Inspired by her time spent in Denmark, a grain-loving culture, Alex Hely-Hutchinson decided to returned to her hometown of London and take porridge to another level. With the help of Laura Kiely and Justin Melican of design firm Block1: Design, Hely-Hutchinson opened 26 Grains, a restaurant serving grain-based dishes in the heart of Neal’s Yard in London. Her goal was to create a Scandi-inspired restaurant embodying what the Danish call hygge, which translates to “celebrating life’s pleasures.” Join us for a look inside.
Photography by Enzo Cerri, courtesy of Block1: Design.

Above: The bi-folding exterior doors allow for outdoor seating during the warmer months. The exterior paint color was chosen to reflect the brand?s Scandinavian influences and to link the interior and exterior palettes.
Above: The tables and counter were all custom built for the space by the main contractor, MPH Joinery. “We chose natural oak for the wooden tables and leather for the banquette seating, and a hardwearing wood-effect floor tile over a wooden floor,” Kiely says. The tile is Wood Sense from Domus and is laid in a herringbone pattern.

Above: The two-toned walls were painted in Clouded Pearl 3 by Dulux paint on the upper section and in Hick’s Blue by Little Greene on the lower section. “We loved the original texture of the walls, so we decided to keep it. The colors again reflect the Scandinavian influence,” Kiel...