Design Collective Incorporated

From the multitude of Asian restaurants in Columbus, OH, Hunan Lion is a restaurant that stands out amongst its peers due to its cuisine and service. Jason and Allison Chang have been in the restaurant business for many years; the pair owns a total of three restaurants in the Columbus area with the fourth, Kobe Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, under construction. Having been in the business for many years, and featuring a menu that boasts over 120 different items ranging from Szechuan, Hunan, Mandarin and Thai, the Chang family decided that it was time to give the Hunan Lion a “facelift.” 

The project goal was to establish “The Lion” as more of a destination restaurant, which would hopefully reach a new demographic.

Since we were already a part of the Kobe project, Jason and Allison approached DCI for suggestions on what would be the best areas to focus on for their upgrade. It was decided to truly change the atmosphere by creating a more intimate dining experience. The renovations encompassed new furniture, lighting, flooring, custom millwork pieces, graphics, and finishes. The design intent was to begin the “drama” experience from the first few feet in the entrance to the last touch point at the check-out counter.

In addition to the vestibule, lobby, and party room the main dining room is where DCI focused the majority of its efforts. We added bamboo graphics to the mirrors lining the walls, directional lighting to highlight the dining tables, and new fabric panels to define the dining space.

Today “The Lion” has a richness fitting the gourmet quality of food. In the images to the left, the dramatic changes can be seen.