Ask looks to Italian village for interiors revamp

LONDON - Gondola Holdings is repositioning its Ask restaurants as the modern neighbourhood Italian with a new brand identity and interior design by Caulder Moore.

Ask will focus on providing simple, honest Italian dishes in the type of relaxed atmosphere found in a local Italian village.

Caulder Moore has created the strapline "Italian" for the restaurants to reflect the simplicity and honesty of the food.

It has also developed the hand-drawn logo with its ingredients-inspired colour palette of aubergine, mozzarella, orange pepper and sunblush red to echo the hand-painted signs found on a local Italian restaurant, while also conveying a "seriousness" about food.

Timber framed seating and sofas have been upholstered in embossed light and dark brown leather and leaf-patterned fabric in shades of light brown, dark brown and mint.

Reclaimed timber tables in various sizes will accommodate a range of groups, from couples and small parties to larger family gatherings.

The flooring is a mixture of oak timber and cream patterned ceramic tiles, walls are finished in an off-white shade and a bespoke printed tiled wall acts as Ask's own piece of artwork.

The lighting is a mixture of ribbed glass flat domes, white-washed chandeliers and natural wicker pendants.

Outside, the gardens have been given a mixture of metal mosaic tables and a timber kidney shaped family table and chairs upholstered with light green and dark green leaf patterned fabric pads.

The gardens also contain cream lit and heated parasols, framed by potted seasonal herbs and flowers, while the conservatory features timber furniture and an exposed cream brick work wall.

The new designs will first appear at Ask's Kew restaurant.

Emma English, managing director for Ask, said: "The new designs perfectly translate our new positioning to appeal to the values of our target audience and help us grow the Ask brand with them."

Ian Caulder, creative director at Caulder Moore, said: "The simple, eclectic and uncontrived design creates a relaxed, informal environment, making Ask the ultimate neighbourhood Italian restaurant for gatherings of friends, families and couples."