Design Detail: Saugaat, Delhi, India

CONCEPT: SET AT 1300 square feet, this luxury dessert store aims to meld old world charm with a sense of modernity for customers looking to go the extra mile for their special event or festivity.

1. REACHING OUT

Divided into three zones – “feature display, premium display and casual browsing” – the store features several consultation/tasting areas. The powdercoated stainless steel arches here contrast with the raw cement, backlit arched wall displays behind them and help visually frame this sit-down area.

2. LOOK UP

Unlike the rustic brown geometric ceiling found throughout most of the space, this white vaulted ceiling was inspired by “the rawness and bold statement of bare architectural structures,” Kalra says. The ceiling stands out further with the addition of a bespoke golden light fixture hanging in its center.

3. BRIGHT LIGHTS

“The space is [primarily] illuminated by the custom-designed golden light fixture,” says Dhruva Kalra, Senior Partner at RMDK, the firm charged with the space’s design. “[This] highlights the vaulted ceiling space and also throws a soft light on the meeting table below, giving the space a controlled, modern and intimate feeling.”

4. SOME FIXINS

Outlining this consultation area are fixtures and display consoles featuring the store’s products and dessert samples, giving customers a chance to visually browse (and taste) the offerings while compiling a menu for their special event.

5. THE LUXE STEP

Marble checkered flooring imparts a feeling of luxury and intimacy (in contrast to the rest of the space’s “mono-striped” flooring) for guests sampling desserts. This area was “designed to both create an emphasis and also to visually separate the area; to create a sense of privacy for the customers having a food tasting meeting there,” Kalra says.