Chromed Design Studio introduces avant-garde Indian design and craftsmanship at a global scale, to reflect the vibrancy of multi-cultural subcontinent of India with its rich culture, traditions, and cuisine

Musaafer - Houston, Texas

Fact File

Project Name: Musaafer
Project Location: Houston, Texas
Gross Built Area: 11,000 sq.ft
Architect Firm: Chromed Design Studio
Design Team: Deepanita, Kanika, Rohit, Abhigyan Neogi
Commencement: May 2018
Completion: May 2020

Musaafer - Houston, Texas

Located in Houston, Texas, this 210-seater fine dine restaurant (by day) and a high energy bar (by night), vividly converts into a physical space manifesting diverse experiences. The interiors instill a regal charm, integrating distinct characteristics from various parts of India, ranging from artifacts to the magnificent visual frames seen in royal palaces.

The restaurant is divided into various zones based on a hierarchy of spaces. At the entrance, a crystal chandelier highlights the grandeur of the space. The walls are adorned with royal paintings and artwork. A 7-ft sculpture of a Musaafer (traveler) on a pedestal depicts the theme of the restaurant. A corridor lit by inverted lamps in varying colors, fabrics, and patterns leads the way to a 16 feet series of wooden arches (colonnades) built throughout the restaurant.
Ar. Abhigyan Neogi, Founder, Chromed Design Studio
Our intent is to showcase the Indian homeland in a manner that honours the country’s culinary diversity, and build a truly immersive space with the kitchen and bar as two focal points and within a space that features a concoction of artifacts, furniture, art, and light fixtures

Ar. Abhigyan Neogi, Founder, Chromed Design Studio

Musaafer - Houston, Texas

Other unmissable design elements include a beautiful light fixture by Anila Quayyum Agha, which has been laser-cut and takes different octahedral and tetrahedral shapes creating illuminated environments from patterns of light and shadow. A traditional Dhokra Wall showcases brass carvings and panels of rich brocade. In the private dining room - Sheesh Mahal - a ceiling decorated with 200,000 hand-cut antique mirrors is a distinctive feature. In the courtyard (the common area), a grand lighting fixture illuminates the entire double volume space. The Shadow Room, tucked behind the Traveler’s Room, is a private dining space with dedicated seating for the restaurant’s twelve-course menu. The Diwan Lounge takes its inventiveness from affluent Indian homes with vignette seating, marble tables, and tufted sofas. The embellished wine display room is a center of attention as is the bar front made up of Chitai work.