Following the success of previous collaborations, the Sethi family and B3 Designers have come together once more to create Gymkhana – an Indian restaurant littered with design references to British Raj India.
Situated on Mayfair’s Albemarle Street, this 100-cover restaurant and bar is the second venture for Karam Sethi, who earned his first Michelin Star in 2012 as Patron Chef of Trishna London.
The restaurant’s aesthetic pays homage to Colonial Indian gymkhana clubs, initated by the British”Raj for members of high society to socialise and play sport. In order to channel this unique ambiance, B3 Designers have created a space steeped in period styling, with characterful surfacing and quirky sporting and hunting references.
The dark-lacquered oak ceiling flows into stained oak flooring, alongside screening made from mottled lead sheets of framed glass, to create a rich canvas for the venue’s artfully selected furnishings.
In the dining room, luxurious leather banquettes surround turned oak booths and marble tables, while brass-edged tables and rattan chairs sprinkle the main dining space. Punch sketches and Indian sports prints intermingle with low-cut glass wall lamps from Jaipur, and even Grandmother Sethi’s barometer, to add all-important final touches.
At the back of the ground floor, a large bianco carrara marble top bar stands before an antique window mirror panel to create a theatrical backdrop to the room.
The lower ground floor, meanwhile, is a modern day interpretation of a 17th”century East India punch house. With a grand aged brass bar at its heart, the room features slatted oak wall panelling, porcelain chequerboard floor tiles, and inky blue leather love booths and banquettes. Larger groups can be seated in the restaurant’s two secluded sunken vaults.
From this striking blend of materials and textures, to the stringent attention to detail seen in the venue’s accessories and tableware, B3 Designers has once again demonstrated its prowess for immensely characterful spaces that really communicate the essence of a brand.
