The Nest, Lincoln

Working with this independent client, we were tasked with transforming the existing canteen style restaurant facility on the site of Bainland Resort into a luxury drinking and dining experience that befitted the picture-perfect lodge retreat nestled in the heart of tranquil Lincolnshire.

The site is very much a secret haven, with romantic lakeside hot tub lodges, luxury safari tents, as well as state of the art designer family villas, complete with impeccable interiors and a glorious private pools. In comparison, the food and beverage offer was severely lacking and just did not marry-up with the resort experience.

The restaurant offers a bistro-inspired menu perfect for the varying day-parts. The layout and variety of seating areas have been designed with this in mind; with areas for lounging coffee mornings and family dining occasions alike.

The bar and the Open kitchen are very much the heart of the design, with service and theatre at the forefront, highlighting that the restaurant is not style over substance. The food and beverage is the real star of the show.

Materially, the design has really tried to hone in on the juxtaposition of familiar home comforts and provide a cosiness which contrasts the ostentatious sumptuousness. The reason this combination is so successful is the ‘worn-in’ elegance that we have managed to achieve across the finishes, furnishings and finishing touches. That feeling of familiarity and warmth, of timeless elegance and age worn grandeur.

We enjoyed emphasising this through the use of scale. It is evident in how we have used the proportions and the height of the space to our advantage. We have played with composition and volume, using large imposing lighting elements and planting to break up sight lights and provide focal points across key vistas.