Unfolding With Ease: Ode Eatery in Kuwait by Fortytwelve.

Ode Eatery in Kuwait does a lot with less. The restaurant, designed by Fortytwelve unfolds with an ease that holds a quiet power. It’s the type of project the architecture and interior design studio, founded by Khaled Alawadhi in 2017, has garnered a reputation for—but this one was special.

“This project was very personal as the chef and owner is a very good friend of mine. This made the design process a lot more casual and dynamic,” Khaled explains. “It felt more like a design collaboration since she had a distinct taste and sense of style [and] it was essential for us to include some of her personal objects, music collection and sense of style in the space.”

The interior shell is minimalist in form, hinging on three basic elements: micro cement, a graphic timber veneer and beige stone to form the base. From there, Fortytwelve weaved and layered colour and texture through a series of furniture pieces and objects.

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The kitchen walls were made out of fluted glass panels, extending the space’s natural light and creating an intimacy between all touchpoints. “I love the direct connection between the diners and the food. You can see the movement of the kitchen staff through the fluted glass,” Khaled elaborates.

A mix of contemporary pieces was incorporated alongside a hit list of classics and timeless items you may recognise. Melting pot tables in psychedelic swirls by KOOIJ, an olive green sofa by Cassina and Faye Toogood’s Puffy chair are matched with chairs and stools by Design by Them that are quieter in appearance but just as impactful in the ensemble.

There’s a USM console housing the chefs’ broad-ranging record collection and another USM trolley behind the counter customised to hold the pre-dosed coffee tubes in a bonafide hipster move. Panels of Ettore Sottsass’ iconic grey timber veneer by Alpi are used throughout the interior—on walls, as a banquette and for the food counter, anchoring the eclectic selection of furniture.

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For the lighting, Fortytwelve worked with Beirut-based Fabraka Studios on custom fixtures that incorporated fluted glass (who you may recognise as frequent collaborators of another one of our favourite young designers, Bone Studio.)

It’s a simple design that doesn’t work too hard for your approval yet is hard not to like. As Khalid puts it, “I’m proud that the intricate design process ended with a friendly, approachable space and not overly designed. There is a sense that the place came together organically and not in a forced way.” A feat not as easy as he makes it look.

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[Images courtesy of Fortytwelve. Photography by Mohammad Ashkanani.]