Decisively minimalist, this modern Kyiv-based eatery by Yakusha Design Studio features an interior of natural and recycled materials enhanced with artisanal objects. The name ‘Istetyka’ combines two Ukrainian words, being to eat and aesthetics. The owners sought to change attitudes towards ready-to-eat food with an interior concept that turns the ordinary into an experience.
Visitors are welcomed by a laconic entrance of wood, clay walls, and unpressed concrete - all materials original to the building. A small picture depicting bread is a representation of the aesthetic approach to food as an art.
Functionally, the eatery is divided into three zones. The main area includes a spacious round table by Faina for meetings. The legs of the tables are made from sustainable material ‘ztista’ based on clay, recycled paper, and other natural components.
At the main area, there are separate concrete tables for one or two people. The tables are complemented by simple rectangular poufs of recycled plastic.
The kitchen is separated from the seating area by toned glass, elegantly framed with a minimalist rack for orders.
Special attention was paid throughout to the use of materials and their origins. The simple geometric shapes of the seats are softened by the rounded lines of the tables and lamps. The coolness of concrete walls and furniture contrast with the warmth of clay. The traditional technique of ‘valkyvannia’ was used for the textured walls. The rough and uneven texture that results is balanced by the purity and smoothness of steel.
Most items inside the eatery were handmade by local artisans. Authentic clay vases with textured surfaces, artisanal macrame lamps and rounded steel sconces fill the interior with a soothing light after sunset.
‘Each of projects tells a story. We combine modern materials and techniques with long known, passed down from generation to generation. Clay walls, according to Ukrainian tradition, have very powerful energy,’ says Victoria Yakusha, founder of Yakusha Design and Faina.
