Client Aagrah Midpoint
Year of Completion 2022
SGP was appointed by Aagrah, a well-known family chain of Indian restaurants in West Yorkshire, to refurbish a wedding venue in Bradford, one of the key considerations of the brief was to create a camera-friendly experience that customers would want to share with thousands of their social media followers.
Aagrah’s icon is its elephant statue that sits proudly in front of the building. When designing an Instagram-worthy wall, SGP’s designers thought it only right to incorporate both the elephant and colourful vibrancy of the Indian culture.
The reception area now features a 3m tall, large-as-life, rich and colourful elephant mural with a rainbow of sequin-embellished umbrellas and intricate golden lanterns dazzling from above.
From here guests experience the new-found grandeur of the double-height staircase that leads them up to the drinks reception. A luxurious golden swirling wall covering has been applied to complement the existing interior sandstone stonework. Pink and cream satin flowers line floral archways through to the banquette hall, but the star attraction is the gleaming crystal chandelier illuminating from on high.
Within the main banquet hall, the design features a statement floral centrepiece suspended from the ceiling, creating an enchanting bridal walkway, with twinkling crystal lights hidden amongst the petals. Upcycled golden thrones sit atop a new marble-effect stage, with star-studded curtain backdrop. Adding to the impact are a couple of wow effects that have been subtly designed to be disguised. Smoke machines sit secretly within the stage steps and hidden in bespoke planters to the rear of the room. The bride emerges in a cloud of mystique, making a grand entrance from the new bridal suite, now adorned with ornate gold doors.
While creating a feeling of grandeur was at the heart of the brief, budget was a close second. Although detailed beading applied to all the walls was originally considered, SGP’s team identified a cost-effective solution in stylised wallpaper with a beaded trim to the top. This produced the same desired aesthetic but without the price tag.
Where feasible, SGP’s design sought to work with the existing fabric of the building and looked to cleverly re-use existing features. The doors have all been refurbished and transformed from their previous drab wood effect to a classy mid grey with gold beading and kickplates. Similarly, the ornate mirrors have all been meticulously resprayed in gold to tie in with the new scheme. Display cases situated in the drinks reception area have been sanded and repainted with gold leaf trim to the decorated edges and the bridal thrones have been reupholstered and sprayed gold. The carcass for the bar was retained and new cost-effective mock patina roof tiles have been applied, along with new feature LED downlighting to really highlight the contours of the 3D tiles.
