Fumé, UAE
Working with Dubai-based lighting solutions company Acoulite, hospitality development company JAS Group has created an industrial, vintage interior for Fumé, a restaurant offering a global appeal to food at the Dubai Marina Pier 7.
Fumé’s interior, inspired by an avant garde neighbourhood eatery in Tasmania called Garagistes, works with industrial, rugged influences along with purposely mismatched flatware, unique pieces of artwork and custom designed decorative lighting, all made from a variety of materials to create an industrial yet sophisticated décor. JAS Group, which doubled as client and designers of the restaurant, worked closely with Acoulite on the lighting and complete design vision, which was conceived by JAS Group CEO Elmar Pichorner. Together, they created a space to celebrate traditional culinary preparation methods that recollect childhood memories of comforting home style cooking.
The partners of JAS Group had worked with the Acoulite team on previous projects in Dubai making the collaboration a natural one. “The lighting design was a natural extension of the interior design process,” explained JAS Group Managing Director Joy Ghossoub. “It was very much a matter of ensuring we had enough light for guests to feel comfortable, for architectural features in the space to be highlighted and work spaces to be sufficiently bright.”
The lighting, developed by Acoulite according to JAS Group’s direction, was driven by the décor and unique objects and furniture placed around the restaurant. Acoulite’s Technical Project Manager Anil Lopez commented on the need for the bespoke fittings to complete the interior design and ambiance of the venue: “As the décor in Fumé is built around industrial and rudimentary materials, we had to manufacture customised light fixtures using similar materials that would complement the décor.”
The restaurant’s stairway features a chandelier in a row of LED illuminated recycled bottles suspended above tall tables, creating a colourful and unique lighting display that sits perfectly within the industrial and eclectic style of the restaurant. “The unique objects and intriguing furniture enhance the space,” said Lopez, “and in combination with the accent lighting, bring out the natural colours of the cuisine. The lighting scheme complements the location and atmosphere of the restaurant.”
The restaurant also features custom designed copper hanging lights with a wide brim and distinct red twisted chord to further enhance the industrial style. These provide illumination for diners at the bar table in front of the open air kitchen and in the staircase area. Ghossoub explained the importance of these decorative fixtures within the interior concept of the restaurant: “Lighting is a hugely important aspect of interior design. Poor design can always hide behind spectacular and effective lighting, but it never works the other way around.”
The main custom designed decorative lighting features are the spider-like chandeliers, each with fourteen arms glowing a warm LED white throughout the central dining area, providing a soft yet direct illumination above tables. “The chandelier was constructed using table lamps to create an industrial look based on Elmar’s concept of the so-called spider chandelier,” said Lopez.
Further to this, adding a gentle glow to the restaurant’s walls, vintage wall lights hold a similar shape in their shades to the hanging wide brim pendants, in keeping with the materials used to complement the décor.
JAS Group creates unique concepts that aim to make a disruptive impact on the market; Fumé exemplifies this ethos in introducing great food in an accessible, design-focused venue. A restaurant’s success lies in its ability to trigger all the human senses, and as Ghossoub concluded so aptly: “Lighting is a huge thing to consider. Make sure you tick all the boxes – and then a few more.”
Pics: Murrindie Frew