A new spotlight series from Dezeen Magazine highlights five distinctive eateries around the world that feature premium furniture and lighting from the platform's showroom collection. The second edition of "Dezeen Showroom In Situ" showcases how carefully selected design pieces from international brands are being used in real hospitality projects across multiple continents.
The featured establishments span from a small cafe in Kuwait to a restaurant overlooking Egypt's iconic Giza pyramid complex, along with several Stockholm-based venues and an Italian restaurant in Melbourne, Australia. These projects demonstrate how high-quality furnishings from brands including Italian company Pedrali, Swedish brands Fogia and Interesting Times Gang, Australian brand Design By Them, and New Zealand's Nightworks Studio are being integrated into diverse dining environments.
In Stockholm's Hornstull district, the restaurant and bar Tjoget features Fogia's Tripot stool, created in collaboration with French designer Inga Sempé. The distinctive three-legged stools, available in natural ash or black lacquer finishes, are positioned strategically throughout the space. Taller versions line the metallic bar area, while shorter versions flank low metal tables near the front windows, creating a casual seating arrangement that contrasts the natural wood grain against the interior's abundant metal elements.
"Fogia is renowned for its refined craftsmanship, material integrity, and timeless design language," explained Joel Söderbeck, Tjoget's co-owner. "Their ability to seamlessly merge form and function results in spaces that feel both elevated and approachable – a sensibility that aligns closely with the spatial narrative at Tjoget. The Tripod barstool exemplifies this ethos: its sculptural silhouette, ergonomic precision, and visual lightness made it an intuitive choice for the project."
Melbourne's Enoteca Boccaccio restaurant showcases New Zealand brand Nightworks Studio's Duomo Piccolo lighting collection, inspired by the domes that crown Italian churches. The rounded metal shade lights, including pendant lights, sconces, and stemmed wall lamps, complement the restaurant's Italian wine bar atmosphere. The interior features a rich palette of burgundy furniture and curtains, wine-red striated marble, and gold-colored metallic accents that harmonize with the brass materiality of the Duomo lights.
Mim Fanning, principal of Mim Design, explained their selection process: "We selected the Duomo light fittings from Nightworks Studio for our restaurant project – Enoteca Boccaccio – for their simple yet architectural form that strikes a balance between elegance and restraint. Their curved silhouette subtly echoes the arches of traditional European enotecas, reinforcing the design narrative without overpowering it."
In a groundbreaking sustainability initiative, Stockholm's Black Milk Gastro bar features the innovative Kelp Collection chairs by Swedish studio Interesting Times Gang. These 3D-printed seats were specifically developed in collaboration with Michelin-star chefs Niclas Jönsson and Daniel Höglander. The chairs are constructed entirely from a biomaterial containing plastic from discarded maritime equipment, including fishing nets and ropes, combined with waste wood fibers from Swedish sawmills. The undulating forms mirror the swaying shapes of marine vegetation in underwater currents.
"When Michelin-starred chefs Niclas Jönsson and Daniel Höglander of Black Milk Gastro approached Interesting Times Gang, their brief was clear – they wanted something as refined as their cuisine and unlike anything the restaurant world had seen before," said Alexander Westerlund, head of design at Interesting Times Gang. "In response, Interesting Times Gang created the Kelp Collection, which reimagines waste as a resource. Each piece features flowing, organic forms that speak of the future of circular design."
Overlooking the ancient pyramids of Giza, Khufu's Restaurant in Egypt incorporates Italian brand Pedrali's Panarea outdoor chairs on its covered terrace. The chairs feature tubular steel frames strung with knotted polypropylene cord, creating geometric backrests with small triangular voids. This design element was specifically chosen by Cairo-based Style Design to reflect the triangular shapes of the pyramids visible from the dining area.
Nadine Ghorab of Style Design explained their choice: "At Khufu's Restaurant, we were looking for a contract chair that would seamlessly blend into the surrounding desert landscape while aligning with our contextual design language – and Pedrali's Panarea chair struck the perfect balance. Its minimal design, natural materials, handwoven texture and triangular lines subtly connect with the geometry of the pyramids and reference traditional Egyptian craftsmanship."
In Kuwait's city of Salmiya, Ode Eatery features Bobby stools by Australian brand Design By Them. The seating, characterized by open backs and frames composed of simple circular and cylindrical forms, comes in natural and black-stained ash finishes. These pieces complement the dramatic interior design featuring silver-and-black Alpi wood paneling and ridged stainless steel sheeting, created by Kuwait City-based interior design firm Fortytwelve.
Khaled Alawadhi, founder of Fortytwelve, detailed their selection criteria: "The Bobby Chair and Stool were specified for their balance of simplicity and character. Their rounded profiles and minimal detailing offer just enough articulation to feel considered, without drawing attention. We were looking for pieces that could hold a presence without becoming focal points, something visually calm, durable and well-made."
The Dezeen Showroom In Situ series represents a comprehensive look at how furniture and lighting design translates from concept to real-world application in hospitality settings. The series provides insight into the selection process designers and brands use when choosing pieces from the saturated furniture market, demonstrating how form, function, and contextual appropriateness guide decision-making in professional interior design projects.
