
A Hotel Gift Shop in Georgia Echoes Its Lakeside Setting with Minimalist Restraint and Material Poise
Words by Yatzer
Location
Telavi, Kakheti, Georgia
A Hotel Gift Shop in Georgia Echoes Its Lakeside Setting with Minimalist Restraint and Material Poise
Words by Yatzer
Telavi, Kakheti, Georgia
Telavi, Kakheti, Georgia
Location
Commissioned to redesign the gift shop at Lopota Lake Resort & Spa, a lakeside retreat nestled in Georgia's Kakheti wine region, Lado Lomitashvili of Tbilisi-based Studio Gypsandconcrete drew inspiration from the property’s defining feature, the picturesque Lopota Lake, translating its idyllic natural beauty into a contemporary design language of minimalist restraint in conversation with the building’s vernacular heritage. The result is a finely calibrated space where merchandising, materiality and spatial perception are deftly interwoven.

Photography by Grigory Sokolinsky.

Photography by Grigory Sokolinsky.
Although the space already functioned as a gift shop, its former layout accommodated a far narrower range of products. The redesign was prompted by the desire to expand the offer while making the space feel more open and generous. To that end, Lado introduced a series of bespoke display elements—tables, shelving, stands and hanging systems—each calibrated to maximise flexibility without cluttering the room. At the same time, previously concealed roof beams were partially revealed, lending the interior added height, rhythm and a welcome sense of airiness.
The project’s defining gesture is the use of green glass. Mirrored on one side and translucent on the other, the glass is used for freestanding partitions, shelving planes and cabinetry as a direct reference to the lake outside, evoking both the water’s reflective surface and its submerged depth. The use of stainless steel in the display elements further enhances this cool, optical language, while the timber ceiling beams and robust wooden furniture introduce warmth and gravitas. Walls finished in greenish-grey stone gravel, alongside sections of exposed local stone, lend texture and tactility, grounding the interior as an atmospheric extension of its lakeside setting.

Photography by Grigory Sokolinsky.

Photography by Grigory Sokolinsky.

Photography by Grigory Sokolinsky.

Photography by Grigory Sokolinsky.

Photography by Grigory Sokolinsky.
Every furnishing piece was custom-designed by the studio, with the exception of vintage Italian wall sconces whose buoy-like form quietly nods to fishing floats and the lakeside context. The merchandise, meanwhile, reinforces a strong sense of place: Georgian felt goods, locally made lavender sachets, traditional ceramic objects and natural beeswax candles by Jamieri offer visitors a tactile souvenir of Kakheti’s craft traditions.
As with the most thoughtful hospitality retail spaces, Lopota Gift Shop succeeds by turning browsing into an experience of atmosphere, memory and place.

Photography by Grigory Sokolinsky.