Lucia, Beverley Reveals Stunning Italian-Inspired Renovation After Five-Week Transformation
A touch of romance with exotic Arabic influences is a distinctive design element behind the dramatic remodelling of Lucia, Beverley - a two storey Italian restaurant with a 'secret' heated courtyard nestled between two historic buildings.
The two-storey venue includes a restaurant space, bar and dining area on the ground floor, and a kitchen and restaurant on the first floor.
The impressive project was carried out by main contractors 3PCS; with Studio Two as project managers and designers.
Lauren Milner of Studio Two commented: "The original brief was to remodel and refresh the Lucia Beverley site to sit alongside the client's other sites in York and Harrogate. The Beverley site has an impressive courtyard, so a lot of effort was made to create a flexible internal/external space with all the warmth and features of an interior space, without losing the courtyard's charm.
The designers explored the history of Italian culture to draw inspiration based on a nod to vintage Italian, with strong cultured roots. With this in mind, they explored the history of Sicilian ceramic Moorish heads, which revealed the love story of a young Sicilian woman and an Arabic man, Teste do Moro.
This influenced the design, with detailing including citrus fruits, luxury fabrics, soft seating, and ceiling drapery, taken from an Arabic theme. The love story was based on an envious encounter, and this also influenced the design palette, which included shades of green paint, beautiful artwork and the 'romantic engagement' of different materials.
Additional key design elements include the timber panelled bar with high gloss finish and granite top and feature wallpapered back bar. The first-floor restaurant features a wine wall display, upholstered wall detailing, wall panelling and artwork.
Lauren Milner continued: "The restaurant's walkway and entrance beyond a tunnelled passage is another impressive addition to the design. We wanted the guest 'journey' to begin as soon as they stepped over the threshold - so we created an overhead timber pergola structure with lattice detail and twined with flowers and lemons. It really sets the tone for the rest of the space. The lattice detail is continued to the rear area and again adds as sense of interest and quality."
The courtyard as a whole is a standout part of the design. The designers used internal features such as artwork, warm lighting, and soft upholstery to create a sense of comfort and luxury within the external space.
Challenges of the project included site access which was restricted - especially for large items. It was also necessary to exercise caution due to the listed status of the building. In addition, the short time frame of the project required careful management of the supply of materials, as there was no room for delays.
The approximately five-week project began in January 2022 and was completed in February.
Lauren Milner said: "This project was extremely important to Studio Two, we have worked closely with the clients on several projects now, and we are so grateful for the relationship we have built with them and their trust in us to deliver creatively. After working on Harrogate Lucia, it was so important for us to work on the Beverley scheme, adding to the brand, strengthening the design style but also ensuring Lucia Beverley was positively unique."
