It’s usually the case that seafood restaurants tend to be filled to the brim with marine and maritime references. Refreshingly that’s not the case with Rosamar Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar in Lisbon, which was conceived by interior designer Perrine Velge, founder of Studio Pim, as a sophisticated yet relaxed venue whose nautical theme is subtly implied rather than explicitly stated. Velge drew inspiration from an imaginary image of an old timber sailing boat set ashore on a sandy beach with the deep blue sea looming in the background, inspiring her to use warm timber, dark blues and sandy tones throughout the venue. Coupled with lush vegetation, ceramic accents and striped patterns, plus plenty of daylight filtering in from the pergola-like roofing, Rosamar is imbued with a beachy, seaside ambience that evocatively reflects its culinary offerings.

Studio Pim completely overhauled the space, reconstructing the building fabric and introducing a new layout. “At some point we only had four walls and a few steel beams”, says Studio Pim’s founder Perrine Velge, whose pregnancy didn’t stop her from overseeing the works. Most notably, the first floor was opened up to create a mezzanine that flows into the main space on the ground floor. One of the few things that the team did preserve was the huge Crittall glass ceiling structure at the back of the venue, now covered with long stretches of undulating sheer fabric that soften the brightness of the hot Portuguese sun whilst alluding to the sails of its sail boats that once voyaged around the world.