Little Octopus is a restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee that serves up a mix of Carribean-inspired food and rum-based cocktails. In creating a new interior for the eatery, design firm Design, Bitches took inspiration from ‘old-school Miami’, equipping the space with flora, linen, and stained sherbet-coloured glass.

Transforming the space meant taking it out of the dark: exchanging the existing heavy opaque facade with a wide expanse of glass that glows from within, as well as lifting and puncturing the ceiling to let light in.

According to Design, Bitches, Little Octopus echoes a longing for shore break, emphasised by pops of coral and translucent layers. Momentary glances into the chef’s quarters are seen behind operable, louvered windows of obscured glass, while gold mirrors offer glimpses throughout the space, which is parsed into several zones including a cosy lounge area to the left of the entry, a chef’s table with bar seating along the kitchen, and a plant-filled atrium with a large communal table surrounded by banquettes that feels like a private dining room. These areas transform from day to night with help from the lighting and reflective elements, allowing the space to take on a chameleonic character.

Interior design: Design, Bitches

Photography: Lisa Diederich