2nd May 2018 | IN HOSPITALITY DESIGN | BY SBID ShareTweetPinterestLinkedInThis week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features the redesign of the Stonegate Pub Company’s iconic ‘Living Room’ bar brand based in the vibrant city of Manchester. Fusion by Design crafted and delivered an elegant interior design scheme which provides a timelessly stylish atmosphere to uphold the brand’s desire to create a 1920’s art deco environment for their customers to dine, drink and dance, whilst also capturing the longevity of the brand since it’s establishment almost 20 years ago. The addition of a mezzanine balcony provides new vistas from the once restricted first floor and links the ground floor and first floor bars to create a seamless fluidity to the floor plan and encourage the spirited atmosphere to circulate around the venue. The main ground floor bar is upholstered with a nude fluted leather front which intermittently interrupted by antique brass details which echo the back-bar drink displays and other brass features found throughout the scheme to create a further sense of synergy, whilst maintaining a subtle distinction between the different interior zones. Company: Fusion by Design Project: The Living Room Project Location: Manchester, United Kingdom What was the client’s brief? Our brief was to create a well-crafted elegant space that acknowledges the long-standing heritage of The Living Room brand whilst also re-establishing the venue within the ever-expanding glamour of Manchester’s developing hospitality circuit. The client emphasised the need for the interior design scheme to provide quality detailing and finishes, a luxurious palette of materials and a fresh and stylish atmosphere that would provide long lasting sense of style. What inspired the design of the Project? Glamorously elegant interiors were our inspiration. The Living Room is an established brand where guests expect quality, so we wanted to expand on this and make the spaces enjoyable, fresh and sexy, yet still in touch with the heritage of the brand. Detailing and using quality materials to their maximum effect helped us to create a decorative but simplistic scheme. Marble and leather feature heavily alongside brass and velvet in a fresh and invigorating selection of colours. What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project? Working to a tight programme and with a short project lead in was the toughest hurdle. It challenged our specification network and ensured that we worked closely with our UK based suppliers. As a result, all tiling, wall finishes, furniture, sanitary ware etc were all sourced from UK stock. What was your team’s highlight of the project? Our highlight was working in collaboration with Haig Club Whiskey to create a distinct interior on the 2nd floor. The interior was sponsored by them with David Beckham, who is an ambassador for the brand, attending the opening. Unveiling the new balcony was a successful highlight. With spaces that were previously very segregated the scheme required that we connect these spaces both from a visual aspect and from the perspective of the customer and their journey through the space. The connection is achieved through the introduction of a mezzanine balcony accessed by a feature central staircase, allowing vistas from the first floor to the ground and linking the spaces. The nature of the separate second Diageo bars allowed us to introduce very different identities to these spaces creating snugs and unique dens with brighter more distinct atmospheres. Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards? This project was a successful and exciting development. It made an impact on the Manchester hospitality scene and we were proud of the outcome. Having entered the interior design awards in previous years, we felt this project would make a great contender! Questions answered by Paula Jepmond-Senior, Design Director at Fusion by Design. To ensure you are kept up to date with the latest design inspiration sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Instagram @sbiduk If you missed last week’s Project of the Week where the concept of surrealism was used to enhance the dynamic architectural form of a property inspired by Rem Koolhaas, click here to see more. The 2018 edition of the SBID International Design Awards is now officially open for entries! Click here to register or enter your project! We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire Fusion by Design | SBID International Design Awards 2018