FOLIE,
London
FOLIE brought the glamour of the French Riviera to Golden Square in Soho. Behind its gilded, continuously curved bar, two high specification cocktail stations shared an eight metre run, each one a workspace of its own.
Client
FOLIE
Location
London
Our scope
Underbar
Completed
October 2019
Interior design
Studio KO
Working with
Rees Associates
Photography
Michael Franke
The brief
FOLIE opened in Soho at the end of 2019, a French restaurant and cocktail bar with an interior by Studio KO. Navy leather banquettes, gold edged mirrored tables, a geometric terrazzo floor and lighting set into sunken circular wells gave the room a sun warmed, 1970s glamour.
At its centre was a gilded bar with a continuous curved front, the focal point of the room. FOLIE needed an underbar that could deliver high capacity cocktail service behind it without compromising the design intent for the bar.
Working with the curve
A continuous curve looks effortless from the guest’s side and asks a great deal of the design behind it. Standard units are made square, and set along an arc they leave gaps, awkward corners and bartenders working around one another.
Because we work fully bespoke, we shaped the underbar and every operational element around that footprint, making the most of each space along the curve while keeping a natural flow for the bartenders.
Designing the workstation
Across roughly eight metres, the stainless steel underbar is built around two separate workstations. Each has its own compartmented ice well, bar sink with chopping board, drained preparation counter, single speed rail, bin and low level shelf.
A central shelving bay with a supporting counter sits between them, holding shared stock within reach of both stations without crowding either.
Tools on the drained counter at one of the two cocktail stations
The back bar and Pyrolave bartop
The fluted bar front and stools
The bar at the centre of the room
Giving each bartender a dedicated station, with ample storage for garnishes and spirits and an individual bar sink, kept everything organised and within easy reach. Neither bartender had to cross into the other’s space to finish a drink, and the workflow stayed calm and intuitive through the busiest service.
FOLIE was designed by Alice Rees and installed in October 2019. The restaurant has since closed, but the bar remains a clear example of how we approach a curved footprint.
“From the guest’s side the curve looks effortless, but nothing off the shelf would ever sit behind it. We drew each station to follow the line of the bar, so both bartenders had their own space and never had to work around a corner.”
Alice Rees, Senior Designer, Cantilever