Mosaic Architecture + Design, one of Scotland’s most experienced practices, has delivered the interior design for Scoop Restaurants Group’s Sebb’s underground bar and restaurant on Miller Street in the heart of Glasgow city centre.

Marking the latest restaurant interior Mosaic has provided for Scoop, Sebb’s serves food cooked over fire, wine on tap, cocktails created in a dedicated cocktail lab and has a strong focus on music, with a curated selection of DJs playing in on a sound system which is the focal point at the end of the central brick arch.     

Taking its inspiration from the vinyl bars of Europe, the venue has a state-of-the-art sound system and DJ box. Vaulted brick ceilings and metal elements are softened by red and dark brown leather booth seating, red metal high stools, coloured tiles and parquet flooring.

Featuring a bright red door with neon branding, Sebb’s seats 68 with a further 12 covers in ‘The Record Room’, a private dining area.

Along either side of the DJ booth there are shelves filled with vinyl records and a bright red neon displaying the Sebb’s logo while lights are integrated into the vaulted ceiling in strips to create an old-fashioned amber glow.

Stuart Black, studio director at Mosaic, said: “When designing Sebb’s we looked to pay homage to Glasgow’s rich heritage of dancehalls, social clubs and waterholes.

Sebb’s may be the newest venue we have designed for Scoop to date, however I think we have been successful in designing a space that feels like ‘it’s always been there’ and has a fair bit of Glaswegian heart and soul.” 

Stephen Mallon, director at Mosaic, added: “When I viewed the space it was a dark and damp basement, and I wondered if it could become a great hospitality venue.

When we stripped back one of the painted brick arches and the natural material was revealed the design and the space started to take shape, developing into what we have today; a great asset to the Glasgow hospitality sector.” 

Sebb’s owner Jonathan MacDonald commented: “We knew from the minute we first viewed our property at 68 Miller Street that the basement needed to be a bar and restaurant with its own distinct identity, separate to the larger restaurant space above, which is now Margo.

We wanted Sebb’s to be Margo’s fun, cheeky wee brother that didn’t take itself too seriously, a contrast to the airy, high ceilinged, more sophisticated restaurant space above.

Mosaic was the ideal practice to work with on the project and was able to handle all the technical, architectural and application side of a complex renovation and fit out as well as create a cool, contemporary interior which made the most of the unique brick arched space.

Stuart created an interior for Sebb’s which really echoes its playful personality. A bold orange steel staircase descends into the basement space past a one-meter diameter porthole window which we had cored through a brick wall to give guests a view into the cocktail lab as they enter.”

He added: “The bright RAL colour of the staircase is used as an accent throughout the space on skirtings, furniture frames, trims and bespoke door ironmongery. The interior has lots of curves and retro touches, like diner style fixed seating, Formica tabletops, and fully tiled vanity units with hand wash troughs.

Stuart has used sapele wood panelling reminiscent of a mid-century pub for the bar front, gantry, walls and DJ booth. The retro theme continues with the big, statement refurbished ‘shark fin’ JBL speakers which are suspended either side of the DJ booth amongst the shelves of vinyl records. 

I could tell Sebb’s was a project that was particularly personal for Stuart. He is genuinely passionate about music, food, obviously design, and loves a great bar. I think that personal touch and passion is really evident in what he’s created at Sebb’s – he even got my kids to help with the record display!”