The brand new SMOKEYS BBQ & GRILL has been designed by LIVIN’ COLORS DESIGN a.k.a LCD. Established in the year 2002, LCD is a Delhi-based interior design firm headed by Amith Chhabra—a self-taught designer who refers to his creative calling as pure serendipity. LCD’s brief was to create a casual yet high-energy BBQ and grill—a warm restaurant where customers could enjoy Smokey’s mouth-watering offerings with family and friends. Spread over two floors, the main challenge for us was to ensure that the place looked completely different from its previous avatar as fine-dining restaurant Smokehouse Grill!

Inspired by the ubiquitous roadside BBQ joints that dot the Mid-West, we set about choosing some basic elements that reflected a quintessential barbeque restaurant experience—from vintage neon signs to logs of wood and burnt brick. Whilst ensuring that the nuances of a BBQ restaurant are present, our main design objective was to achieve a modern yet casual setting. We decided to go for simple materials like wood and brick. More specifically, the walls consist of shaded burnt bricks that are reminiscent of rustic brick barbeque grills and form a perfect backdrop for the BBQ-related artwork.

Earthy and warm, the other material that has been used creatively throughout the space is wood. The vertical wooden panelling that line the entrance area and the columns and beams inside have been specially treated to give it a charred look, almost mimicking the burnt edges of barbequed meat! While the entire ceiling on both the floors have been cladded with recycled chipboard and whose woody texture makes for a more visually overhead view.

From the moment you enter Smokeys, you will be greeted at the “welcome shot” bar—whose design is only a teaser of the main bar inside. The main bar boasts of a teak-finish vintage look with wooden panels that have been designed to resemble drawers and shutters, complete with brass knobs that can be used to hang bags. As for the eye-catching alcohol display behind the bar counter, it has been inspired by old wooden lockers and feature brass nameplates with the empty slots being used to store bottles. As you climb the stairs to the mezzanine floor, more slots have been provided to showcase the variety of premium alcohol available at Smokeys. The mezzanine has its own bar akin to the one on the ground floor.

Complementing the overall aesthetics of this inviting barbeque and grill, we have incorporated tufted leather banquette seating in burnt orange colour, along with sturdy chairs and tables in wood and black-powder coated mild steel. The layout was planned to give a buzzy diner feel to the space and also features an elevated seating area that cleverly doubles up as a stage for live performances.

The warm lighting lends a soft glow to the restaurant and includes a statement-making antelope chandelier. The other design elements that complete the restaurant consists of interesting BBQ paraphernalia like the plaque wall that features an assortment of butcher knives; the meat chart wall that illustrates the various kinds of cuts; stacked wooden logs that add a cosy vibe; and faux antelope heads.