Summer is here!

24th May 2010, 11:43am

This summer will see the arrival of a pop-up concept to London in the form of 'The Summerhouse'.

Open for a six-month period between April and October, The Summerhouse will be situated along the banks of Little Venice's canal. Launched by dining operators, First Restaurant Group, The Summerhouse will be their second venue in Maida Vale. 

The restaurant will have a light and airy décor. The walls will have a clean, whitewashed appearance and blue and white stripes, glass bottles and jars will be used throughout to create an atmosphere of comfortable beachside chic. 

First Restaurant Group managing director Mitchell Tillman commented: "We are really looking forward to opening The Summerhouse. Most pop-up restaurants only last for a matter of weeks but ours will be a six-month feature of the great British summertime.  We hope you come and enjoy the warm weather with us on the terrace this year and for many more years to come."

Meredith Tillman, creative director of First Restaurant Group, explains to Eat Out what makes The Summerhouse so unique.

What was your aim when designing this venture?
Our aim was to bring something new to London – A holiday feeling. The Waterside location lends itself perfectly to the sunny relaxing atmosphere of The Summerhouse and we wanted to give people the feeling of being abroad while still remaining moments from the centre of London.

How did you achieve this?
The style of The Summerhouse has been described as 'Ralph Lauren, nauticle chic'! This is due to the striped navy & white fabrics, vintage holiday photographs and excetic mix of trinkets one might find in a family holiday home or beach house. We had to use a lot of the existing furniture in order to get the restaurant open in time so by adding cushions with ropes to the chairs and white washing the miss-matched wooden tables it created a brighter and more homely feel.

We bought a lot on the high street as time was a huge constraint and at all times had to remember that it's a pop up so I couldn't get too attached to anything I loved! All the pictures and objects that decorate the walls were found on ebay or in markets and I hand-painted and distressed the picture frames myself. 

The pebble floor in the bar area was the perfect remedy to replace the existing dark wood and gives a nod to the British seaside. I also had a large scale black and white wallpaper print made for behind the bar depicting bikini clad glamorous women in the 50's leaping for a beach ball! I feel this represents the fun slightly tongue-in-cheek vibe we have tried to create. 

What would you describe as the key and unique features?
I'd say the key features of The Summerhouse are being open and overlooking the water. The restaurant is flooded with light throughout with sky-lights and high ceilings so wherever you sit it feels bright and airy. In contrast, at night it's full of candles and feels cosy and romantic. The open kitchen creates a sense of theatre and adds to the buzzy vibe. One unique feature is the fish wallpaper in the toilets. A pleasant surprise that people often comment on!

Does your team have a particular signature style?
You only have to look at our restaurant group to see we approach every site with a different style. Each one has its own personality and works well in it's surrounding area. 

Stage by stage, how did you approach this project?
The first stage was naming. We stood in what was 'The Boathouse' on a cold day in March and as the sun came out and shone through the sky-lights. It just felt like a summerhouse! Then we worked on the food concepts using the name as an obvious starting point and with it being on the water, fish was going to play a big part in our offering. That is where my inspiration for the logo came from.

Then once the logo was done it was on to signage, uniforms and menus. At the same time I was gathering inspiration for the interiors by scouring the internet and putting together mood boards from magazines and swatches. I had a clear vision as soon as we named the place and it all started from there. Behind the scenes our operations team was working hard at structuring the kitchen and bar to create a functioning work space, which is obviously an essential factor in creating a successful restaurant.

Where did you get your inspiration from?
Holidays. I stayed in a beach house in the Hamptons (NY) once and it was a family home that had been passed down through generations. I wanted to create that same homely bright fun feeling at The Summerhouse. People often expect a pop-up restaurant to look cheap and temporary, so I have tried to create something that looks more permanent in order to create a feeling of history and nostalgia (just like a family Summerhouse would have).

The menu was inspired by beach food and in particular the giant crudite bowls which can be found on the best beaches in the south of France. The popcorn shrimp, fish and chips, meze platter, it's all the best bits from summers spent away. Everything down to the porcelain buckets that we serve the chips in to the striped napkins, it all fits the theme and it's the little details that people notice and love.

What is the size of the venue?
The venue seats 65 and the bar area accommodates approximately up to 30 people.

Timetable, how long did it take from start to finish?
One month!

If you were to change or improve anything about the design, what would it be?
The idea is that The Summerhouse will close in October and re-open in April each year. During this time the space will be used for private functions during the winter and then will be transformed back into The Summerhouse on time for re-launch. Each time we re-open I hope to evolve the concept and give people even more reason to return. I have some idea up my sleeves for 'The Summerhouse - stage two' but you'll have to wait and see!

Who are the key members of the design company?
It's just me. As creative director of the group and with a background in both graphic and interior design I am responsible for creating the brands and decorating the venues. I have a great team of builders and the business and operational side of things is looked after by Olly Etridge (Operations director) and Mitchell Tillman (my brother) who is managing director of the group. They make the business work, while I make it look good!

What are your recent projects?
Most recently The Summerhouse and also we have opened a Harry Morgans in Riga, Latvia.

What are your plans for the future – are you working on any other hotels, restaurants?
We have two central London pubs in the pipeline and I'm in the process of putting together ideas that will bring them to life.

Final comment on the venue
I think the Summerhouse is a truly unique restaurant for London. It's bright and cheerful in the day, cosy and romantic in the evening and it was a huge amount of fun creating the concept from scratch and making it happen in such a short amount of time. It really was the 60 minute make-over of restaurants!

What do you like the most about the design of the venue?
It makes me feel like I'm on holiday. There's a lot to look at (including the ducks and boats passing by) and the décor is fun and fresh. The high ceiling and the sails in the centre of the restaurant are a favourite feature of mine, the marble-top bar and also the flying ducks on the wall.

What made you use the tones and shades you went for?
The soft blues reminded me of both a British and a Hamptons holiday house and felt fresh in contrast to the dark reds and exposed brick that were originally there.