STILL By Form Pop-up Restaurant with 26 Grains
During an intense few days covering London Design Week, I find myself cocooned inside a tranquil haven, set amongst the hubbub of DesignJunction. A pop-up restaurant aptly named STILL, the temporary space is a collaborative project led by design consultancy BY FORM and Scandinavian inspired restaurant 26 Grains.Influenced by Danish design and Japanese aesthetics, STILL holds space for quiet contemplation and relaxation in which to refuel on wholesome dishes and refresh your senses. The perfect antidote to sensory overload, the restaurant imbues the essence of Nordic minimalism. From the soothing colour palette and gentle textures to the carefully chosen soundtrack. I do not want to leave.The restaurant showcases current and emerging design brands represented by BY FORM, including the instantly recognisable furniture from &Tradition and textiles by Kvadrat. Elegant Mayor sofas upholstered in dark grey velvet line one wall with Anderssen & Voll Pavillion chairs facing opposite. Choosing pieces with light and airy frames, the overall effect gives STILL a feeling of space, of room to breathe. Along the full height wall of window, Fly chairs sit drenched in sun, throwing out stark shadows across Atkinson & Kirby's brushed oak floor.
Acoustic technology developed by Zilenzio screens the outer shell of the restaurant. The Kyoto screen collection was designed by Note Design Studio and was inspired by the tearooms from the same place. The sound absorbing walls do a great deal to cut out external noise, no mean feat in such a vast tented space.
I was amazed to see plaster used on the walls here. The BY FORM team applied it themselves using KABE Copenhagen, a DIY coloured plaster which enables you to polish it to a fine finish. Again inspired by the Japanese, the KABE plaster provides a restful, raw backdrop for STILL and with 37 colours in the collection it had most of us considering it for our homes too.Simple, wholesome fare by Neals Yard cafe 26 Grains gave depth to the whole Nordic experience. Influenced by her year working in Copenhagen, founder Alex Hely-Hutchinson brings elements of Scandinavian cuisine to her own menu with a specific focus on the exciting ways grains are used within dishes across the board.
And so it was on to the next location, replete, recharged and ready for the next experience...