7 Tales, a new speakeasy in Dubai, transports guests from the desert to the nightclubs of Tokyo with an immersive design inspired by Japanese culture and the urban grit of New York.
Crafted by LW Design, the Izakaya-styled cocktail bar absorbs guests in a kaleidoscope of color on the 44th floor of the city’s Grosvenor House as they arrive in the clandestine space via another restaurant. “As 7 Tales is accessed through the rather subdued and sophisticated City Social Restaurant, the complete juxtaposition that engulfs all the senses should transport guests to another world entirely,” says LW partner and design director Pooja Shah-Mulani. “I believe the design and various elements successfully translate this.”
A glowing, lacquered orange bar carved from solid oak panels heralds visitors upon arrival, while custom ceiling and wall graffiti—entitled Relight My Fire. My Heart’s Desire—by artist Gary Young stretches across nearly 2,700 square feet of 7 Tales’ surfaces. Influenced by the zeitgeist of Japanese pop culture, the expansive piece draws upon traditional paintings, the golden age of Art Deco, and graphic design from the 1960s and ’70s with a modern twist. Stained black oak floors contrast the color story with moodiness, as do slate walls and solid oak timber panels. Monochromatic lounge seating playfully echoes this theme below areas of mirrored ceilings that instill a nightclub sensibility.
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