Shanghai restaurant Interior design by hcreates
CLIENT
LEAD DESIGNER
Hannah Churchill
DESIGN TEAM
PHOTOGRAPHY
Seth Powers
The project needed to work within an existing heritage envelope while giving very different areas — bar, lounge, dining, upper level and bathrooms — a shared identity. The original early-1900s Chinese archways and the building’s irregular nooks and crannies had to become assets rather than constraints.

The retained archways form a secret alley that opens into a two-storey atrium, where a floating DJ booth creates the first moment of drama. From there, lounge and dining spaces branch into smaller, more intimate pockets, while upper-level seating looks back over the bar below. A long dark corridor leads to secret-agent-inspired bathrooms, extending the narrative beyond the dining room. Raw concrete is set against sleeker finishes, while custom printed tiles, wallpaper and graphic details provide recurring clues to Cobra Lily’s imagined world.
The result is less a single themed room than a sequence of discoveries. Moving through the restaurant mirrors the fictional character’s own journey: each area feels distinct, but familiar details and contrasts keep the experience connected. The heritage shell remains visible, while the new layers add curiosity, intimacy and an urban edge.
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