A-nrd redesign Anise, the cocktail bar and lounge at acclaimed London City restaurant Cinnamon Kitchen

Award-winning interior architecture studio A-nrd has completed the refurbishment of Anise, Cinnamon Kitchen London City’s 60-seat cocktail bar and lounge located in a former warehouse of the East India Trading Company within Devonshire Square.

A-nrd are an award-winning London-based practice specialising in transportive and immersive interior design. Founded by Alessio Nardi in 2015, together with creative partner Lukas Persakovas, the talented duo brings together a breadth of expertise in international interior and furniture design having worked with the likes of Lee Broom and Tord Boontje and on projects for Galleries Lafayette and Bloomingdale’s.

Drawing on the chromatic language of Indian cuisine, with subtle reference to its vibrant spices, A-nrd developed a concept that translates warmth and tonal depth into a layered visual palette. Materiality is treated with equal intent, with dark oak, velvet, leather, terrazzo and marquetry combined to create a richly textured bar and lounge designed to encourage lingering before and after dining.

Upon entering Anise, a monolithic bar anchors the space and sets the tone for a refurbishment that has creatively transformed and repurposed existing features to minimise waste and reduce environmental impact. Retaining the original marble-clad bar, A-nrd refreshed and softened its presence with embellished orange and green terrazzo tiles and a new dark oak timber countertop.

The intervention allows the bar to retain its weight and character while aligning it more closely with the tone of the wider interior.

Suspended above, a curtain formed from a deep green velvet by Harrison Cropper wraps the bar perimeter, concealing the existing shelving framework behind. More than a decorative gesture, the curtain introduces softness and enclosure, tempering the bar’s solidity and subtly reshaping how the space is perceived. Its vertical folds bring rhythm and tactility, filtering views and light while creating intimacy at the centre of the room. Within this overhead canopy, bespoke artwork by Chelsea Vivash uses marquetry made from off-cut veneers, celebrating craftsmanship and thoughtful material reuse. Seating at the bar accommodates 24 guests, with black swivel stools upholstered in a tarragon-toned leather by Crest Leather.

Moving away from the bar, low perimeter seating designed by A-nrd is arranged in a sequence of relaxed zones across the lounge space, which seats a further 30. Crafted in dark oak with deep curved bases and extended armrests, the banquettes line the walls and are upholstered in warm, spice-informed tones. Sofa backs are finished in a soft cumin toned geometric check by Casamance, paired with complementary seat pads in Crest Leather.

Cylindrical end cushions in green velvet add softness and functionality, their forms echoing the curves of the timber bases, while tall green glazed ceramic table lamps from Lights & Lamps perch on the generous booth arms.

Marble-topped tables punctuate both booth and formal seating, their soft silvery grey surfaces catching the low light diffused by rattan pendants from Abigail Ahern, offering contrast against the richer materials beneath.

Walls throughout the interior are finished in a dual Bauwerk limewash, combining a soft sumac tone with a muted saffron hue. Dark oak framework and a long, slim wall mirror introduce rhythm and structure, while terrazzo tile detailing echoes the design language of the bar. Existing encaustic floor tiles have been retained, grounding the space and further reducing the impact of the refurbishment, with rugs by Modulyss used to soften and zone seating areas on either side of the bar.

Along the windows, poseur tables have been reimagined with new marble tops and upholstered detailing that mirrors the banquettes, while softly pleated linen ceiling lamps by Watt & Veke complete the setting. These edge spaces, which seat 6, are transformed from transitional moments into comfortable seating areas, encouraging guests to settle and further softening the boundary between bar and restaurant.

Craft and narrative are layered subtly throughout the interior. Authentic Indian ceramic figurines collected by Chef Vivek Singh during his travels are integrated into the scheme, adding moments of personal storytelling and cultural reference without overt display.

On the project, Alessio Nardi, founder of A-nrd, comments:

“We wanted to transform Anise by working with what was already there; keeping the bar, the floor and the spatial structure, then softening and rebalancing them through texture, colour and detail. The aim was to create a space that feels more intimate and more inviting, without over-designing it.”

At Anise, A-nrd have shaped a space that feels considered, relaxed and atmospheric. Through careful reuse, layered materiality and restrained intervention, the studio has redefined the bar as a place of pause and return — an intimate counterpart to Cinnamon Kitchen London City’s main restaurant that rewards time spent within it.