Chef Glynn Purnell has opened the doors of Purnell’s, his Michelin-starred restaurant in Birmingham’s Colmore business district, to welcome guests into the newly refurbished space. This follows a two-week closure to install the new look, as designed by Richard Wilkinson and John Beven, the co-founders and directors of Birmingham based Wilkinson Beven Design.
The new design visually still maintains a sense of chef Glynn’s urban and industrial Birmingham background whilst also embracing a palette of warm tones creating a more lavish finish to the restaurant, matching the sophistication of the cuisine. A newly installed slot window now allows diners to view the action and excitement of the kitchen and see Glynn and his team at work.
Decorative transformation
As a result of the designer’s and Glynn’s vision, Purnell’s has undergone a major decorative transformation; in the bar a section of the floor has been lifted and replaced with a zig-zag motif carpet, adding vibrancy to the room. Guests can enjoy an aperitif on the high-backed armchairs or plush red sofa, creating a cosy ‘living-room’ feel to contrast with the concrete design wallpaper that now covers the back wall.
A new grand, panelled mahogany door leads to the main restaurant space. Diners walk through an intimate wine storage passage with bespoke oak wine racks, and a rustic collection of jam-jar lights that mirror the recollection of childhood in Glynn’s food.
The main dining room boasts an impressive wall covering, with a large-scale pattern in mulberry and ruby tones. The warm shades and new banquette seating evoke a relaxing atmosphere and aim to prepare and soothe guests into the dining experience that awaits. The previously plain carpet has been replaced by a smart pinstripe design, with a background of steel and slate that is broken up by jewel-like flashes of maroon and purple.
Initially Glynn called Wilkinson Beven Design in to specifically address a particular area of the restaurant, the corridor leading to the bathrooms. Glynn had his own ideas for this space, to take his guests on a ‘journey from the city to the countryside’. This has now been achieved with a dramatic ceramic wall tile, adorned with plants and flowers and a changing soundtrack of rural sound effects.
Guests at Purnell’s can expect what Glynn describes as a ‘new era’ for the restaurant, with an exciting new interior to match the aspirations for what he aims to achieve in the kitchen.
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