Ritu
London
Jute
Chevron
Explore this floor
Ritu
Jute Plank and Chevron set the rhythm of six seasons at Ritu, St John’s Wood Kotak Design translated Ritu’s six-season culinary concept across three connected dining areas. Dark Jute oak shifts between plank and chevron, with its changing geometry drawing attention towards the central bar. Ted Todd’s commercial specification team worked closely with Kotak Design to select Jute in plank and chevron formats. A consistent oak tone links the restaurant’s three areas, with changes in laying pattern defining the individual zones and reinforcing the geometry around the central bar.
- Project type
- Hospitality
- Location
- London
- Featured Product
- Jute
Project Overview
Located in the affluent and leafy north-west London suburb of St John’s wood, Ritu’s (meaning season) is a new Indian restaurant inspired by the Hindu calendar. Unlike traditional Western climates, India has 6 seasons all of which are reflected in the culinary experience, menu offering, and the venue’s interior design at Ritu.
The restaurant is the vision of London-born entrepreneur and restaurateur Anubhav Srivastava, who has already achieved award-winning restaurant success on the Bay of Bengal.
Project Requirements
Not only did this project require that the entirety of the previous restaurant be internally demolished, but a brand identity needed to be established with the completed fit out and interior design scheme.
It was London-based design studio Kotak Design who were presented with this challenge.
Their overall vision was to create a connected space that portrayed a symbolic association with the food. Thus enabling a positive synergy between brand, venue and culinary experience to make Ritu’s restaurant concept a reality.
After the premise was emptied, the first thing to be worked on was reconfiguring the layout and moving the feature bar to central position. Their team of talented senior interior designers then set about delivering the restaurant concept by playing on all five senses to elevate the space through a carefully appointed selection of handpicked fixtures and fittings. More than just food, their aim was to making Ritu unique and memorable!
How did we help
We have an industrious and energetic team of wood floor specification consultants ready to go the extra mile for our commercial customers. They can give wood floor suggestions for any project and provide samples, specification sheets and quotes. It’s their job to make sure the floors you invest in really do make the difference to your projects. Working closely with Kotak Design, Jute Plank and Chevron were specified.
Why the floor was chosen
Jute is a dark brown floor with a subtle warm tone. It has been engineered using nature grade European oak which means there are natural knots, colour variation and sap. Each board or block has been lightly brushed to reveal the natural grain detail of the oak.
Available as wide planks as well as herringbone blocks, and chevron and squares. Jute can be mixed and match with any other colour in the Create® collection. Jute has a hardened oil finish that combines a natural look with a subtle sheen. This oil-based finish has an outer layer that is hardened to give extra wear and splash resistance making it easy to maintain making it perfect for commercial use.
Speaking with Premier Hospitality, Ravi Kotak, Founder of Kotak Design, said: “For us, the layout is a key aspect that encourages interaction with diners, and we were able to enhance the visual connection between the bar and the entire space together”
Using a wood floor as the foundation for the scheme over three separate areas, Kotak have tastefully tied together each zone with varying styles.
Outcome
Kotak Designs have created a destination restaurant full of taste and subtle elegance. Plush banquet seating, velvet chairs in teal, blue and grey teamed with dark tone hardwood flooring, lots of foliage and ambient lighting creates a stylish space. The rhythm, flow and transformation of the Indian seasons has been successfully translated into everything from menu to the décor.
“Ritu is a project that has been in my mind for a very long time. With the Hospitality Industry about to burst back to life and the availability of this beautiful venue in St John’s Wood, now is the perfect time to turn this dream into a reality. I can’t wait to welcome guests into Ritu and share with them our incredible cuisine.” restaurateur Anubhav Srivastava.
This is certainly an interesting restaurant. Ritu London delivers high-end Indian dining that incorporates the theme of its menu into its décor, which serve to take you on that sensory seasonal journey during your visit and from what we’ve seen, it does this beautifully.
Talk to an expert now to get trusted professional advice on using a wood floor in your project.
Architects/Interior Designers: Kotak Designs
Image Credit: Premier Hospitality
Awards: Ritu restaurant was shortlisted in the 2022 SBID International Design Award for Restaurant Design.
Jute up close
Jute is a dark brown, warm-toned floor engineered from nature-grade European oak. Knots, sapwood and colour variation remain visible, with light brushing revealing the grain across each plank and chevron block. Its hardened-oil finish adds wear and splash resistance and is easy to maintain in busy commercial interiors.
Explore a full design system of floors in compatible and interchangeable formats.
