Bringing East London to the heart of Mayfair with an Asian fusion twist, KaiZen is an opulent new venue from Dan Kapp, Timo Weber, Jin Nilsson and music industry whiz Zues Sherlock, with designs from 44th Hill, the design team behind The Rum Kitchen and Chop Shop.
The 44th Hill team has created an interesting combination of rustic and modern throughout the interior and the venue’s exposed brickwork, in particular, brings a repurposed warehouse feel to this luxury West London club.
Exposed piping and paint-spattered linoleum floors add to the effect, while brightly-coloured bulbs illuminate elaborate wall designs in geometric tessellations.
The team also decided to embrace the upcycling movement, and sourced the furniture from Carlos Almada’s Automat. Chic velvet oversized sofas originally from his ManRay NYC venue make a statement, with more intimate seating options in the form of curved wooden benches, and one-of-a-kind pretty metal sunchairs centring around Cherry Blossom trees for a floral indoor respite.
A pulpit has been appropriated as a DJ booth, while a reclaimed confession box has been transformed into a photo booth. The quirky bar is held up by a collection of mantelpieces, with Geisha-dressed hostesses, wallpaper murals and a majestic Cherry Blossom tree combining to create a deeply atmospheric space.
By day, the space acts as a café, juice bar and lounge, so it was important that the aesthetic was something that could be carried through from day to night.
Interestingly, Café KaiZen also doubles up as a local street market, with 20 young fashion designers presenting their offerings in vintage wardrobes, old Smeg fridges and grandfather clocks.
