Heartbreaker

Introducing Heartbreaker, a super-fly new cocktail bar in Worthing — the latest venture from musician and hospitality entrepreneur Ben Thompson, drummer for indie rock band Two Door Cinema Club. With two other popular venues already under his belt, Heartbreaker is his most ambitious yet, and we were thrilled tobe brought in to lead both the branding and interior design.

We designed everything: from the logo, menus and signage, to the layout, bespoke joinery, custom upholstery and all the layered styling that gives Heartbreaker its distinctive glamour. Our branding and interiors teams collaborated closely, building a world-class venue designed to rival the coolest spots in London, New York or LA.

We developed a playful, sexy brand identity with a mischievous backstory: a ‘Bad Cupid’ character who breaks hearts rather than matchmaking. This became the heartbeat of the visual language. The logo features a broken lockup, and we created patterns with cheeky arrow motifs for cushions, menus, coasters and even velvet upholstery. The palette is bold and seductive: deep reds, clarets and dusky pinks. Think late-night glamour with a wink.

Guests enter through a mysterious, barely branded doorway, stepping onto a bespoke mosaic tiled floor, then through a velvet curtain into the dark, luxurious lounge. The showpiece is a dramatic horseshoe-shaped cocktail bar beneath a refracted light installation we designed, paired with antique mirrors, mesh and glowing apothecary glassware.We collaborated with lighting designers Nulty, developing a layered scheme with light washes across furniture, velvet banquettes and velvet-lined walls, adding to the venue’s theatricality.

We dialled up the glamour with hand-finished ombre plaster walls, patterned pop tiles, and a cacophony of richly upholstered seating in coral, pink and claret velvets — much of it designed in-house. Cocktail tables are dressed in blush marble, mirror and antique brass. Our graphics team also designed neon lyrics channelling the spirit of heartbreak like “Love Will Tear Us Apart” lights and a hypnotic infinity mirror lit with cupid’s arrows.

Even the bathrooms were given the full treatment: pink sanitary ware, cherry zig-zag tiles, veined black marble sinks, and sultry Farrow & Ball hues, all finished with cheeky mirror messages and moody lighting.

Have a look at the website over here.

Heartbreaker is a heady mix of branding, interiors and nightlife magic. See you at the bar.

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