Picnicka

How did the concept for Picnicka come about?

Our clients wanted to create a space where their guests could “graze and play”, so it needed to feel relaxed and at home but elevated enough to compliment the restaurant’s excellent food and beverage offering. Essentially, all the fun of the traditional long, relaxed European picnic with the comfort and elegance of a modern restaurant. We wanted an underlying alfresco feeling, outdoorsy yet sophisticated, and an environment where you’d feel comfortable popping in for a morning coffee or brunch, through to dinner and cocktails in the evening.

How did this narrative translate into your design and chosen materials?

Natural materials were used throughout, often in a very playful way. We used natural rattan in our custom light fittings, bread trays, chairs and the maitre d’ station, in a nod to the traditional picnic basket, and checked patterning in the ceiling design and soft furnishings alludes to the picnic blanket. The four-metre-high dried flower wall transports guests directly to a European meadow and a warm palette, including lots of cream, rattan, timber, warm-red brick, travertine flooring, charcoal-stained timber and tiled archways, creates cosy spaces for guests to enjoy from day to night. Soft furnishings were kept within neutral tones (cream, charcoal and terracotta) and we used natural-looking fabrics for understated luxury. Puddle-shaped rugs and table tops add a casual atmosphere, where guests can lean in to conversation in a more intimate setting.

What sustainable initiatives were factored into the project?

All of the bricks are reclaimed, each brick sliced into thinner slip bricks to create the sense of expanse without wasting a huge amount of product. And almost all of the materials are natural, including timber and recycled cocoa husk marmoleum tabletops.

Tell us about your fabric choices?

Warwick has the best range of natural-looking, commercially-rated fabrics, and we like to use them whenever we can. For Picnicka, we wanted fabrics that would reference the quintessential checked picnic blanket so we chose Arlington Onyx for our plush custom-made upholstered chairs. Its contrasting soft cream and charcoal pattern is incredibly eye-catching. It feels like natural linen but is in fact an appropriate Halo easycare fabric for restaurant seating. The banquette on the fully-covered walkway is Grasmere Paprika, another reference to the classic picnic rug. Here, we needed a bit more warmth from the fabric and the terracotta colour, blended with the natural linen look, has the perfect tone for the space.

Text and images courtesy of Architecture NZ