Refurbishment of central Cardiff building to house Italian restaurant, Bosco. Masterminded by creative partner Own Luck, the design includes a vibrant marble countertop from Diespeker.

Here, we talk to Kyle Clark, co-founder of Own Luck, about the project.

Tell us about Own Luck  

We act as our clients’ creative partners – designers and doers specialising in branding and commercial environments. Our work spans hospitality, education, retail and leisure, with a strong focus on taking concepts through from strategy and design to delivery on site.

How were you involved in Bosco Cardiff?

This was our sixth project with Bosco, working directly with founder Miles Johnson to bring his ideas to life. The ground floor of the Cardiff site shared a similar footprint to Bosco’s original Whiteladies Road restaurant in Bristol, which has performed exceptionally well, so from the outset the aim was to mirror that proven layout.

Our involvement started at feasibility stage, prior to the lease being signed, and continued through detailed design, cost planning, project management and handover. Miles understands his brand and customer better than anyone; our role is to translate what’s in his head into a highly resolved set of drawings, costings and a clear delivery plan. The process is never linear, and the challenges were amplified here by the constraints of a Grade II listed building with significant fire and regulatory requirements. 

Please outline the project

This was a large-scale hospitality project totalling approximately 530 square metres across two floors. The building was never designed to operate as a restaurant and adapting it to safely accommodate almost 200 hundred covers required an extraordinary level of coordination and problem-solving from the full project team.

Marble features strongly in the interior, why this choice?

Marble has always been a unifying material across Bosco sites, so its use on bars, kitchen counters and selected furniture was a given. For this city-centre location, Miles wanted a slightly more elevated expression of the brand, which led to the decision to upgrade key customer-facing areas to a more expressive marble than used previously. The marble counters combine with patinated brass and stained oak alongside the clients own styling touches. 

The choice was Diespeker’s Calacatta Viola. What did you like about this particular marble?

While we originally referenced Calacatta Rosata, Calacatta Viola ultimately offered a far more striking and characterful result. Compared to the standard Calacatta used historically, it brings much more depth and drama. For this prominent city-centre site, we wanted the interior to feel more elevated – a touch of glamour without tipping into excess – and the marble plays a central role in achieving that balance.

Did you visit Diespeker to look at products, or request samples?

We didn’t visit the showroom on this occasion but did review physical samples.

Have you worked with Diespeker before?

Yes, we’ve used Diespeker on several projects previously. We knew they held a strong range of slabs and, crucially, that they could respond quickly with informed advice on material availability and pricing.

How was it working with our team?

Genuinely a pleasure to work with. Despite ongoing site and programme pressures, the team remained calm and professional throughout. One standout moment was a first-floor installation where the marble was scribed around original timber panelling; every cut was captured accurately during the digital survey, and the slab fitted perfectly on arrival.

Anything else you’d like to tell us?

From survey through to delivery and installation, the on-site team were exceptional. The level of care and precision was faultless throughout.

Project notes

For Diespeker the project required a 5 day install with four of our team onsite. The marble was approximately 60 square meters of 20mm slab – equivalent to around 14 kitchen tops!

Calacatta Viola (MA015) is an Italian marble sourced from quarries in the Carrara region and the Apuan Alps. It has a white base with bold, dramatic veining in strong tones of violet and burgundy. 

Design Partners: Own Luck

Photography: James Pipkin