Inside Little Lexie's, the New Italian Restaurant in Swan Lake

You've just finished a wood-fired pizza, shared a bowl of fresh pasta and lingered over dessert. The meal is over, but it's the little details that stay with you. The welcome at the door, the buzz of the dining room, the quiet corner where coffee stretches into conversation.

At Little Lexie's in Swan Lake, New Cairo, KH Studio set out to create that same feeling, shaping a restaurant where the experience unfolds naturally over the course of an evening.

The space has seen years of hospitality already. It first opened as a lounge at the Swan Lake Clubhouse before becoming Shinko Bar.

Earlier this year, KH Studio reimagined it for Baky Hospitality Group as an Italian restaurant, giving the existing space a fresh identity without losing its role as a place where people come together.

"With Little Lexie's, we wanted to translate the spirit of taste into a space that feels generous, expressive, and full of life," says Shereen Helmy, Interior Designer and Co-Founder of KH Studio.

Inspired by the spirit of cucina italiana, the studio layered warm materials, handcrafted details and a sequence of spaces that encourage guests to slow down and enjoy the experience as much as the meal itself.

That idea starts at the entrance. Before guests even reach the dining room, they are welcomed by a hand-laid mosaic set inside a tall arched niche.

Made from thousands of individually placed tesserae, it combines botanical motifs with a cherub figure, with the restaurant's illuminated sign mounted directly onto the artwork. The mosaic sets the mood without giving everything away.

From there, the restaurant opens into its busiest and most social space. The open kitchen, bar and dining room share one long interior, letting guests catch glimpses of food being prepared as they settle in.

Warm timber, woven lighting, stone surfaces and soft fabrics create a relaxed setting, while arches appear again and again in mirrors, niches and openings, quietly tying the different spaces together.

"The interiors were designed to support the full dining experience, from the colours and textures to the small details guests discover over time, creating a restaurant that feels both playful and deeply welcoming," Helmy tells SceneHome.

That same approach continues with cosy alcoves branching off the main dining room, offering quieter meals before the space gradually opens onto the terrace. Touches of green appear throughout, in the lighting, the wallpaper and the decorative details, gently drawing the eye towards the planting outside.

The terrace brings a different pace to the evening. Timber decking, a pergola and large charcoal pots filled with palms and small trees create a relaxed garden setting.

It is a space designed for lingering over dessert, coffee or one last conversation before heading home, with the same warm palette carrying the atmosphere outdoors.

The progression from one space to the next shaped the whole design process.

"For Little Lexie's, we looked at how a guest moves through the space from the first moment of arrival," says Ahmed Khalifa, Architect and Co-Founder of KH Studio. "The idea was to create a sense of discovery, where the restaurant slowly opens up through light, greenery, and intimate corners, making the experience feel personal."

From the mosaic that welcomes guests to the terrace that sees them out, Little Lexie's is designed to be experienced one step at a time.