THE PALMERSTON

The Palmerston is now widely regarded as one of the UK’s standout restaurants that regularly features in national “top 100” lists. The ambition was to create a modern European dining room that felt like an ‘institution’ from day one: confident, timeless and relaxed.

We worked with owners Lloyd Morse (chef) and James Snowdon (front of house and sommelier) for around 18 months, visiting sites and developing concept sketches, before the redundant bank at 1 Palmerston Place was selected. This listed building sits within Edinburgh’s New Town Conservation Area, so the project required a contemporary plan and services while protecting the character of the existing rooms.

Our approach balanced clarity and restraint with warmth, creating a room that reads as established rather than ‘new’ and that stays calm through busy services. The result is a sequence of spaces with distinct atmosphere: welcoming at the threshold, focused in the main dining room and more intimate, smaller private dining room.

Our duties included developing the layout of the restaurant, bar and adjacent small dining room, plus back-of-house planning for the kitchen and in-house bakery. We designed built-in joinery workshop elements including bar, room divider, display shelving and advised on interior finishes and artwork placement.  We developed the lighting strategy, re-using and repositioning many of the existing light fittings that works from lunch through to evening.

Our duties extended to replacing the customer WC facilities and secured planning permission, listed building consent and the building warrant, aligning operational needs with the requirements of a heritage setting.

A defining feature is the bar: contemporary in line and detail yet rooted in the language of a traditional public bar. Concealed lighting gives it presence within the dining room—an illuminated focal point that anchors the room and signals the restaurant’s identity instantly.

For restaurateurs and bar owners, The Palmerston shows our ability to support a venture from early site selection through to a deliverable, consented design—combining operational planning with a clear, memorable identity.