Project Ginger & Spices – Chislehurst

Location: Situated in Chislehurst, Bromley, the restaurant is located on a busy high street surrounded by other established restaurants. The challenge was to create an interior that would give the business its own identity, stand apart from its local competitors and offer customers a more elevated dining experience.

Goal: Situated in Chislehurst, Bromley, the restaurant is located on a busy high street surrounded by other established restaurants. The challenge was to create an interior that would give the business its own identity, stand apart from its local competitors and offer customers a more elevated dining experience.

Practical requirements: The existing bar was small, visually uninspiring and needed to become a much stronger feature within the restaurant. A new bar was designed alongside a feature back wall, creating a focal point while improving the overall feel of this part of the space.

Banquette seating was introduced and new tables specified, while the existing dining chairs and table legs were repurposed to make effective use of the available budget. Existing lighting was also incorporated into the new lighting scheme rather than unnecessarily replacing everything. These decisions allowed more of the investment to be directed towards the elements that would have the greatest impact on the finished restaurant.

Design: The brief was to create a modern Indian restaurant without falling into the visual language of a typical curry house.

We developed a sophisticated palette of light and dark tones to bring warmth, depth and atmosphere to what had previously felt like a cold and uninviting space. Subtle references to the restaurant’s existing visual identity were incorporated without allowing its strong orange branding to dominate the interior. New furniture, banquette seating and a completely redesigned bar were combined with carefully considered wall treatments using paint, panelling, beading and contrasting colours. Existing lighting was integrated into the new scheme alongside new lighting, helping the old and new elements feel intentional and cohesive.

The finished restaurant retains a sense of its Indian identity while presenting the business in a more contemporary and elevated way. Customer feedback has been extremely positive, with returning customers commenting on the transformation. The owner has since increased menu prices, supported by the significantly improved dining environment, and feels the refurbishment has elevated the restaurant’s perception within the local community.