When you walk through the doors of Lil Nashville, the newly opened restaurant in Chiswick, it’s hard not to feel transported. Neon lights hum softly against reclaimed timber; a drum kit-turned-chandelier glows above a bar lined with resin-cast memories of gigs past. The creative force behind this transformation is Natasha Gupta, founder of Blue Feather Designs, a London-based studio known for its emotive, sustainability-driven spaces. For Lil Nashville, she was tasked with translating the raw energy of America’s music capital into something that would resonate with a British audience – without losing its soul.
“Rob and Helen came to me with the concept,” Natasha recalls. “They wanted to bring real Nashville to Chiswick. The building was beautiful and very British – right next to the Chiswick Auction House – so I wanted to bridge those two worlds. My goal was to translate their vision into something that felt authentic to the British palette; something that carried the soul of the South but spoke the design language of West London.”
That transatlantic fusion is the restaurant’s magic trick. From the moment guests step inside, they’re immersed in a space that feels electric yet elegant, rhythmic yet refined. “I wanted people to feel like they’d stepped off a plane straight into Nashville,” Natasha explains. “At the same time, I wanted true lovers of country music to feel at home, so we embedded the heart of the Nashville music scene into every detail – the lighting, the materials, even the layout.”
Lil Nashville’s interiors walk a fine line between grit and glamour. Rough-hewn materials sit comfortably beside polished finishes; upcycled drums glow beneath soft, ambient light. “We wanted the space to feel real, so we reused materials wherever possible, like the fixed seating, and even upcycled a drum kit into a bespoke chandelier,” she says. “To balance the grit, we made sure the space felt open, refined, and luxurious. It’s Nashville, but reimagined through a London lens.”
What truly sets Lil Nashville apart, however, is its commitment to sustainability – not as an afterthought, but as its creative engine. For Natasha, design integrity and environmental responsibility are inseparable. “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, it’s never an afterthought,” she says. “From the outset, we looked at what could be reused or repurposed. It’s actually a really fun exercise for clients too, seeing potential in things they might have otherwise discarded.”
Wherever possible, finishes and fittings were sourced locally. The restaurant’s decorative touches – from the signage to the stage – were handpicked by owners Rob and Helen, grounding the design in lived experience. Natasha’s favourite feature? The bar tables, which encapsulate Helen’s personal collection of ticket stubs, bottle tops, and keepsakes from concerts around the world, all preserved in resin. “It’s a living time capsule,” Natasha says. “Sustainable and deeply personal – the kind of detail that connects story to space.”
But sustainability in hospitality design is rarely straightforward. Fire-retardant fabrics and safety requirements often clash with eco goals. Natasha acknowledges the challenge but refuses to let it define her limitations. “Every project, no matter the size, carries responsibility,” she says. “We focus on what can be done, sourcing locally, recycling where possible, and raising awareness. I also support initiatives like Interior Design Declares, which campaigns for safer, more sustainable materials in our industry. Until change happens at scale, it’s about doing what we can – because small steps, multiplied, make real impact.”
As a South Asian designer working in London, Natasha’s cultural perspective subtly shapes her approach, not through motifs, but through mindset. “When I started the company, I actually tried to hide my roots,” she admits. “Over time, I realised my heritage is one of my greatest strengths. Sustainability and resourcefulness are embedded in South Asian culture – anyone who’s seen a biscuit tin used as a sewing box knows what I mean!” Her love of colour, pattern, and storytelling runs through her work, creating spaces that are vibrant yet intentional. “Every space we design feels different, but each one has a little piece of me at its heart.”
Lil Nashville’s design journey wasn’t without surprises. The building’s awkward raised area, initially a challenge, became the perfect home for the stage. “It just made sense,” Natasha laughs. “That ‘problem space’ now literally takes centre stage for some of the biggest names in country music.” Moments like that define Natasha’s process: intuitive, collaborative, and deeply human. “There were so many times when things just clicked, where the space told us what it wanted to be,” she reflects. “And having clients who trusted every crazy idea made it magic.”
In a world where luxury is increasingly defined by mindfulness rather than excess, Lil Nashville feels like a glimpse of what’s to come, an experience that celebrates craft, creativity, and conscience in equal measure. “Restaurants are stages,” Natasha says. “Lil Nashville is about performance, not just in the music and the food, but in how the space itself tells a story. Every detail works in harmony to create something unforgettable – and deeply conscious.”
