CASE STUDY
While the ground floor is the social hub of Keli, the second floor provides a more intimate space, encompassing the bar and dining area. Fluted red-painted wooden walls and a bar die create an immersive atmosphere, with rich golden-yellow drapes lining the opposite wall. The tambour walls and drapes extend into the dining room, which features a black and white marble floor, informal tables and relaxed seating arrangements, alongside a wraparound red and white upholstered banquette with portraits of famous Spanish figures. Also located on the second floor is a wine cellar, entirely clad in cork, featuring burgundy upholstered furniture and black lacquered tabletops, forming a sensual, immersive cocoon.
The basement design celebrates leisure, music and play – transforming the space into a nocturnal stage for intimacy and performance. A playful hidden door leads to a secret games and music room. The colour palette pairs vibrant reds with rich, tactile materials, echoing the playful nature of the space. The game room walls are clad in channel-tufted red velvet, while red carpet, red marble tabletops and red velvet-upholstered furniture complete the look. The music room is a darker, moodier space, finished in warm wood with shelving and a wooden pegboard displaying records and artefacts. A rich blue and black checkered carpet complements the fluted leather bar die, while stainless steel light fixtures reflect light and movement in an energetic way.
The art programme in the restaurant is central to its storytelling, transforming Keli into an evolving living gallery. As guests move through the space, they can experience a diverse array of art. Artist Miguel Caravaca is featured in the library with a painting of the Pachá Madrid, a well-known nightclub, commissioned for Keli. Also in the library are limited edition prints of expressive portraits of Madrid by various artists, including Javier Mariscal, Manuel Marsol, Jacobo Pérez-Enciso, Inma Serrano, Javier Zabala, David Yerga, Maru Godas, Violeta Lópiz and others. The Mezzanine showcases a mural by Javier de Juan of‘ the gods of Olympus in Madrid’, a witty reinterpretation of myth through urban life, created specifically for the restaurant.
In the kitchen, Luis Úrculo has created a series of site-specific cobalt-blue tile murals depicting kitchen utensils, bridging art and craft. Maggie Cowles, a New York-based illustrator, has created a table illustration at Keli for the menus. The bar and dining area embrace prints by Madrid Artist Coco Dávez known for her portraits of international icons and Spanish figures, blending pop and documentary styles. The game room and music room feature photography by Sonic Editions, which celebrates music, play and performance.
Keli unfolds as a richly layered journey through space, art and emotion – a restaurant conceived not merely as a place to dine, but as a living portrait of Madrid’ s spirit and sociability. Through its domestic narrative, cinematic palette and deeply integrated art programme, Rockwell Group Madrid has crafted an immersive environment where hospitality becomes a form of storytelling, and each room offers a new moment of discovery. The result is a warm, characterful destination that feels both intimate and exuberant: a house of many stories, open to all who enter.
Photography by Ed Reeve
www. rockwellgroup. com
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