Feathers, jewels, riotous colours: Grand Imperial Court is an experiment in Macau maximalism.

Silverfox Studios | The 600-room, 35-storey MGM Macau was the city’s second casino resort, and sister property to MGM Cotai. Opened in 2007, it is, till today, gloriously maximalist in design: golden lion statues, palatial Chinese lobbies, and the Grande Praça, a Portuguese plaza under a glass dome.

Macau has begun to draw a faster, younger crowd to its hotels and casinos, and their influence has been increasingly seen in restaurants: the demand has grown for more memorable experiences. This growth-oriented new demographic market has brought varied cuisines like French brasseries and Cantonese restaurants: Silverfox Studios, in turn, has contributed to diverse projects across both the MGM Macau and MGM Cotai.

Silverfox has gone for gold in designing the interiors of Grand Imperial Court, a Chaozhou-style Chinese restaurant and one of Macau’s best.  The studio has spared no expenses: they’ve made heavy use of glamorous jewel tones, embroidered mural walls, and installed a private dining room finished with gold leaf.

Grand Imperial Court is one of Macau’s most celebrated private dining restaurants. Headed by Chef de Cuisine Ye Hui, the space has five dining rooms, an entourage lounge, and seats from 82 to 104. Even with its capacity, Silverfox Studios has designed these rooms for absolute, immersive privacy.  The tapestry is the central theme of the design: a form of classic Chinese art, lavish embroidered pieces are a display of artistry and prosperity. Like a gallery of precious artworks, each private room has been given its own theme and colour.

The Entourage Lounge, a calm, neutral-coloured space, leads into the Receiving Lobby: heavy doors and gleaming gold finishes give a sense of occasion. Along the backlit corridor of the Receiving Lobby, etchings on the metal ceiling reflect the patterns on the hand-tufted carpet below. Each door leading to the private dining rooms has a different motif, hinting at the unique character of each room. The Receiving Lobby contains an automated sliding door, which reveals a display cabinet of rare Moutai bottles: a style of specialty baijiu celebrated for its rich aroma and texture. The cabinet has a modern, “floating” design: conceptually made to resemble stacked jewellery chests.

Chinese restaurants have their own language of symbolism: common motifs include peonies, phoenixes, precious stones, and their associated colour schemes. Grand Imperial Court was given a maximalist design concept packed with auspicious symbols.

Each private dining room is designed for celebration, and versatile for various purposes. Macau has a strong karaoke culture, where it is locally known as KTV (karaoke television): friends and family often gather in karaoke lounges. The Grand Imperial Court’s five private dining rooms can easily be converted into KTV rooms: karaoke equipment and televisions are concealed behind panels, which can be exposed when needed.

A Tapestry of Feathers, the first room, has a lush emerald-green theme. Inspired by peacock feathers, the walls and ceiling have luminous finishes and Moire patterns. Several accent walls are decorated with embroidered murals: inlaid with crystals, they depict foliage, peacocks and auspicious birds. Characteristic of Chinese restaurants, the main dining table is a large, round table seating 22, but the room also contains a ceremonial tea table and lounge seating. The room is given plenty of organic detail: feathered textures are present in the upholstery, and the tea table has an unfinished live edge.

The sapphire-themed Tapestry of Butterfly Wings has a light, ethereal palette. Wall murals show floating butterflies, and a butterfly motif is printed on the walls of the bar area. Pillows and upholstery have butterfly wing patterns, with some displaying the contrasting orange wings of the monarch butterfly.

The next room, A Tapestry of Parchment, is ruby-themed with elements of etching and print. The delicate patterns of leaves, with splayed veins, show in the handtufted carpet and in a glass lily-pad chandelier suspended over the main dining area. Accent walls in this room display dragons, phoenixes and drifting clouds. A prominently placed bottle display shelf is placed behind a private bar, backed by a translucent fluted glass wall.

A Tapestry of Gold Leaf is the final, most regal room: curved all around, full accent walls display embroidered murals of cranes. Textured gold surfaces are placed in contrast with dark timber. Metal surfaces around the room are in polished brass, as are accent pillows and sofa seats. The front of the bar is engraved with a luminous starburst pattern. Above, the room’s chandelier takes the form of several interlocking, crystal-studded rings. This room has two sections: a separate social lounge is designed with low couches, tables, and karaoke facilities.

Project: Grand Imperial Court, MGM Macau
Location: Macau
Design Studio: Silverfox Studios
Photo Credits: Ooki Jingu
Website: silverfoxstudios.design