In New Orleans, restaurateur William Blatty's latest venture brings together Mediterranean and Japanese influences in a restaurant designed by Miranda Leigh I.D. We spoke with designer Miranda Haley about shaping a space that balances atmosphere with the practical rhythms of dining.
New Orleans is a city fluent in fusion. It is the birthplace of Jazz, born from a collision of African, Caribbean, and European musical traditions. It is home to Mardi Gras, and its famous Creole and Cajun cuisine reflects centuries of multicultural heritage. Perched along the Mississippi River, the French Quarter preserves wrought-iron balconies overlooking cobblestone streets, speckled with architecture that tells stories of colonial history and resilience.
In a place where cultural influences don't seek to replace one another, but instead layer over time, it seems fitting for a restaurant built on a similar idea.
The vision for KIRA was clear from the onset: to create a space reflecting the Mediterranean-Japanese fusion cuisine on the menu. Miranda Haley, principal interior designer at Miranda Leigh I.D., was brought on to translate New Orleans native restaurateur William Blatty's latest culinary concept into a physical environment.
"It's not very common where the cuisine actually drives the design of the space, you'd be surprised at how often the food becomes an afterthought," Haley says.
The client's references were very specific: think Ibiza, Tulum, Miami after sunset. Places where warm, enveloping interiors create intimacy and make guests lose track of time. "We combined textures and patterns you would see throughout the Mediterranean, like plaster, wood, and stone, but added lots of warm colours, soft texture, and lighting along with more modern Japanese elements that appear very subtly throughout the space," explains Haley.
A Ceiling of Constellations
The answer begins overhead: suspended across KIRA's ceiling, 180,000 wooden beads stretch across 2.8 miles (or 4.5km), strung in sculptural waves that undulate like draped textile. The installation draws from Mediterranean coastal traditions, where fabric canopies have shaded outdoor dining for centuries. Rather than fabric, Haley reinterpreted the idea in wood, subtly referencing Japanese prayer beads and decorative elements.
But creating the ceiling was only half the challenge. Lighting became the next hurdle. Typical task lighting would wash out the installation's dimension entirely, flattening what should feel sculptural. After hours of studying how light would interact with the dark mahogany beads, the solution was to use oversized decorative globes that radiate light from all sides. These glass globe pendants nestle among the beads like floating orbs of light, creating a shimmering surface overhead.
The client wanted something "plush with curved elements," and that directive was evident throughout the rest of the space. Arched doorways, plaster walls carved with organic patterns, deep burgundy-coloured velvet banquettes that follow the room's contours. There are virtually no harsh corners, everything from the furniture silhouettes to the fabric patterns incorporates curvy elements.Â
"It's not very common where the cuisine actually drives the design of the space, you'd be surprised at how often the food becomes an afterthought"
Custom banquettes line the dining room walls, stocked in deep burgundy velvet that echoes the dark wood of the beaded ceiling. Paired with them are SUNPAN's Milton dining chairs, its bravo cream faux leather upholstery catching the warm glow from above.
Finding chairs that could pull off both aesthetics and practicality was a feat of its own. "It's really hard to find contract grade dining chairs that have a beautiful design and feel lounge-y but are actually comfortable," Haley remarks. "Usually, the prettier they are the less comfortable and practical."Â
In a separate dining area, the atmosphere lightens. Here, woven basket chandeliers with coral tassels hang overhead, radiating a brighter glow and the mood shifts from intimate to more convivial. SUNPAN's Burgos dining chairs, with their distinctive tufted backrests, fit right in the space. Their structured silhouettes complement the room's brighter, more open feel.
In the lounge area, the atmosphere calls for something different. SUNPAN's Sophiene lounge chair and Astrid sofa were chosen to create a more relaxed zone. "We were drawn to their fluid, modern silhouettes, which perfectly reinforced our design concept," Haley explains. The compact footprint needed furniture that encouraged a dynamic, pop-in energy rather than long-term lounging. Both pieces are armless, their streamlined silhouettes maximizing seating without crowding the flow of the space. "It is rare to find armless furniture that balances such a slim profile with high-end aesthetic curves, but these two pieces hit the mark effortlessly."
Built to Endure
Even the most beautiful restaurants fall apart when materials can't handle the reality of nightly service. Fabrics pill. Finishes chip. Upholstery loses its shape. Haley knew durability had to be built in from the start, and her team specified performance fabrics and hospitality-grade construction throughout.
"We focused on materials that age well, are easy to maintain, and can handle frequent cleaning without compromising the overall atmosphere," says Haley.
That attention to durability extends to choosing the right partners. "SUNPAN has always been super reliable and easy to communicate with, we love their competitive pricing and the stock availability," she shares. For commercial projects, logistics matter just as much as the design. Lead times, freight coordination, consistency across large orders. Getting those details right is what turns a design concept into an actual restaurant.
What Haley's most proud of is the collaboration it took to pull off such a detailed, layered design within a tight timeline and a modest budget. But the real measure of success isn't logistical. It's what guests feel when they walk in.
"Beyond the food, I hope guests walk away feeling like they've experienced something transportive; an atmosphere that feels unexpected and immersive, as though they've stepped into a different region of the world rather than simply a restaurant."
Photography by Sam Hanna for Miranda Leigh I.D.Â