Auntie Gaik Lean's Old School Eatery Share this professional

Interior Design Project Info

Situated in the heart of Georgetown, the 2,640 sq ft lot was formerly a jewellery shop. The project's primary objective is straightforward: An upgrade and to establish a distinctive identity. This involves a layout reconfiguration to extend the shared dining for a VIP room and transforming the existing safe vault into a private cellar.

As for an overarching concept, the designers were inspired by auntie Gaik Lean herself. “Auntie Gaik Lean’s recipes and culinary expertise are the essence and cornerstone of this establishment. She is regarded as culinary royalty within this gastronomic household,” explained Chuah. “In line with this regal theme, we chose royal blue as the primary colour for the restaurant's interior. Furthermore, we incorporated her Peranakan heritage into the design concept development to pay homage to her rich culinary tradition.”

While inspiration was readily available, this being an ongoing business, Chuah and his team had a short 20-day timeframe to execute the renovation so as to disrupt business minimally. To compound this, the outlet is located within the UNESCO Heritage Core area, which comes with its own set of restrictions.

Nonetheless, being well organised and prepared triumphed. “We submitted all the required paperwork, adhered to the approved working hours and boundaries established by the local authority council, with the commitment to complete the project within a 20-day timeframe,” said Chuah. The renovation was more a surgery than an overhaul. For starters, the outlet's old-school charm was preserved by retaining the existing heritage floor tiles. The restaurant's facade was maintained but refreshed with regal royal blue paint. To keep the concept's integrity, the designers went to great lengths to source kampung glass in shades of blue and clear. Peranakan panels spray-painted in regal blue with exquisite gold detailing were added to the foyer and VIP room for aesthetic enhancement.

The existing bar counter was relocated and replaced with a custom-made solid wood bar counter. Custom oversized pendant lights, inspired by traditional Peranakan lanterns made by local master craftsman Guan, were installed in the main dining hall. These hang below meticulously crafted custom acoustic panels adorned with an elegant flower motif, which were added on the ceiling to enhance the dining experience and control noise levels.

Interestingly, some decorations that now complete the design have a glamorous origin. “We acquired original props from the Hollywood set of Crazy Rich Asians (specifically, the infamous blossoming Tan Hua scene) through a close friend who is also an ardent collector of antique wood furniture, breathing new life into them as a prominent feature in our VIP dining room,” revealed Chuah. “These props were skilfully stained in dark walnut with delicate gold accents, and our team added intricate details to the solid wood pillar along with laser-cut panels adorned with solid brass hardware. This now serves as a captivating focal point.”


Scope : Design and Build
Location : Georgetown, Penang
Completed : August 2023
Lead Designer : Chuah Say Yang
Photographer : Space Storyteller

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