar in Stockholm restaurant
Green tones feature throughout the interior

Green hues are used throughout Persona‘s 120-square-metre interior, complementing its cream-coloured walls and numerous wooden furniture pieces and panelling.

“Green is my go-to when I want to arouse a sense of calmness and comfort,” Bratsberg explained.

Soft white chairs in front of curtained windowSoft white chairs in front of curtained window
Designer Erik Bratsberg used furniture pieces with rounded and organic shapes

“It’s a tertiary colour, a mix of a cold and a warm colour, which allows it to go well with both warmer and colder hues and materials – a yin and yang of colours somehow,” he added.

“Green also brings the mind to nature and I guess my love for green relates to the joy of seeing the leaves back on the trees after a long Swedish winter.”

Wood-panelled wall in Östermalm restaurantWood-panelled wall in Östermalm restaurant
“Honey-tinted” oak shelving is filled with crockery and art

The restaurant, which feels more like a living room than an eatery in parts, also features plenty of natural materials such as stone and wood, which are interspersed with terrazzo and brass to create tactile interest.

This material mix was chosen to evoke a sense of “casual elegance”, Bratsberg said.

“For the floor I played around with the possibilities of terrazzo, using shades of green and warm greys and whites forming an asymmetrical pattern,” the designer explained.

Bratsberg clad the walls of the Persona restaurant in an off-white plaster with a mottled surface, designed to contrast the “silky honey-tinted oak” used for the wall shelving and tables.

“Patinated brass together with details in yellow ochre acts as an accent,” Bratsberg added. “Sheer curtains, patinated leather and textured textiles round it all off.”

Living-room like corner in Persona eateryLiving-room like corner in Persona eatery
Bratsberg created his own artworks for the restaurant

Custom-made abstract artworks also decorate the interior. Bratsberg made these himself from watercolour paintings that he had made, which were then screen-printed onto acoustic panels.

“In my multidisciplinary practice I strive to interrelate my art, design and interior work – why not make a lamp into sculpture, or a bar front as a painting, or a plain wall a relief?” Bratsberg said.

Jagged shapes decorate Stockholm restaurantJagged shapes decorate Stockholm restaurant
Cut-out geometric details add extra interest to the bar

Also notable in the interior is the variation of shapes, with the angular tables and counters contrasting against round and jagged lamps, cut-out geometric details and smaller tables made from organically shaped burl wood and stone.

“Perfectly straight lines and symmetry bring order and calmness for the eye, but never have I been particularly intrigued by squares and straight lines,” Bratsberg said.

“On the other hand, too much asymmetrical geometries and organic shapes can bring the feeling of disorder. But balancing the two – as with many opposites or contrasts – can create an interesting harmony,” he added.

Bathroom of Persona restaurantBathroom of Persona restaurant
The bathroom features undulating mirrors and a mix of different shapes

In the bathroom, undulating mirrors match a wavy sink and are juxtaposed against square wall niches and angled, jagged cut-out wall decorations.

“Forms, lines, colours and materiality speak to us in mysterious ways, but an interior without any sculptural form and asymmetries is like a language without exclamation marks, gestures or emotional expression to me,” Bratsberg concluded.

Other Stockholm restaurants with interesting interiors featured on Dezeen include an “unexpected” restaurant in a historic food hall and a decadent Italian restaurant located in a former cinema.

The photography is by Erik Lefvander.



Reference

Neri&Hu creates a tactile fashion boutique in Shanghai with fabrics screens
CategoriesInterior Design

Neri&Hu creates a tactile fashion boutique in Shanghai with fabrics screens

Chinese studio Neri&Hu has completed a store interior for Ms MIN in Shanghai, China, to showcase the fashion brand’s diverse use of materials.

Located at the Taikoo Li shopping complex in central Shanghai, the 195-square-metre store was designed to evoke a sense of traditional home-based atelier that places materials and craftsmanship at its centre.

Neri&Hu Ms MIN shop Shanghai
Neri&Hu designed the store in Taikoo Li

“Before the Industrial Revolution, textiles were made by hand in villages across China by individual families; carding, spinning and weaving all took place in farmhouses, indeed a loom could be found in every well-conditioned homestead,” Neri&Hu explained.

“We harken back to the notion of a traditional fabric atelier, showcasing craftsmanship, rich materiality, and a domestic sensibility.”

Neri&Hu Ms MIN shop Shanghai
White fabric sheets were hung to divide the space

The space was divided into several zones by a series of floor-to-ceiling open grid wooden structures.

White fabric sheet was hung in between a wooden grid to serve as lightweight semi-transparent partitions situated on left and right side of the shop. These were designed to allow plenty of natural daylight into the store.

“Natural daylight and the chaos of the shopping mall are filtered by the sheer fabric screens, giving the space an overall sense of calmness,” Neri&Hu said.

Neri&Hu Ms MIN shop Shanghai
The flexible panels can be re-arranged and interchanged with different materials

The same wooden structures with overhanging eaves to the right side of the shop form a series of more private rooms.

These are used as a reception at the front of the store along with a VIP lounge, VIP fitting room and studio area at the rear of the shop.

Neri&Hu Ms MIN shop Shanghai
An internal courtyard was formed that can accommodate exhibitions

The central display area was arranged by a series of panels, either made with micro-cement or marble and framed in brass, which form an internal courtyard that can be used as an exhibition space.

These panels can be re-arranged and interchanged to suit the changing fashion trends in motifs every season.

The entire shop was paved with curved roof tiles stacked and inlaid, a traditional pavement commonly found in the region.

Neri&Hu also created custom mannequin figures for Ms MIN. According to the studio, the linen-made mannequins have a skin-like subtle texture.

Neri&Hu Ms MIN shop Shanghai
The lightweight semitransparent partitions allow natural daylight into the shop

Neri&Hu was founded by Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu in 2004 in Shanghai. Other recent interior projects completed by the studio include cafe brand Blue Bottle’s latest shop and a flexible office space, both in Shanghai.

The photography is by Zhu Runzi.


Project credits:

Partners-in-charge: Lyndon Neri, Rossana Hu
Associate-in-charge: Sanif Xu
Design team: Muyang Tang, Zhikang Wang, Amber Shi, Yoki Yu, Nicolas Fardet
Lighting: Viabizzuno (Shanghai)
Contractor: Shanghai Yali Design Decoration Co.

Reference

Eight concrete kitchens with raw and tactile surfaces
CategoriesInterior Design

Eight concrete kitchens with raw and tactile surfaces

Kitchens with exposed concrete surfaces take centre stage in this lookbook, which includes homes in Mexico, Japan and Ireland.

Concrete is a ubiquitous material in architecture, but it is less commonly used in interiors – particularly in residential spaces such as kitchens.

However, its durability and impermeability make it an ideal surface material for cooking and food preparation, while its raw aesthetic can create a striking backdrop for dining and entertaining.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. Other recent editions showcase airy balconies, marble bathrooms and gallery interiors.


Concrete kitchen of House in Jiyugaoka
Photo by Toshiyuki Yano

House in Jiyugaoka, Japan, by Airhouse Design Office

Airhouse Design Office created this kitchen as part of its renovation of an apartment for a fashion fanatic in Nagoya, Japan.

Like the rest of the home, the kitchen’s walls, floor and ceiling have been stripped back to expose the concrete beneath. While some areas were left with chipped edges and plaster, others have been polished for a smooth finish.

Find out more about House in Jiyugaoka ›


Interior of Casa H3 by Luciano Kruk
Photo by Daniela Mac Adden

Casa H3, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk

This open-plan kitchen and dining room sits on the ground floor of a holiday home by architect Luciano Kruk in Mar Azul.

Blending seamlessly into the home’s concrete structure, it features geometric shelving and kitchen counters that extend from the walls and floor. Its industrial look is complemented by an enamel pendant light and a pair of wireframe chairs.

Find out more about Casa H3 ›


Concrete kitchen of Casa Alférez by Ludwig Godefroy
Photo by Rory Gardiner

Casa Alférez, Mexico, by Ludwig Godefroy

In a pine forest in Mexico, architect Ludwig Godefroy created a brutalist cube-shaped home that is built from concrete cast in situ.

This includes its kitchen, where the shelving and worktops are also all cast from concrete. Here, their raw finishes are juxtaposed with delicate ceramics and Danish designer Hans Wegner’s Wishbone chairs, visually softening the space.

Find out more about Casa Alférez ›


Sunken kitchen inside Flower House by Ezzo
Photo by João Ferrand

Flower House, Portugal, by Ezzo

The concrete worktops of this sunken kitchen double up as a smooth floor for the dining room at Flower House, a renovated dwelling in Porto.

Wood-fronted cabinets slot in beneath the flooring, which was hand-poured on site and has been covered with a waterproof coating to give it a polished look.

Find out more about Flower House ›


Interior of Toad's House, Mexico, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura
Photo by Onnis Luque and Fabian Martinez

Toad’s House, Mexico, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura

Throughout the minimalist Toad’s House on Zapotengo Beach in Oaxaca, architecture studio Espacio 18 has left the concrete structure unfinished and exposed.

In the bar-style kitchen, the board-marked walls are teamed with glass ornaments and woven baskets, while a central island has been topped with a wooden countertop.

Find out more about Toad’s House ›


Concrete kitchen of House T, Japan, by Suppose Design Office
Photo by Toshiyuki Yano

House T, Japan, by Suppose Design Office

This concrete kitchen is among the purposely dark and cave-like living spaces in the monolithic home that Suppose Design Office designed for its founder in Tokyo.

Its concrete walls and worktops have tactile finishes, which stand against a backdrop of large stone floor tiles and wooden furnishings.

Find out more about ›


Hollybrook Road extension in Ireland by TOB Architect
Photo by Aisling McCoy

Hollybrook Road, Ireland, by TOB Architect

Irish studio TOB Architect designed this concrete kitchen extension to evoke the feeling of “being a child under a very robust table”.

It was cast in situ as one geometric form with the goal of creating a seamless and cavernous look inside. The architect chose an otherwise restrained material palette of terrazzo, walnut and Accoya wood in an effort to retain focus on the texture of the concrete.

Find out more about Hollybrook Road ›


Interior of Casa Golf, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk
Photo by Daniela Mac Adden

Casa Golf, Argentina, by Luciano Kruk

Another concrete kitchen by architect Luciano Kruk is found in Casa Golf, a holiday home on the Argentinian coastline.

Paired with black cabinets and extractor ducting, its dark-grey surfaces add texture to the space without distracting from the outward views framed by the variety of windows that line the space.

Find out more about Casa Golf ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. Other recent editions showcase airy balconies, marble bathrooms and gallery interiors.

Reference