In a sea of celebrity mixologists within an already competitive cocktail bar scene, can lighting upgrades alone, help our client stand out above the crowd? As part of the interior upgrade of an up-market cocktail bar, we were enlisted to provide lighting design solutions using the least amount of new lighting equipment to maximise visual impact. This led us to study light, shadows, reflections, patterns, the material of the finishes and careful positioning and featuring of our design interventions.
Proposal 1: Threadwork
The interior designer’s feature end wall consisted of painted traditional panels with a retained bespoke mirror and two wall sconces. As a key focal point of the lounge, we took our lighting a step further by proposing a modernised art deco design to the back wall. This consisted of lightweight metal threads or rods configured around the existing elements to create an elegant architectural relief that can be grazed with a linear light integrated into the back of the banquette seating.
Proposal 2: Tables
The glass tops of the cocktail tables were highly polished, therefore any spotlighting to curated drinks and composed dishes would always create round reflections onto the ceiling. Rather than avoiding them, we decided to incorporate the reflections into our proposed design by applying a matte pattern to the table surfaces. The proposal would bring an elegant play of reflected shadow and light onto the ceiling.
Proposal 3: Ceiling
The interior designer proposed an open cove ceiling which occupied a large surface area above the main seating area. These ceilings contained access hatch panels that become highly visible and apparent with cove lighting on. To minimise the appearance of the access hatches, we proposed a series of antique brass weight water cut metal panels that can span across the open cove ceiling and obscure the view to the hatches. The art deco pattern we designed, worked around the existing positions of the downlights. These metal frames could be removed for accessing the ceiling hatches.
The visualization above demonstrates the choreographed lighting proposals in their entirety.