The interior of the Bez Gwiazdek restaurant, located on Wiślana Street in Warsaw’s Powiśle district, was reconfigured in just three weeks. The task was clearly defined: within the acoustic and budgetary constraints of a restaurant operating on the ground floor of an office building, the designers had to create a space that connects to the kitchen not as decoration, but as a functional tool.
The entire transformation—both concept and execution—was led by Mariola Kowalska and Gabriela Radwanowska of Studio Rysik. The studio’s aim was not to make the space merely “beautiful,” but to ensure that architecture and interior design are tightly interwoven with the guest experience. Between the street and the restaurant, a glass partition with embedded linen acts as a threshold. It is not a visual statement but a functional filter: it dampens noise, slows down movement, and clearly defines the boundary between outside and inside. From here, the space opens gradually—there is no visual shock, no exaggerated gesture. The interior deliberately avoids the visual clichés of fine dining. There are no dominant colours, decorative elements, or iconic objects. Instead, the material palette remains consistent throughout: flamed, matte Strzegom granite, oak veneer, glass, and steel define the space. Surfaces are not concealed—the stone is rough, the wood tactile, and the joints remain visible.
The Kitchen Is Not a Backdrop
The organisational core of the dining area is a kitchen island combined with a chef’s table. It is neither separated nor theatricalised; instead, it functions as the natural focal point of the space. From here, the kitchen workflow is fully visible, in line with the restaurant’s philosophy: there is no division, no process happening “behind the scenes.” This is complemented by a restrained yet strong graphic element: a backlit map of Poland cut from veneer, highlighting the region from which the current menu’s ingredients originate. It is less decoration than information.
Almost all elements of the interior were sourced from Polish manufacturers. The solid oak tables were custom-made by In Wood We Trust, while the chairs are designs by Nikodem Szpunar for Noti. Kitchen and bathroom fittings come from Deante, while the electrical accessories are from the Kontakt-Simon Simon 82 series—chosen as a reliable solution without formal excess. The colour palette is built around earthy tones, not to evoke “warmth,” but to provide a stable background for food and movement.
Studio Rysik: Not a Gesture, but a System
In recent years, the Warsaw-based Studio Rysik has consistently focused on projects where interior design is not an autonomous statement but a functional system. Their work is characterised by the use of natural materials, precise detailing, and an approach in which spatial use is at least as important as visual outcome. This is particularly evident in the case of Bez Gwiazdek. The project did not attempt to impose a new identity on the restaurant; instead, it provided a framework for an existing way of thinking—one rooted in how the kitchen works with ingredients, processes, and control. A space that does not distract from the food, but brings order to everything that happens around it.
Studio Rysik: web | Instagram
Bez Gwiazdek: web | Instagram
Photos: Anna Guadaniec