Beit Nazha, 210 sq.m. restaurant located in the heart of the Old Souk Byblos, just two steps away from the Unesco Square, was designed by studio RASD to resemble an old rural lebanese house. Richard Abi Saab Design is a New York/Lebanon-based high-concept design and turnkey firm for architecture, interiors, and graphic design. Under Richard’s leadership, the company has worked extensively in the international market, delivering design solutions for global brands.

The existing space was a stark yellow plaster box with a commercial look and feel. The brief was to create a warm and friendly place. When budgets are tight we need to work harder to innovate within our means and this project is an excellent example of such. More and more these days, we designers are being held to account for superfluous spending and budget overruns. We worked hard to nut out this concept and edit it back to its bare bones.

Among the fake historic environments so prevalent in Lebanese restaurants, it is refreshing to see the real thing once in a while. What you see and feel at Beit Nazha are equal measures of history, heritage, style and simplicity. Individual look of each interior is achieved by use of authentic interior plaster/ clay, stained with warm white paint that been used to create almost infinite parametric design variations while the rest of the interior components create a sense of balance. The general design is characterized by sharp contrast, particularly when it comes to pairing shades of brown and white. Whitewashed walls are found in Lebanese old homes, and are often paired with accents of wall covering.

Customers walking through the door at Beit Nazha restaurant are instantly hit by the warm temperatures and the nostalgic atmosphere of a well-designed space. Beit Nazha’s values combine respect for the tradition and a need for constant development. The interior is an embodiment of this approach.

Throughout, there’s a deliberate spotlight on origin and craftsmanship where a few carefully chosen accessories give the right warmth to an otherwise open space. From the charming off-kilter simple design tables that shows off its raw wood parts, to the traditional Lebanese woven chairs, weighty upholstered benches, and various surface treatments, even the sinuous curves of the white polished clay counter, all seem to belong here, and they seem to have belonged for a long time. Nice vintage-chic patina that also looks fresh and modern, not easy to achieve.

We have been creative and clever in the use of everyday materials like the use of dozens of wooden sieves suspended unevenly from the ceiling, to become a feature above the entrance. By using soft jute large baskets as lamp shades, soft yet with substantial silhouettes to create a cosy and relaxing feel to the place. Subtle lightning was created allowing the glow to delicately seep through the gaps which creates elegant overall effect.

The colors we are known for are those found in the natural landscape. The earth tones palette consists of browns, tans, warm grays, greens, oranges, whites, and some reds, and some blues. The colors are often found muted and flat, and originate from clay earth pigments, such as umber, ochre, and sienna.

"The strength of this design lies in a combination of extreme restraint on the small interior details and an architectural statement on the walls and ceiling". We love the echoes of the past that are visible everywhere at Beit Nazha without turning the establishment into a cliche decorative restaurant. There's a beautiful, raw, authenticity feel running throughout the space but subtly manages to work in a contemporary yet traditional environment. It is all cool vibes and modern touches perfectly suitable for urban Byblos of today, but in a skilfully prepared wrapping of patina and allure. This beautiful restaurant in one of the oldest cities on the mediterranean is a combination of modern design and a traditional yet authentic touch. The clean lined interior is immaculate. The whole restaurant has an ambiance of absolute tranquillity and classic taste. This is the epitome of the perfect Lebanese home.