Fettle brings a new atmosphere to the already well-respected San Carlo restaurant in Liverpool, UK, utilising layered light with beautiful decorative fixtures.

In the heart of the UK’s northern city, Liverpool is the iconic San Carlo restaurant, which has recently undergone a stunning renovation by London and LA-based interior and architecture studio, Fettle.

Fettle’s brief for the project was to refresh and reinvigorate the existing, well-established space, an all-day dining restaurant, which offers an opulent and contemporary take on traditional Italian dining with elegant interiors inspired by Grand Milanese villas and gardens. Fettle also drew from the architecture of Piero Portaluppi, creating a space that has an alluring ambience and timeless sophistication.

Speaking with darc on their involvement in the project is Andy Goodwin, Co-Founder and Creative Director at Fettle. “San Carlo was an existing client of ours and we had already successfully worked with the company on two London restaurants. San Carlo Liverpool was an existing site in their portfolio that they wanted to completely renovate and re-design. Having previously worked with the San Carlo brand, we were excited to embark on this new, large scale refurbishment project. Our brief was to reimagine the space including the bar, restaurant, private dining room and wine room. We stripped back the existing space to a shell, completely renovating and re-designing each element of the building.

“Altogether, the project took 14 months to complete.”

The design studio employed a rich and dramatic palette of marble, high gloss, timber and brass detailing throughout the venue. These are softened by layered mohair, leather and patterned fabric upholstery.

The furniture has been designed specifically for the project, including marble and timber tables, fluted oak bar stools with brass bases and green leather seats, elegant curved legged dining chairs and burnt orange leather and velvet banquette seating.

According to Goodwin, the project brief remained consistent throughout, with minor developments only occurring when the team discovered more about the site following its strip-out, and they were able to add a wine room to the basement corridor as requested by San Carlo.

The biggest challenge Fettle overcame was simply the process of re-designing an already successful site. Goodwin elaborates: “Our job was to retain the spirit of the existing space while totally reviewing and revising the aesthetic.”

When it came to lighting the space, Fettle introduced an array of decorative fixtures in colours and tones that beautifully blend with the overall design.

“Decorative lighting was a key component of the scheme and worked cohesively with other elements of the design to create a sophisticated ambience and timeless space,” explains Goodwin.

“We used a mixture of high-level chandeliers and pendant fittings to give an overall softness, as well as a range of wall lights and table lamps to give a more focused glow to each area of the bar and restaurant.

“Key pieces of the design have also been highlighted with concealed recessed LED lighting such as the back bar, planting and wine displays.

“We used a combination of bespoke and off the shelf lighting for the project. Bespoke Murano chandeliers were made in Italy by Sogni Di Cristallo, and these sit alongside a range of Visual Comfort wall and table lamps.

“We also used lights by Pure White Lines, Lion Iron Lighting, Northern Lights, Neoz, Humber, and bespoke lampshades by Yately Papers.

“Overall, we used a wide variety of types of lighting throughout each space, enabling us to dim everything down to create a comfortable and intimate atmosphere. We try to add as many layers of lighting as possible in order to give us and the client maximum flexibility in terms of light levels and dimming.

“Lighting is always a vital part of the design and helps inform the overall atmosphere of the space.

In San Carlo Liverpool’s case, it creates an elegant, intimate and playful ambience, working seamlessly with the interior design as a whole.

“The lighting scheme is broadly residential and layered in its approach. Architectural lighting was typically used to highlight details in joinery such as bars / back bars and planters, as well as providing more functional lighting over waiter stations and within coffers.

“By using a mixture of pendants, wall lights and table lights we were then able to create atmosphere by keeping these fittings dimmed to a low level throughout.

“Lighting is always a vital part of the design and in San Carlo Liverpool’s case, it creates an elegant, intimate and playful ambience, working seamlessly with the interior design as a whole.”

Lighting designers from engineering consultancy Hoare Lea were brought onto the project to collaborate with Fettle due the client’s specific requests to have balanced light throughout the venue. “This isn’t something we would typically do on a restaurant scale project and is normally reserved for larger hotel projects,” says Goodwin. “However, the client team were very keen for the light levels to be absolutely right, and that compatibility was ensured between the high number of different fittings, the lamps and the overall dimming system.”

Ben Acton, Associate at Hoare Lea tells darc about his participation in achieving these desires from the client: “We had previously collaborated with Fettle Design on a hotel project that was highly successful. Following that, Fettle recommended us to the San Carlo team, believing we could contribute significant value to their project. Fettle’s strong understanding of the importance of lighting played a key role in our collaboration. Our task was to work alongside Fettle to develop a lighting scheme that seamlessly complemented their decorative lighting choices with architectural lighting, resulting in a harmonious overall design. Coordination was crucial to ensure that each lighting element was discreetly integrated into the interior.

“Communication is the most important aspect to a successful project, and we have an excellent working relationship with Fettle. Initially we reviewed their design concepts, then, with multiple workshops together, we developed a detailed lighting scheme that offers layers of lighting that complemented their beautiful interior.

“Designing a restaurant that functions equally well during the day and night is a significant challenge. The goal is to ensure the space feels bright and inviting during the day while creating a warm and intimate atmosphere in the evening. Achieving this required a careful selection of luminaires and a sophisticated lighting control system. Since evenings are the restaurant’s busiest time, this was our primary focus. Our key approach to fostering intimacy was to create pools of light on the dining tables, allowing the surrounding areas to remain relatively dark. This effect was complemented by soft background illumination and the use of very warm, 2200K lighting along the perimeter, achieving the ambiance the client desired.

“To maintain the restaurant’s appeal during the day, we needed to provide relatively high lighting levels. While the restaurant benefits from ample daylight along one elevation, the deeper areas towards the rear risked feeling gloomy by comparison. To enhance the overall ambiance, large decorative globe pendants were used to deliver the necessary lighting, ensuring the space remained vibrant and inviting throughout the day.”

Due to the nature of the project, Acton goes on to explain the challenges they faced when tackling an already existing space: “This often presents unexpected challenges, especially when you start opening ceilings and seeing what you have to work with. In some areas, finding suitable locations to conceal drivers was challenging. However, by utilising custom joinery and strategically placed access panels, we were able to accomplish this discreetly and effectively.”

He continues, describing the various decorative lighting layers and how they worked alongside the architectural lighting: “The decorative lighting within the restaurant is a big part of its identity, complementing the interior design with a wide selection of chandeliers, pendants, wall lights and table lights working in combination. These elements add a lot of sparkle and contrast that add to the overall ambiance and character and identity of the spaces. Battery powered table lights are also positioned to all tables, which provide functional illumination, but all importantly provide focused accent light throughout the restaurant.”

Reflecting on the completed project, Goodwin explains how their designed remained consistent with the team’s initial plans: “We approach every project with a detailed design narrative and each space is unique. Stand out features for this project include the oversized, contemporary murals by artist Jesslyn Brooks, statement chandeliers, and the rich and dramatic palette of marble, high gloss, timber and brass detailing, softened by layered mohair, leather and patterned fabric upholstery.

“We wanted to develop a clear identity for the restaurant while retaining an aesthetic commonality with San Carlo’s sister restaurants. We feel we have created a truly elegant space with design details, lighting and material finishes utilised to offer a sophisticated yet relaxed dining experience.”

Acton adds: “I’m extremely pleased with the final lighting scheme and how the layering of different elements creates a flexible and adaptable space. The way the lighting interacts with the mirrors throughout the restaurant adds a sense of dynamism, offering new and intriguing perspectives as you move through the space. I’m particularly delighted with the bar backlighting, which makes a stunning first impression as you enter the restaurant and creates an eye-catching display visible from the street.

“The client for this project places a strong emphasis on lighting and has a deeper understanding of its importance than most I’ve worked with. This was especially evident during the commissioning of the lighting scenes, where he was very hands-on as we collaborated to create an ambiance that perfectly complemented the dining experience. It was incredibly rewarding to work with a client who truly appreciates the intricate details of a successful lighting scheme.

“The decorative and joinery-integrated lighting is a very warm 2200K, which effectively creates mood and intimacy throughout the space. The few downlights we’ve used are at 2700K, which works well for highlighting artwork, especially during daytime dining. However, in the evening, the contrast between these lighting elements becomes more noticeable. To achieve greater cohesion, I would like to have explored the possibility of using filters to warm up the downlights.”

www.fettle-design.co.uk