Unconventional Shapes in Marine-Themed Restaurant Interior Design

Designing restaurant interiors is not only about building functional spaces with a decent amount of visual appeal. Today, designers often take the task to the level of a veritable art. This is the case of the Nautilus Project restaurant, located in the ION shopping center of Singapore. Created by the Japanese firm Design Spirits, this marine-themed restaurant interior is not only appealing, but unique and inspiring.

Because the restaurant specializes in seafood, the marine theme seemed appropriate. The designers confessed that their vision was initially different than that of the food consultant. However, the blend of the two ideas resulted in a modern, functional and attractive interior design.

The restaurant interior evokes the look of a marine cavern, with walls flowing in smooth curves and structures that seem shaped by water. The general feel is that of submerging into the depths of the ocean world. The open entrance that lures passers-by into the restaurant was an intentional feature, meant to create an open and inviting space and to offer them a glimpse of the interior.

Upon entering, customers are welcomed by an oyster bar on one side and a display of mouth-watering shell fish paired by a luscious dessert spread on the other. The flow of the open-floor plan takes them to the dining area, where pedestal tables are surrounded by modern deep-blue chairs. Their vibrant color emphasizes the marine theme.

Wood is omnipresent in the floor, walls and ceiling of the restaurant. This choice reiterates the idea of an underwater adventure in a subtle way, since there too, one single element – water – meets the eye on all sides. The use of the same material creates a coherent interior that flows well and where nothing looks accidental.

As the main feature of this marine-themed restaurant, bamboo walls provide some amount of privacy but do not break the open feel of the space. The oblique slats and the curved shape of the walls evoke the flowing movement of underwater vegetation and the effect of water on submarine structures.

It is mostly due to these unexpected shapes that the restaurant interior becomes an unconventional space that is full of character. By using them, the designers did not just add to the aesthetics of the interior, but recreated an entire world. The use of a sustainable material can only be a plus.

Oval shapes pop up everywhere, evoking the water’s ability to softly shape its surroundings. Ambience light descends from oval ceiling cutouts, while the kitchen offers itself to view through an eye-shaped window. Customers have the feeling that they are able to get a glimpse of every corner of the restaurant, and the eye wonders all over the space, similar to the way water fills every crevice in the ground.

Above all, this marine-themed restaurant creates a well-defined atmosphere. The flow of the walls, the colors, the lights, the long window wall that reconnects the interior to its surroundings – all these blend into a space whose futuristic vibe does not stop it from being warm, inviting and somewhat magical.

Via retaildesignblog.net
Designer: Design Spirits
Photos: Toshide Kajiwara via retaildesignblog.net

Please take a look at our Before and After images of selected projects from 2015 HERE.

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Also, take a look at the “Branding By Interior” e-book, the only book written on this subject at this time. It brings insight into how you can turn your business into a market-dominating competitor by using human cognitive responses.