‘Jamie’s Italian’ by Blacksheep | London.

Jamie’s Italian ice cream van and brand beacon. Holy crap – how insanely super awesome is this? Extreme love!

‘Our new ideas began right at the front door. We suggested having a Jamie’s ice cream van parked outside as a kind of brand beacon, both to highlight the restaurant’s location and to serve passing trade. Our client loved the idea. In fact Jamie personally went out and bought an old classic Citroën van, which was then restored in order to serve Jamie’s ’Smash Ups’, where ice cream, fruit and nuts are all mixed to order and served on a plate.’ – Mark Leib.

Left – Holding bar and glass chandelier. Right – Piazza beneath chandelier.

‘Jamie really loves Italian glass chandeliers, and so we also did a ‘meaty’ take on this in the main space with two bespoke chandeliers, with three different types of glass hanging from butcher’s hooks on a butcher’s rail.  The chandeliers are situated above the holding bar and the large group table in this space, which seats 8 people, as well as one in the Back Room area.’ – Mark Leib.

I am absolutely thrilled to be able to share this very special interior with you today. Why is it so special you ask? Well… For several reasons in fact.

1. This is Jamie Oliver’s latest restaurant in London. And yellowtrace hearts Jamie. Seriously, how could you not?
2. The restaurant was designed by dear friends of yellowtrace – Mark Leib from Blacksheep, who has become a bit of a permanent fixture on this site in the last few months (he recently covered London Design Week in a special two part guest post. Mark was also my partner in crime during Milan Design Week shenanigans, alongside the lovely Jo Sampson). And yellowtrace hearts their friends. I know, who doesn’t? So it’s always extra special to share hotness created by the people I love.
3. This is a very special yellowtrace scoop people! Yes, that’s right. You’ve seen it here first. The lovely folks at Blacksheep have given us a head start on this story, which makes you and I so-hot-right-now. Hooray!

Ok, enough gushing. Let’s get down to the business.

Left – Piazza looking towards banquette seating. Right – Banquette seating Piazza. Ok, so that banquette is completely smoking. Beautiful detailing with the buttons and I’m loving (as in L.O.V.I.N.G) the teal leather against timber wall panelling and what looks like slate flooring. By the way, I also spy gorgeous ‘Chimney’ clay lamps by Benjamin Hubert for Viaduct in the distance. Lovely stuff.

Left – Feature metal panelled wall outside toilets clad in bespoke rusted and non-rusted metal panels. This wall was inspired by aging and abandoned agricultural equipment spotted in the fields of Tuscany. Right – More awesomeness! I heart that installation of scooter headlights on the wall. Super.

Left – Close up of bathroom washbasin. Right – Hahahaha! This is possibly one of my favourite things (only because I find toilet humour hilarious). In case you can’t read it, the toilet pull details says “Crapper. Pull and let go.” Brilliant!

‘Jamie’s Italian’ is located at the Westfield London shopping centre at White City, becoming the latest restaurant in Jamie’s highly successful collection of 13 different locations throughout the UK. Blacksheep brought their own design interpretation to this site – Managing Director Tim Mutton called the new restaurant ‘a buzzy, stylish and warm environment, inspired by Italian food retail and dining, combined with Jamie’s own cheeky Britishness.’

The Market Place is full of noise, bustle, cooking smells and atmosphere. The Market Place houses the open kitchens, the bread display area, storage for the kitchens and retail displays for books, wine display and fresh produce.

As the brand was already well established, it was important to ascertain what was generic and where we could bring fresh creativity and site-specific ideas to the interior design concept. We were very impressed with how open the client was to new ideas that expressed the fresh, honest and accessible feel of the brand. Every material choice and the story behind it was carefully considered as part of the design process and, in order to bring a truly authentic Italian feel to the designs, Blacksheep extensively researched not only the business, but also Italian restaurant and delicatessen culture. – Tim Mutton

Left – view into the kitchen. Right – Gold encased workers light. I believe that this little gem is via FORM US WITH LOVE (and it just happens to be another one of my favourites).

Blacksheep Associate, Mark Leib, was instrumental in helping create the materials palette and the major feature areas for the new 250-cover restaurant.

Our new ideas begin right at the front door. We suggested having a Jamie’s ice cream van parked outside as a kind of brand beacon, both to highlight the restaurant’s location and to serve passing trade. Our client loved the idea. In fact Jamie personally went out and bought an old classic Citroën van, which was then restored in order to serve Jamie’s ’Smash Ups’, where ice cream, fruit and nuts are all mixed to order and served on a plate. – Mark Leib.

The Back Room. Ah, this room is totally the business.

Other major design features include a ‘Scooter Wall’ (made up of many individual scooter headlights); a ‘Market Place’ section to highlight the retail and theatrical aspects of the kitchen; bespoke wall treatments, both inspired by and commissioned directly from Italy and dynamic lighting treatments, from bespoke chandeliers to industrial-style workmen lights, in tongue-in-cheek ‘gold’ casing.

Antipasti Bar in the Back Room. Oh My God. Look at all that delicious smoked pork hanging above the bar. Droooool. Somebody bring be a mop and a bucket!

The restaurant exterior (approx 100sqm) has a great L-shaped space, which offers al fresco dining beneath a canopy, suitable for year-round usage.  The new, branded ice cream van sits at the corner of the L-shape.  The external area is bordered and demarcated by planters made from reclaimed scaffold boards, which are full of herbs, creating both a great smell and a sense of anticipation for the food to come.

The 610sqm interior is very long with a particularly narrow central area, which were rationalised into a series of zones – the main restaurant space (‘Piazza’), central ‘Market Place’ area without seating, which allows customers views of the kitchens and fresh pasta making, and rear dining space, The Back Room, which is a special intimate area with lower ceilings and a slightly more ‘bling’ treatment.

In this final space, we wanted to create an area  ripe for discovery. Hopefully diners will want to come back and try it out if they aren’t seated there on their first visit. It has a little bit of an insiders’ secret feel to it, like a Milanese dining room, and the low ceilings and special design treatments serve to highlight this. – Mark Leib.

Left – Detail for wine display in the Back Room. Right – Close up view at the timber panel and brass inlay feature wall. Ok, this is seriously beautiful stuff. Are you with me? Extreme love.

More of that stunning timber panel and brass inlay wall. Didn’t think they don’t make them like this any more. Amazing.

‘In this final space, we wanted to create an area  ripe for discovery. Hopefully diners will want to come back and try it out if they aren’t seated there on their first visit. It has a little bit of an insiders’ secret feel to it, like a Milanese dining room, and the low ceilings and special design treatments serve to highlight this.’ – Mark Leib.

Blacksheep is also working on a further restaurant for the brand, due to open later this year in Birmingham.

So there you have it. This is what happens when great designers meet great clients. Inspiring outcomes.

x dana

Photography by Gareth Gardner.