West African Restaurant - Ikoyi London

Culture is a crucial part of our identity.

The environment we are immersed in, can have an impact on our personalities and govern our future decisions. We typically form a social cohesion, to feel a sense of belonging to a person, a group of people or a community, who share similar values.

Michelin star restaurant Ikoyi, situated in South-West London, fuses the affluence of Ikoyi, in Nigeria with an array of terracotta, sandy, earth tones, unique to West Africa’s climate.

Studio Ashby’s, projects, have a sense of the modernist interior movement. This can be perceived through the studios choice of art, color, texture and the vernacular references, seen in many of their projects.

The choice of culture-specific accessories and the design of this restaurant, reinforce the tradition and history of Nigeria. The carefully selected clay pendant lighting, sculptures and chestnut hues, accentuate the feeling of being located within the heart of Lagos. The monochromatic theme, allows diners to feel relaxed, calm and connected to their surroundings, forming a cultural cohesion in their surrounding (a feeling that I always feel when I visit home, Nigeria).

Approached from a side street in a corporate setting within London, cast over by uniformed modernist buildings; Ikoyi, contrasts its circumference with its warm ambience.

The minimalist design of Ikoyi, combined with the the cinnamon tones immediately captures the diners vision, allowing them to feel they have entered a space rich in displaying the culture and wealth of Ikoyi. Diners will leave the restaurant feeling they have experienced Nigeria, and have an understanding of its culture and history.

Which elements of this project, make you feel like you are in West Africa?

Check out more of Studio Ashby’s vernacular related projects here: Studio Ashby

View more of my inspirations here for West African Interiors.

See you Next Time!