Kayu, Mayfair

Located in Mayfair, Kayu is a patisserie and coffee space that blends calm precision with understated luxury. Designed by Universal Design Studio, the project needed an eight week transformation of the space into an elegant, highly detailed interior that reflects the brand. As a Mayfair hospitality fit out contractor, we were appointed to take the design forward, carry out the Principal Designer role and deliver the full fit out.

Kayu sits on Brooks Mews in Mayfair. The brief from Universal Design Studio asked for a calm interior with tight detailing and a quiet colour story. We were brought in to develop the design, take on the Principal Designer duties, coordinate the MEP strategy, strip out the old hospitality layout, and deliver a full fit out inside an eight week window. The work required the type of close sequencing you expect on central London projects with narrow access and steady footfall, which is why a reliable London commercial fit out contractor becomes important on jobs like this.

The strip out cleared the space back to its structure. We installed new screed throughout and applied a continuous microcrete floor in a muted yellow tone. The floor set the base colour for the rest of the project. We built new wc and kitchen areas, then delivered the joinery package which included feature panels, built in cabinets, and custom banquettes. The front counter used book matched travertine, which added texture without breaking the calm brief. Soft curtains framed the seating zone and gold leaf signage tied the front of house into the rest of the palette.

Colour control was a priority. We matched the oak to the microcrete and paint tones, then carried the same approach to the shopfront, awnings, and speakers. The aim was to remove visual noise so the furniture, lighting, and product display could sit cleanly in the space. We supplied the light fittings and finished the interior with stainless steel tables and perspex tops, built to suit the tight plan and the daily use of a high footfall patisserie.

Coordination on Brooks Mews needed careful planning, although it never held progress. Deliveries, waste removal, and quiet hours were managed through early communication with neighbours and a clear look ahead. The microcrete installation required stable conditions and a disciplined work sequence to reach a smooth finish across the full floor area. Early MEP development helped avoid changes later and protected the design intent, especially where services needed to sit out of sight.

The project shows the value of a contractor familiar with detailed hospitality work in central London. The fit out stayed on programme, the design intent held steady, and the final space reflects the calm, precise identity Universal Design Studio set out to achieve.