Bespoke at Chaophraya in Glasgow – Design of the month

Chaophraya Thai Restaurant & Palm Sugar Bar – by JMDA Ltd Interior Designers & Architecture

The grand red sandstone Townhouse building, built as The Liberal Club of Glasgow around 1909, stands roughly half way along the busy thorough fare of Buchannan Street in Glasgow town centre. It latterly became the College of Dramatic Art and the Royal Academy of Music until 1987 and, more recently a retail outlet, its ornate plaster work and period timber features playing second fiddle to modern retail fixtures and their wares.

The potential for the property to become a high-end restaurant recapturing the buildings halcyon days was recognised by Chaophraya restaurateur’s Martin Stead and Kim Atcharaporn Keawkraikhot who, almost immediately, engaged their Interior Design consultants JMDA to produce a scheme to restore the property to its former glory with the simple brief of turning it into the largest & best Thai restaurant in the country.

The result, following detailed consultation with the planning authorities and the difficult delivery often associated with a listed building, is something rather special.

From its grand marble floored entrance hall which has been enhanced with authentic Thai furniture and artefacts successfully juxtaposed with a contemporary central chandelier, to its top floor VIP rooms, the interiors now sparkle with glass, chrome and brass features throughout.

Ground floor rooms either side of the imposing lobby now house a chique bar to the right, featuring an illuminated onyx backfitting and Carrera marble topped servery. All this can be accessed from Buchannan Street via a floor to ceiling glazed architectural feature ‘lozenge’ where specially imported white Thai Buddha’s stand in silent greeting. To the left of the lobby can be found a relaxing lounge bar area which would be perfectly at home as part of a 5* hotel. Huge antique mirrors adorn one wall incorporating fuscia inspired light fittings.

Ascending the ornate staircase with its custom designed sumptuous carpet, guests could be mistaken for thinking they had been transported to Raffle’s or some other colonial jewel of the orient. Historic maps, bejewelled elephants and Buddhas, together with the bespoke pendant lights create an ambience of sophisticated oriental calm.

On the first floor can be found the heart and soul of the operation in the double storey height 140 cover restaurant. JMDA have cleverly overcome the potentially atmosphere diluting space by incorporating a raised area housing leather booth seating flanked either side by 3.5m high glass, chrome and timber wine walls. Illumination is provided via retention of the existing, now refurbished, brass chandeliers which incorporate the all essential dimmable LED lighting. The ‘wedding cake’ plasterwork of the ceiling has been enhanced with subtle gold leaf decoration and is highlighted by discrete dimmable LED spotlighting. The engine room of the kitchen can be viewed through full height glass doors where a flurry of almost silent activity produces the most exquisite of foods with a subtlety of flavours complimented by the overall ambience. the existing feature fireplaces have been brought back into use and lovingly restored to create focal points either end of the restaurant.

Onwards and upward (for the VIP guests and Corporate entertainers at least) past the luxurious marble and Timber washrooms, to the aforementioned 2nd floor VIP rooms and associated Champagne bar……

An intimate arched hallway with original panelling with yet more gold Buddhas leads guests into the main VIP areas. Three separate screened off rooms have been formed within this single room with subtle themes of: ‘Authentic Thai’ with 8ft high carved Thai ‘thrones’, ‘Cuisine’ with sunken seating and chrome display cases housing authentic Thai ingredients and ‘Funky’ with its padded TV wall and contemporary F&F. all the rooms sit below an ornate coffered ceiling enhanced by gold paper to each recess, below which sparkle bespoke chandeliers.

In contrast to the otherwise architectural decoration of the VIP rooms, a dark and moody Champagne bar area can be found to one end. Once again backlit onyx has been used albeit to the bar counter in this instance, together with feature pendant lights and illuminated champagne tables (what else!). The chrome and mirrored backfitting displays its products with a subtle yet eye catching display naturally incorporating some fine single malts.

A further breathtaking VIP room can be found off the arched hallway. The room is typical of the property, having moulded panelling, a feature fireplace and large casement windows. The treatment of the room however, is anything but typical. A brave decision was taken to decorate the walls in a heritage dark blue/grey whilst highlighting the feature window timber work etc in pure white. All this forms a backdrop for a curved ‘figure of 8’ enclosure sitting in the centre of the room which can be used for a single party of 24 or be divided by brass inlaid sliding / folding screens to create two rooms of, you guessed it, 12 each. The design for this was inspired by MD Jonathon Morgan’s on-location research into Thailand’s best hotels and restaurants and incorporates ‘floating’ lanterns in between richly stained timber divisions also featuring brass inlays and candle stands. Bespoke contemporary chandeliers provide sparkle and ambience below the gold papered ceiling, whilst yet more authentic Thai gold Buddhas stand like reassuring guards around the perimeter of the room.

The whole scheme is cleverly linked through use of bespoke carpets which use a common palette of rich colours but change their designs to suite the environment. Decorations are very much from the ‘heritage architecture’ range and JMDA have used natural colours as a backdrop to enhance the Thai bric-a-brac, artwork and joinery items. Timber work throughout has been stained and polished to match existing features each sparkling with gold and chrome highlights which again, provides a coherence to the overall design.

So the next time you find yourself in dear old Glasgow forget the spa treatments, make sure you spare an hour or two to immerse yourself in the full Chaophraya experience