30 September 2011

Riding House Café London

Elana Castle checks out a new London Brasserie with a unique design touch.

The Riding House Cafe, in Fitzrovia is Adam White and Clive Watson's 3rd addition to their growing stable of London brasseries. White, a New Zealander, is a product designer but turned his hand to the restaurant industry a decade ago, bringing his savvy design skills to each project.

The Riding House Cafe, like his other establishments, was envisioned as a local brasserie that would serve an existing neighbourhood community.

"We are trying to create local institutions, so I wanted to create something with a hefty shelf life," White explains.

White's exuberance for design and a love for "found" objects has resulted in an eclectic space defined by a clear layout and some standout design elements.

Working with Lou Davies, White sourced a range of quirky pieces, like stuffed squirrel and bird wall lights, which populate the walls and shelving throughout.

The primary features are the snaking subway-tiled bar, the bright orange banquette seating and a display area enclosed with with reclaimed glass and doors which anchor the design.

The "lived in" look is further underscored by the brasserie's shell - bare brick work, rough concrete and a pseudo vintage parquet floor, the result of a process invented by White to "age" the floor boards, ensuring they chimed in with general worn-in aesthetic.

White's favourite pieces are the blue leather bar stools. The seat is based on an existing design but White added wings, transforming it into a traditional bucket seat, "a bit of a juxtaposition," he explains. White, the supplier - Christopher Howe - and the manufacturer worked together to develop a base of mild steel steel which further enhanced the juxtaposition.