El Rancho

The client has a strong passion for Mexican hospitality and wanted to showcase this in a bold way.

While it is a small space, El Rancho is visible from afar with illuminated signage. Walk a little closer and you will see a creative use of colours, finishes and materials inviting you in. The fit-out out mainly consists of an open kitchen and counter area allowing customers to see fully what goes on behind the scenes. Instead of being a run of the mill commercial kitchen Element 17 have turned this into a feature with the use of sombreros for lighting, painted finishes and custom joinery.

Element 17 were also given the chance to come up with the branding design, the perfect opportunity to use favourite Resene colours and not only incorporate these into the fit-out but also into the logo design. This gave the ability to create a fully cohesive interior and brand identity.

El Rancho being a very small hidden away tenancy, the fit-out needed to have a strong impact to make it more visible. The best way to achieve this was through the creative use of colour. Taking inspiration from the streets of Mexico, striking finishes feature from the shopfront through to the kitchen. A stripe of Resene Smitten and Resene Turbo lead the eye through the interior flowing from the shopfront steel structure, a simple but effective way of bringing another design element into the space.

The main finish throughout consists of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Porter which provides a stunning dark base to the fitout. This provides a great backdrop to feature some colder finishes for example Resene Smitten which we showcased on the shopfront steel joinery and signage, paired with Resene Turbo a bright yellow to the steel mesh of the shopfront. The use of Resene She'll Be Right provides a point of difference to the timber joinery while the Resene FX Blackboard Paint created the perfect finish for the menu boards.

This tenancy, in a hidden away corner of Riverside Market, is proudly colourful, while showcasing Mexican culture in a simple and fun way. This restaurant stands out of the crowd in its own unique way.

Architectural specifier: Element 17
Building contractor: James Builders Ltd
Client: Lina + Luis Caro
Painting contractor: Competitive Painters
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2020