Cellar Magneval Woking

At Made In Place we relish every project they work on, and Cellar Magneval is no exception. It’s not every day you get to design the interior of a boutique wine bar in Surrey.

The transformation

Made In Place wanted to give the premises an honest feel, carefully avoiding the cliché environment which is all too easy to create when designing a themed bar.

To achieve this, we decided to undertake only absolutely necessary work during the building process, peeling back the interior so that customers could see its older layers.

Furthermore, the team explored artisanal and environmentally sound approaches to design during this project, finding alternative roots towards these goals by upcycling and recycling materials.

Before starting the project, it was not clear which materials we would be able to source and use. By the end of the project, Made In Place had reused materials from wall demolition to build new walls, constructed furniture out of old floorboards, bought salvaged and second-hand items, and employed a wide range of recycled pieces.

The bar was finished off with a red wine-coloured paint (where the walls were not tiled or showing old brick and concrete-work) and Heath Robinson-inspired movable lighting arrangements.

The challenges faced when trying to create a place that will draw people in, sit down, and enjoy the atmosphere, are very different to those encountered in retail store design where individuals come in to look at a range of products.

The Assignment

Cellar Magneval’s owners moved to the premises – which was formerly a sweet shop – with the desire to emulate a French wine bar. They asked Made In Place to take on the task, using warm colours and creating a bohemian feel.

This project presented the team with a small space in which they were required to fit a basic kitchen space, bar, shelving for wine, a seating area, toilets, and an all-important walkway through from the entrance.

Not only did we have to transform the interior of the space, we also had to make sure that people would be attracted by the exterior.

The bar is situated in Church Path in Woking, Surrey, near the town’s railway station and a short walk from the main shopping centre. The street sees a lot of footfall throughout the week, but this is often made up of commuters on their way to work or heading home, and individuals using the area as a thoroughfare. The shop-front therefore, as well as the visibility of the interior through the two large windows, had to catch the eye of those passing by to encourage them to visit the wine bar during their free time.

The Result

A combination of careful layout (there was space for a piano in the end!), rich wall-colour, good lighting and use of second-hand, upcycled and recycled materials, has given the place a homely yet elegant feel, which effortlessly makes the transition from daytime to evening.

The owners of Cellar Magneval, who are real wine experts, loved what Made In Place achieved for their premises, and, perhaps more importantly, it’s been a hit with the locals.

With good wine, a cheese board, friendly and informative owners, a piano for guests to play, and an atmosphere that encourages people to feel immediately comfortable, Cellar Magneval has become a great place to meet and chat with friends, or to sit down and enjoy a good book.