At Shè restaurant, food, fashion and people come together in an elegant oasis

At Shè, the client, Gaia Group, wanted the space to reflect its context – a modern Cantonese restaurant within a fashion store. Mesa Nopakun, of Bangkok-based studio Dot Line Plane came up with the idea of an elegant oasis that connects food, fashion and people, a place where people come to relax. The design is a convergence of Asian and Western cultures.

The challenges

It is a compact, narrow interior, so it was a challenge to balance the light and mood between the indoors and outdoors, particularly because we were restricted in what we were allowed to do. We also had to design around the existing kitchen.

The solutions

The seating capacity was maximised using custom-design booth seats. The food is presented tapas-style, with some dishes served tableside on a vintage trolley, so we didn’t need to provide large tables. We offset the compact space with bright colours and a rich mix of marble, fine wood on the walls and bar counter, copper metal and a terrazzo floor. On the terrace, we focused on landscaping, which will be added to over time to reinforce the sense of being surrounded by nature.

The theme

The metal cages suspended from the ceiling are inspired by the shape of a classic Chinese roof, and the curve of the bar is simple and modern yet still feels oriental. We introduced red in a more fashionable way, replacing the traditional bright Chinese hue with a smoky marsala red. Various shades of green make the space cosy and intimate, and reflect the theme of a sanctuary. Materials used throughout, such as jade, green onyx and satin copper, offer a glimpse of the Orient.

The takeaway

Thai illustrator Terawat Teankaprasith, of projecttSTUDIO, was commissioned to create a graphic botanical wall. Instead of printing it onto a canvas that needs to be stretched, we printed it on a wall­paper-quality roll so it was easy and quick to install.