Pattern-play with an Asian vibe!

By Deepika Srivastava

Photography: Indrajit Sathe; courtesy the designer

Read Time: 2 mins

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Hospitality design maestro, Sumessh Menon refurbishes the 2000 sq. ft. Nom Nom, a haven for pan-Asian cuisine in suburban Mumbai, into a kaleidoscopic extravaganza...

True to his exceptional flair for materials, the designer chisels yet another show-stopper in the burgeoning hospitality scene in Mumbai. Walking in, one first encounters a concrete tiled floor with metal inserts and light drizzling in through a layered ceiling. Resembling an installation, a custom-jute-finish layered panel camouflages light fittings and fan coil units, incorporating the services. Now the highlight, the ceiling posed the biggest challenge in the design phase due to its tilt in an already low-height space. However, it rises to the décor with aplomb as coffer ed sections are ably juxtaposed with the back-lit tilt, lending a strategic aura and demarcating the seating options. 

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Differently panelled backlit walls – one - a wooden screen with coloured glass inserts and custom lights; another - a patina-finish panel with an array of circular cut-outs engraved with metallic Chinese gongs and scripts - lend the space a kaleidoscope-like feel. Usually, the use of several patterns leads to visual chaos. But here, the use of earthy materials like jute, stone and wood, in muted greens and blues make them stand out as design elements, while lending the bistro a contemporary feel, only subtly Asian.

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Though the structural fabric stands untouched, the kitchen has been altered – the major spatial change – to make it larger. The play of patterns follows; predominant being the concentric circles that resemble Zen-like sand gardens and are displayed on a grey textured, grainy-finish wall. The same pattern is inlaid on table tops and stitched into the upholstery. 

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The other spatial change is the incorporation of a bar near the entrance. The bar counter shines as a wire mesh behind vertical wooden fins, while the top stands exotic in chocolate brown stone. A backlit metallic screen constitutes the bar backdrop. 

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With the bar visible from outside, vying for attention amidst the fixed-panel louvered facade, passers-by get to peep inside, getting an intriguing glimpse into the place, even before they actually enter!

Fact File:

Name of client: Neeti Goel, Hitesh Keswani & Nikhil Mehrani

Design Firm: Sumessh Menon Associates

Principal Designer/Architect: Sumessh Menon

Area: 2000 sq.ft.

Location: Bandra, Mumbai