24th Aug 2026
Tile Tales: Inside Alondo Pizzeria and TTD Studio
Warm, inviting and full of personality, Alondo Pizzeria brings the energy of a big-city Italian restaurant into a relaxed, contemporary setting.
Designed by TTD Studio, with architecture by McLaren Architecture, the space balances industrial elements with rich colour, timber, upholstery, statement lighting and plenty of tile. The result is a restaurant that feels intimate and welcoming, while still having a sense of energy and fun.
For our latest Tile Tales, we caught TTD Studio to hear more about the inspiration behind Alondo, and their approach to selecting tiles from Tile Space, and some of their favourite details within the finished restaurant.
Creating the Alondo atmosphere
The vision for Alondo began with the clients' love of Italian-inspired restaurant interiors.
"The clients came to us with a restaurant they had visited and loved, and knew they wanted an Italian-inspired feel," Channon explains. "From there, we developed the direction for Alondo, with the aim of creating something cosy and inviting, but with the energy of a big-city restaurant."
McLaren Architecture had already established some of the space's defining architectural features, including the dark aluminium entry and curved ceiling. Channon used these elements as the foundation for an interior that would feel warm, relaxed and social.
The existing building also brought an industrial character to the project. Rather than working against it, the design embraced these elements, painting the ceiling in a dark tone to create a greater sense of intimacy within the large space.
Warmth was then layered throughout the restaurant with colour, timber, upholstery, lighting and, of course, tile.
A contemporary take on Italian design
While Italian dining was an important source of inspiration, Channon wanted to avoid creating an interior that felt overly literal or themed.
"We were interested in capturing the warmth of Italian dining with a more contemporary feel."
This approach can be seen throughout Alondo. The material palette feels rich and inviting, while playful patterns and unexpected details give the restaurant its own distinct identity.
It is a space that references the warmth and conviviality associated with Italian dining without relying on traditional design cues.
Stage Denim Matt and Stage White Matt
Using tiles to create character
Tiles play an important role throughout Alondo, appearing across the entrance, bathrooms and other areas of the restaurant.
Rather than treating tile simply as a practical surface, Channon approached it as a key part of the overall design.
"We looked at colour, texture, scale and pattern, selecting different tiles to create contrast and interest throughout the space."
Keeping the wider colour palette relatively restrained gave Channon the freedom to be more playful with pattern. Bolder tile moments create focal points at the entrance and in the bathrooms, while quieter, more textural selections provide balance elsewhere.
Instead of one particular tile defining the project, it was the way the different Tile Space ranges could work together that appealed to her.
"It was more about how the Tile Space range worked together as a collection and how we could use different textures, colours and patterns throughout the space."
A playful take on checkerboard tiles
One of the standout design details is the checkerboard tile pattern, used at the entrance and carried through into the bathrooms.
"The checkerboard tile pattern was one of our favourite moments. It adds a playful element at the entrance and throughout the bathrooms, while the more understated tiles elsewhere help balance it."
Checkerboard flooring has a timeless quality that feels right at home within an Italian-inspired interior, but at Alondo it has been given a fresh, contemporary treatment.
By repeating the pattern in different areas, Channon created a visual thread that helps connect the restaurant while adding personality and movement to the space.
The bathrooms: small spaces with big personality
For Channon, the bathrooms became an opportunity to push the design a little further.
"The bathrooms are probably my favourite. They gave us an opportunity to have a bit more fun, with the checkerboard tiles, striped wallpaper, timber mirror and sculptural wall lights creating a fun moment."
The combination of pattern, texture and lighting turns what could have been a purely functional area into one of Alondo's most memorable design moments.
Another highlight was seeing the transformation of the main restaurant itself. Previously used as a bike store, the building offered a largely blank canvas.
The challenge was taking that large volume and creating areas that felt intimate and defined, without losing the openness and energy of the original space.
A restaurant designed to make you stay awhile
Ultimately, Alondo was designed around how people would feel within it.
"I hope people feel comfortable and want to stay. We wanted Alondo to feel warm, relaxed and social, with enough detail and personality that there is always something to notice."
From the checkerboard tiles beneath your feet to the warm timber, atmospheric lighting and playful details, every element contributes to the experience without competing with the reason people are there in the first place.
"Ultimately, the space is there to support the experience. We want people to remember the food, the atmosphere and the feeling of being there, and want to come back."
And that's exactly what makes Alondo such a successful hospitality space. It's considered without feeling precious, playful without feeling themed, and packed with details that reveal themselves the longer you stay.
Project: Alondo Pizzeria
Interior Design: TTD Studio
Architecture: McLaren Architecture
Tiles: Tile Space
