About Hank Mesa Studio

Hank Mesa Studio is the practice of Inês Hank, a Coimbra-born interior designer who spent a decade styling coastal restaurants before returning inland to the Mondego.

From line cook sketches to studio

Inês worked weekends plating in a Baixa kitchen while studying interiors, sketching better pass windows on ticket stubs. That dual education taught her why beautiful rooms fail when runners cannot turn. Opening Hank Mesa was her way to put service logic first without abandoning warmth.

The “mesa” in the name is literal: every project begins with how tables earn rent per square metre.

Why Coimbra again

Lisbon trends travel fast, but Coimbra’s student rhythms and tourist pulses need their own pacing. Inês wanted a studio within walking distance of the venues she draws for. Rua Ferreira Borges keeps her close to owners who still stop by with samples in paper bags.

How we staff

Inês leads concepts; a junior designer documents drawings; a trusted lighting collaborator joins when ambiance packages expand. We stay small so chefs meet the person shaping their room.

Boundaries we keep

We design interiors; we do not run restaurants, supply food, or claim operational consulting. Clients who need menu engineering are pointed elsewhere kindly. Clarity protects everyone.

Evenings off the clock

Inês still eats early at counter seats around Praça do Comércio to watch real service. Those quiet observations feed the next day’s plans more than any awards night.