Bars

  • 03/04

    Code Black Coffee, Melbourne

    We’re bringing you another coffee shop, this time Melbourne-based coffee roasting company, Code Black. Interior Architects, Zwei, converted two inner-city warehouses, combining an office and coffee shop, where the roasting process is on full display.

    The original warehouse windows were kept, while the rest of the space is lit by warm yellow bulbs.

    Dark and moody, the space features steel framing, polished concrete, and stained OSB board throughout, creating a raw, industrial aesthetic that playfully reflects the colours and textures of rich, dark coffee.

    (Images from Inhabit)

     

     

  • 15/03

    Fette Sau, Williamsburg

    Fette Sau in Williamsburg Brooklyn is a casual and fun southern restaurant concept located in trendy Williamsburg Brooklyn. The owners have converted an unused garage into a BBQ restaurant that stays true to the gritty surrounding area, while delivering its very own identity to the locality.

    The design stays true to its past by incorporating rustic industrial features into its authentic design. Tractor seats are used as bar stools while phonograph horns have been repurposed as light fixtures above the bar light fixtures.

    Marble counter, reclaimed wood, brick, and polished-and-stained concrete are a great example of other materials used to create the rustic feel of the restaurant and bar.

    The courtyard previously used for vehicle parking and service, is decked out with heavy wooden furniture, worn metal tables and chairs and illuminated signage.

    What we enjoyed most about the restaurant’s approach it this way they have embodies the industry into the way the venue  was designed and presented, clearing addressing the importance of the butchery side of the process.

     

    (Photos from Facebook)

  • 11/03

    Mikkeller Bar, Copenhagen

    I think its safe to say that Mikkeller Bar is not your average bar, for one it serves beer from the Mikkeller microbrewery, but this is just the start. Designers Femmes Regionales managed to strike a good balance between the modern design Denmark is known for  and the atmosphere of traditional Danish pubs, making the interior just as distinctive as the beers they serve. The Copenhagen bar has a calming atmosphere that is largely white, black and green with accents of gold and small bursts of bright colour. The effect is a refreshingly quirky space with just the right amount of Copenhagen cool.

    (Images via weheart)

  • 23/01

    Red Pif Restaurant and Wine Shop by Aulík Fišer Architekti

    For the design of the Red Pif Restaurant and Wine Shop, Czeck designers Aulík Fišer Architekti decided to keep the inspiration and execution as pure and natural as the wine served. The designer and owner worked together, using photographs of bars and wine shops in France as inspiration, but drawing from their honesty rather than their style.

    The architect said about the design: “We put most of our effort to make our work invisible at first sight. Our interior should be a background allowing enjoy good wine and meal here and now.”

    The first step in the renovation was removing any superfluous building elements so that only the original 19th century structure remained. Bottle-shaped shutters were added that pivot open to reveal the stripped back interior that has been modestly furnished with design classics and simple, elegant fittings. Wine bottles are stacked high in a steel rod framework that creates simple geometric patterns on the walls. Dimly lit, bare light bulbs create an intimate atmosphere where the original intention of the space is allowed to quietly reveal itself.

    Photography by AI Photography.

  • 14/01

    Goat Town, New York

    Goat Town, in East Village, New York is meant to be an ‘elevated everyday American bistro’ according to owner Nicholas Morgenstern. Brothers Evan and Oliver Haslegave of Home is responsible for the interior that is filled with reclaimed industrial pieces. While the use of white subway tiles is by no means unusual, the designers used them in a surprising way – tiling the banquette seating. This detail adds a hint of glimmer to the monochrome space that contrasts dark wood and rusty steel with light walls and floors. Details like salvaged signage and decorative ceiling panels complete the aged appearance of the space.


  • 13/12

    Cafe Moto, New York

    One New York’s more humble flatiron buildings houses Cafe Moto. The peeling paint exterior of this Williamsburg artists’ cafe can be misleading about what goes on inside; but as you enter through the rusty industrial doors the atmospheric interior seems both familiar and unsettling. Sepia tones are punctuated by shiny metal fittings and marble table tops. In the centre of the cafe sits a curving bar with taps made of repurposed bike parts – hence the name Moto. Low lighting, battered wood and antique glass ensure that the cafe has a cosy, intimate feel which is occasionaly interrupted by the faint “please stand clear of the closing doors” and rumbling of the overhead train that runs by it.

  • 24/11

    Les Grandes Tables de L’île, Ile Seguin, Paris

    Les Grandes Tables de L’île on the outskirts of paris could be mistaken for a greenhouse – or even a house still under construction, but it is actually a bar / restaurant conceived as a temporary meeting place while Jean Nouvel completes a museum project in the area. The restaurant is housed in a large timber ‘container’ suspended in a scaffolding frame that doubles as an events space.

    The interior takes its cue from the restaurant’s temporary nature and uses simple building materials like wood in its crude form for both walls and floors, while playing with the positioning of windows and capitalising on the view it gets over the area. The restaurant will stay open for a total of two years before the entire structure is dismantled and removed, leaving the site practically untouched.


    (Images via Wallpaper)

  • 10/11

    The Riding House Café, London

    From the team behind Village East and The Garrison comes The Riding House Café, a modern all-day brasserie that fully embraces the current trend of salvage. Every item used in the eclectic interior – from the furniture to the fittings has either been reclaimed or is bespoke – creating a trendy, one-off space with a hint of English-eccentric.

    The large space has excellent natural lighting, thanks to the large windows and the shell is largely left bare, exposing a patchy ceiling and the conduits that run along it. The RHC has three main sections – the white-tiled bar; the casual dining area with large tables for drop in diners; and a private, bookable dining area comfortably furnished with leather chairs and banquettes.

    The dining area has been furnished with a massive communal dining table of scaffoling and timber, surrounded by old theatre seats have been shipped from California. Smaller tables with sturdy, ex-snooker table legs line the large windowed facade. The main dining area is divided into sections with a steel shelving unit that puts a collection of eccentric bits and pieces on display.

    Reclaimed front doors, complete with mail slots that have been polished and glazed, and now function as cabinets seperating the private dining room from the rest of the restaurant. The private dining area is actually an old English stable that has been taken apart and reassembled in the restaurant; hinting at the equestrian theme of the name that was taken from its location on Riding House Street. The space uses the same tables as in the rest of the restaurant, but here they are surrounded by plush, upholstered chairs and banquets for indulgent private dining.

    (Images via Flodeau)

  • 25/10

    Smith & Mills, New York

    Behind the weathered, nondescript doors on a quiet street in Tribeca hides Smith & Mills, a gem of a bar. Similar to the unassuming facade, the interior space gives the impression that it has been there for decades.

    The light, vaulted ceiling creates a feeling of space in the cosy bar that has been well worn in. The interior is furnished with comfortable banquettes mixed with vintage industrial pieces and unusual fittings.

    Framed architectural blue prints and lamps that look like they belong on drawing boards line the walls. This theme is carried through into the branding: the bar’s logo features a classing drawing of a draughtsman’s compass.

    (Images via The Scout)

  • 23/09

    Atelier Mecanic by Corvin Cristian

    A former factory in the Old Town of Bucharest, Romania has been given a new lease on life as a bar with strong industrial overtones. We have seen plenty of interiors that creatively mix old and new, but very few that successfully mix old with more old. Relics from the 1950s to 1970s comfortably rub shoulders in this quirky space.

    The factory shell has been left untouched save for minor cosmetic alterations such as fresh paint in subdued grays and dull, industrial greens and reds and fresh coat of screed on the floor. The custom built bar takes centre stage and continues the nostalgic feel with white tiles and copper top.  The vast majority of furnishings are salvaged with origins both industrial and otherwise. The vintage posters add a nice finishing touch to this bricolage vintage pieces.

    Salvaged sleepers form steps into the old factory.

    The large bar top is constructed of sleepers similar to those used for the steps, but covered with copper.

    The machinery overhead are remnants of the original factory.

    Salvaged desk lamps line the walls and illuminate the vintage posters.

    The interior evokes a strong sense of both the building and city’s past.

    (images via yatzer)

  • 15/09

    Zmianatematu cafe, Łódź

    Polish architects xm3 have designed a cafe with a cave-like interior in Łódź, a city aspiring to become the fashion, design and film capital of Poland. The space is almost entirely enfolded by plywood ribs that form the contours of the ‘cave’. Where wall surfaces are exposed they are left unfinished with patches of plaster and cement visible creating a raw, edgy feel.

    The sculptural ply lattice theme is carried through to the furniture: coffee tables are made of plywood grids with glass tops.

    Bare light bulbs dangle nonchalantly above the space, completing the effortlessly cool interior.

    (Images via Dezeen)

  • 12/09

    RGB in London

    The RGB project, as previously previously featured on this blog, is now in London at DreamBags-JaguarShoes.

    RGB is by Frencesco Rugi and Silvia Quintanilla, an artist/designer pair from Milan operating under the moniker Carnovsky. For the London installation they explored the concept of “Jungle”, creating intricate, overlapping graphics depicting a dense forest. Each primary colour layer represents a layer of the jungle: green light reveals the foliage of the jungle, red light unveils the animal kingdom, bar the monkeys, which are playfully revealed under blue light.

    Since the space is actually composed of two smaller spaces, previously the shops ‘Dream Bags’ and ‘Jaguar Shoes’, the designers decided to treat one space as day (images above)  and the other as night (images below).

    (Images via Dezeen)

  • 24/08

    The Draughtman's Arms, London

    As part of ‘The Arhictect: What Now? exhibition that ran from 9 to 13 August, architects Gundry and Ducker designed a ‘pop-up-pub’ in the Crypt of a Marylebone church that served as a bar on the opening night and as a reception area for the rest of the exhibition. Its simple cardboard shell was decorated with 1:1 CAD drawings of wallpaper, art, windows with architecture related views and all the other little details that make up a typical English pub.

    The illustrated aesthetic was complimented by a simple trestle table that served as the bar and a minimalist chandelier made of wood.

    Its cardboard shell hovered dado height above the floor, partially revealing activity within.

    (Images via Dezeen)

  • 18/08

    Ruschmeyer's, Montauk

    The people behind King & Grove recently renovated a lakeside woodland lodge dating from the early 50s. It reopened this summer as Ruschmeyer’s, a hotel that evokes feelings of a grown-up summer camp.

    Understated nautical details feature throughout, but particularly in the Electric Eel where walls are lined with sails and drawings of boats. Simple wooden furniture ensures a modern yet warm atmosphere.

    The 19 guestrooms that are dotted around a central garden are kept simple, with panelled walls painted white and curtains strung like sails. Chairs come in the shape of hammocks and beds are finished off with wicker-threaded headboards and fine linens from Frette. Details like unusual bronze lights and nostalgic imagery enhance the feeling of escapism that the rooms envoke.

    (Images via King&Grove)

  • 16/08

    Chambers Eat and Drink, San Francisco

    Chambers Eat and Drink is a new bar in San Francisco’s Phoenix Hotel, located in the city’s infamously gritty Tenderloin district. Despite its ’50′s motel’ past it is known as a rock royalty favourite, with the likes of Pearl Jam and Keanu Reeves passing through its doors in the past.

    It’s new facelift, the handy work of Oakland’s Mr. Important, seems to reflect the affinity celebrities have for it. Chambers’ walls are lined with 10,000 odd records that acknowledge its past and creates a library of sorts with a warm, interesting texture. The lush interior is comfortably furnished and my suspicion is that you’d want to obey the glamorously lit bar and be amazing.

    (Images via weheart)

  • 04/02

    New Restaurant at Royal Academy by Design Research Studio

    The interior design arm of Tom Dixon, Design Research Studio, have created the interior for the new Restaurant at the Royal Academy of Arts, London. This is the latest project for renowned restaurateur Oliver Peyton of Peyton and Byrne. The 150 cover restaurant opened to the public 19th January 2011. The Design The 250 m2 refurbishment references the long and illustrious history of the Royal Academy of Arts with materials chosen to complement the existing fabric of the Regency building including marble, brass and velvet.

    The dining area is divided into different zones, with each area inspired by the work of a different Royal Academy Great such as Turner and Sir John Soane. To extend the gallery experience for diners, Design Research Studio has designed a dramatic free- standing unit in the centre of the space. Consisting of a number of glass cubes, the structure will house an extraordinary selection of sculptures and busts dating back to 1897. The pieces belong to the Royal Academy of Arts permanent collection but have long been stored out of public view.

    The new bar is set to be a key focal point in the restaurant made from Mount Etna lava stone and hand-made glazed brick. Designed as a robust, sculptural object, its grandeur is enhanced by a dramatic cast glass chandelier suspended above. Other interior highlights include Etch, the digitally etched brass pendant light and Scoop, the injection-moulded foam seating both designed by Tom Dixon shown for the first time in this location.

  • 14/10

    Sideways Cafe by Nema Workshop, New York

    New York designers Nema workshop have created this unusual interior for emerging brand D’espresso.

    Asked to relate the design to its location in Madison Avenue, Nema workshop took inspiration from nearby Bryant Park Library but turned the room sideways to form this playful interior.
    Full scale photographic prints onto custom tiles allow bookshelves to wrap from floor to ceiling,  whilst gravity defying pendant lights jut out from behind the bar.  A herringbone clad wall opposite to this mimics a floor in this surreal café space.

    The designers’ slanted take on a straightforward concept makes for a spectacular, if not slightly disorientating interior!

  • 11/10

    Super Natural by Studiotoogood and Bramble Cafe by Arabeschi di Latte

    The Bramble Cafe and Super Natural was a very inspired show space presented during the London Design Festival in the Brompton Design District in South Kensington. Placed in The Garage, both, the temporary café and its exhibits were inspired by the wild and natural life of the English countryside. On show was the new collection Assemblage 1 by Studio Toogood, and Arabeschi di Latte took care of the food and eating environment, in their usual wonderful way, also selling delicious goodies from La Fromagerie. As visitors enter the space they will encounter a mushroom installation by New Forest forager Mrs Tee, whilst experiencing a bespoke scent dedicated to woodland by Francis Kurkdjian.

    An adventurous wander down country lanes with the crunch of autumn leaves underfoot. As you gather and forage for mushrooms, blackberries, conkers, plums, heritage variety apples and pears, wet walnuts, different styles of grapes, pumpkins and wild salad leaves together with a variety of English farmhouse cheese; these will become the ingredients for an ‘untamed’ meal.

    Pictures by Anita Silva

  • 30/07

    Bloodhound Bar, Geremia Design

    Lauren Geremia is the mastermind of Geremia Design, an emerging Californian design studio that is gaining a reputation for its eclectic and artful restaurant and bar designs. Dotted around San Francisco are a host of projects that bear her trademark style – a mixture of textures, colours, art, antique, found and recycled objects.

    Geremia often employs bold graphic prints to accompany the paintings, textiles and artefacts of her sumptuous interiors. A monochrome frieze of birds in flight adorns the ceiling of the Bloodhound bar in downtown San Francisco which has been designed with a ‘hunting lodge’ thematic in mind. The bar has been popular with locals and celebrated for being ‘not a dive, not a cocktail lounge, not a club – it’s a bar… awash with wood and leather and people drinking drinks’.

    Some of her other notable projects are 330 Ritch, Umami, The Barbershop and Aventine, all in San Francisco and the Bay area.

  • 11/06

    Hatched by Outofstock

    Outofstock recently completed the interior design of Hatched, a casual restaurant in Singapore that serves breakfast all-day. Located in a fifty-year old student dormitory building next to the National University of Singapore’s Law Campus, Hatched serves up a curious array of egg-inspired dishes and desserts catering to a youthful target audience.

    The intent behind the design was to create a cozy and fun dining atmosphere which identifies with the restaurant’s theme of breakfast and eggs. Another challenge was to accommodate up to 38 diners and a kitchen into the 58 square-metre space. We divided the dining areas into two parts – a central dining area which features long communal dining tables reminiscent of summer camps, and a fun-wall area where customers dine in front of a large blackboard-painted wall which allows the guests and staff to doodle or leave messages. A long bar counter features a façade consisting of oak, maple and beech veneers and accompanying bar stools also feature the same three solid woods. The play with natural light is a key ingredient which characterises the space and we designed oak veneered panels with egg-shaped cut outs to filter light in from street-facing glass windows. These “egg panels” also serve as an identifiable frontage for the restaurant. The use of guava tree branch off-cuts sleeved over bulb holders adds a tinge of farmhouse charm and all the exposed light bulbs are connected to dimmers so as to regulate the brightness needed during the day and night. Although there has been much phasing-out efforts of incandescent light bulbs in recent years, the rich, warm glow and character of near obsolete carbon filament bulbs we found at a specialty bulb supplier was difficult to resist. We chose to expose the original concrete ceiling of this historical building and highlighted its textural qualities with lighting.

  • 07/06

    ARTbar by Glass Hill

    On a tight budget and an even tighter deadline, Glass Hill delivered an open, modern and flexible interior within the Grade 2 listed Darwin building on Kensington Gore, London – the Royal College of Art’s ARTbar. The design and choice of materials was a balance between dynamic space filling surfaces and a desire for a subtle restoration of the modernist building fabric and detailing.

    The original flooring was re-discovered, as was the full ceiling height and dramatic fine metal frame windows. The buildings familiar language of stone, render and timber was expanded into the new bar elements. The 17m long high-backed seating unit reflects light back into the space and also provides hanging for coats and bags, but can also hold the custom made wooden stools – allowing the space to be cleared almost completely for a variety of events. Just as the DJ desk which can be pulled out from the wall.

  • 17/05

    Viet Hoa Cafe

    Viet Hoa, a Kingsland Road favorite, has recently been completely renovated and now boasts a serene, minimalist interior and stylish new branding, in complete contrast to its former haphazard self. Its new interior design is clean and simple and features walls and ceilings clad in timber, contemporary lighting and furniture, with quirky touches such as an entire wall covered in moss that stretches across two floors at the stairway.

    Another unusual element can be found in the new bar in the basement. It has a playful sunken rectangle in the floor that becomes an informal lounge area with the addition of legless chairs and little tables.

    The revised branding and identity was mainly influenced by the name of the cafe. ‘Hoa’ means ‘blossoming flower’ in Vietnamese and a logo mark has been added across all way-finding, branding collateral, packaging, and uniforms.

    The new interior perfectly complements the delicious food and I’m sure with its stylish new space it will become even more popular.

    (images via London Design Guide)

  • 04/05

    Look Mum No Hands

    Look Mum No Hands is the clever name of a new cafe/bar/bike workshop that recently opened in Old Street. Here you can enjoy some seriously delicious coffee and cake while your bike is being tended to by an expert bicycle mechanic. The interior of the former architectural showroom is pared down and airy, with a select few beautiful vintage bikes on display in the window and some large prints of past races on the walls. The minimalist look of the space is enhanced with striking details, such as the vintage lamps above the bar that have the added quirky touch of hanging from bicycle chains. They also have a lovely outdoor area that will no doubt be very busy on sunny days. The relaxed, fuss free space and staff have won me over and I will definitely not wait for bicycle problems to go there again.

  • 17/03

    Café Germain in Paris by India Mahdavi

    Iranian architect India Mahdavi designed the new restaurant Café Germain in Paris – a great 70s old school bistro/diner style. It was opened by French Entrepreneur Thierry Costes. The two story restaurant/lounge is split in two by the massive yellow sculpture entitled Sophie, created by the renowned French artist Xavier Veilhan, who is currently showcasing in the Chateau des Versailles in France.

    Article via TrendLand

  • 16/03

    Coffe & Cigarette by Carlo Trevisani

    Coffee And Cigarettes can be now sitting on your desk or table and keep the emotions of the wonderful movie by Roberto Benigni alive. A cup to enjoy your coffee while waiting to smoke a cigarette – an ashtray to enjoy the cigarette after the coffee. According to the words of its designer, Carlo Trevisani, you don’t have to be a smoker to enjoy this and smoking is not encouraged.

    Photos by Ilvio Galio

  • 08/03

    The Drake Toronto: Culture Atelier

    After purchasing an old hotel in the West Queen West Art and Design District in 2001, cultural visionary Jeff Stober teamed up with local architect Paul Syme and multi-disciplinary design firm 3rd UNCLE to realize a space that would change the way visitors and locals experience hospitality in Toronto.  Through the careful planning and thoughtful renovation of a hotel that was originally built in 1890, the extremely talented creative team preserved iconic elements of the building’s past while infusing it with a new energy.

    The interior program at the Drake was reconfigured to include 19 guest rooms and several new functions, which allowed guests to enjoy an intersection of “Hospitality, Culture and Community”.  The cohesiveness of the concept and brand identity has continued through subsequent renovations of the hotel.  Charm is found in the details throughout the hotel and in the guest rooms, appointed with custom luggage racks reminiscent of the area’s railway history and handmade dolls that patiently await your arrival.  Since the re-opening of its doors in 2004, the Drake hotel has established itself as more than just a trend.

    With the mélange of activities at the Drake, you really could spend an entire day there wandering from one space to the next.  Start the day off right by getting centered at the yoga gym, then stop into the cafe for an espresso and pastry.  For lunch, try some innovative sushi at the Raw Bar and then head up to the Sky Yard to mingle in the afternoon sun.  Relax in the Lounge for pre-dinner drinks before meeting with friends to enjoy private dining in Room 222.  A day at the Drake wouldn’t be complete without checking out a new band at the Underground before returning to the Sky Yard for a warm apple cider by the fire pit.  If you feel as though you haven’t had enough upon check out, pop into the General Store on your way out for some Drake-to-go.

    Signing off, Drake enthusiast.

    Photos via Drake Hotel, 3rd Uncle Design Inc, and George Whiteside

  • 17/02

    The Lucky 7 Canteen, Glasgow

    Lucky 7, is a homespun Cantina, located in the heart of Glasgow. The bar and restaurant formerly had a townhouse interior and was then redesigned by Surface ID. The new design by Surface ID combines rustic elements, with distressed/renaissance.

    Lucky 7 describes itself as a ‘canteen’, which refers to its understated “distressed’ ambiance.

    The interior design that Surface ID did for Lucky 7 is very rustic with exposed wood and brickwork, mess hall benches, concrete columns, long wooden tables and distressed wallpaper that is stylishly peeling in pales, which has been mixed together to construct this unusual and fascinating interior.

    The distressed wallpaper gives a worn and decayed appearance, producing a unique wall effect. Adding a little softness to the interior are the cushions even though the octagonal shape of the cushions are quite hard, the fabric makes it softer, these are found attached to the wooden benches..

    Generally the colour theme throughout the ‘canteen’ is very neutral and earthy but there are a few splashes of bright colours, which draws your eye towards the object such as the stalls at the bar, the vibrant red on the seat of the stall.

    The menus in Lucky 7 have been printed out on brown paper, creating a recycled and eco-friendly appearance that co-ordinates with the interior design.

    Lamps that sit on the table have been made from cast concrete which adds to the rustic and urban form of the ‘canteen’.

    In Lucky 7 there has been a vast amount of attention to the detail making the interior design to this canteen very exceptional to most due to its unique character.

    General View of Lucky 7Bar View of Lucky 7Interior View of Lucky 7Peeling Wallpaper in Lucky 7

  • 14/01

    Palazzina Grassi Hotel in Venice by Philippe Starck

    French designer Philippe Starck has converted a former aristocratic home in Venice into a hotel. Bedrooms feature transparent glass wardrobes and the dining room contains two seven metre-long dinner tables, one made of marble and the other mirrored glass. Called Palazzina Grassi, the project was created for hotel brand Design Hotels.

    dzn_Palazzina-Grassi-by-Philippe-Starck-51

    dzn_Palazzina-Grassi-by-Philippe-Starck-34

    dzn_Palazzina-Grassi-by-Philippe-Starck-31

    dzn_Palazzina-Grassi-by-Philippe-Starck-22

    Via Dezeen

  • 07/12

    Winners of The Great Indoors Awards 2009

    The Great Indoors Awards 2009 honours interior projects in Sweden, Korea, USA and The Netherlands. On Saturday November 28 the international jury of The Great Indoors awarded five interior design projects during a festive ceremony in Maastricht (NL). The Great Indoors is an international, biennial award rewarding the best public interior designs in various categories every two years. By awarding prizes and hosting lectures and workshops, The Great Indoors hopes to promote a discussion on the growing importance of the interior throughout the world.

    dzn_Winners-of-The-Great-Indoors-Awards-2009-6

    Beijing Noodle No.9 (above) in Las Vegas by Japanese studio Design Spirits is one of five winners of The Great Indoors Awards this year.

    dzn_Winners-of-The-Great-Indoors-Awards-2009-5

    The awards were presented to the winners in five categories on Saturday 28 November. Design Spirits (top image) were winners in the category Relax and Consume.

    dzn_Winners-of-The-Great-Indoors-Awards-2009-4

    Swedish design studio Guise were awarded Design Firm of the Year, while Prada Transformer by OMA (above two images) was awarded in the Show & Sell category.

    dzn_Winners-of-The-Great-Indoors-Awards-2009-2

    Recycled Office for Gummo by Dutch interior architects i29 (above) won the Concentrate & Collaborate award.

    dzn_Ira-Koers-+-Roelof-Muld1

    The Serve and Facilitate category winners were Amsterdam designers Studio Roelof Mulder and Bureau Ira Koers for their project University Library of the University of Amsterdam.

    Via Dezeen

  • 18/10

    Pizza East / Good Restaurant Interior Design Shoreditch

    PIzza East Restaurant Design View

    As far as good new restaurant interior design goes Nic Jones, founder of the Soho House Group does it again with his new pizza restaurant called Pizza East. Which is opened to all and on the ground floor of the Tea building in Shoreditch. I say open to all because for those who don’t know, in the same building is Shoreditch House, which is one the most contemporary restaurant design spaces in London and which is only open to members. Therefore, the introduction of Pizza East for all the non-members who want a slice of the House styled grittiness is the perfect antidote. The site is located in the corner of the Tea building on the corner of Shoreditch High Street and Bethnal Green Road. This building lends its self perfectly to restaurant design concepts of this ilk. The site I guess can cater for 100 to 150 persons, and still with plenty of room to swing your bicycle or scooter helmet, (unfortunately cats are not allowed).

    The building space already has the excellent backdrop of the tea building, which has exposed brick, concrete ceiling and columns and crittall glazed windows. However, I believe the previous tenant had concealed a lot of these finishes with either dark paint of poor lighting, I never remember the building fabric looking so rich in it’s raw state. The fabric has always been there, it just took the right operator to enhance these features.

    Regarding the restaurant design layout there is a long open kitchen with two wood burning pizzas ovens. A centralised

    dispense bar that neatly breaks up the space into different areas. There is also a large communal table I assume for when the site is over whelmed with customers. It has to be the biggest dining table in this area. The window seats have to be the best but we did find with the late autumn sun a little over bearing and our table of 6 had to recamp to the rear of the restaurant to avoid the sun.

    The restaurant furniture design is very simple, with exposed wood table tops that are used through out the space. Industrial bent metal chairs with bentwood ply seats and backs. String formed lamps hang over the long 18 seater singer bracketed stools. Exposed galvanised extract ducting and polished chrome ventilation hug the surface of the concrete soffit. A diamond button back antique leather banquette sits against an exposed brickwork wall, with chipped enamel down lighters.

    Restaurant menus design has been kept very simple, with the layout mimicking what is going on in Shoreditch House. I expected the pizzas to be exactly the same as the those in the members club upstairs. However, to my surprise the pizza arrived more rustic and earthy, the pastry being more crispy. Personally I don’t mind, I am just impressed that the group have decided to make the detail of the pizza offer different.

    Overall, an excellent additional to the Shoreditch area, which we as a design team will enjoying going to in the future.

    Pizza East EntrancePizza East Kitchen View

    Pizza East Dining

  • 17/09

    The Michelberger Hotel in Berlin

    Berlin designer Werner Aisslinger has completed a budget hotel designed to feel like staying at a friends house, which opened earlier this month in Berlin. The Michelberger Hotel is housed in a converted factory building featuring a brick facade, high ceilings, large windows and a courtyard that acts as the social hub of the hotel. Every element of the hotel has either been custom designed and built, or selected specifically for it from furniture to hand-lettered stickers on the water bottles. Each room features a unique wallpaper designed by Azar Kazimir depicting symbols and images significant to the hotel and its founders. Three room sizes are available for individuals and groups of up to four people, as well as the more extravagant Luxus room, combining elements of hotel and hostel aiming to attract both backpackers and business men.

    Via Dezeen

    dznmichelbergersq1

    dznmichelberger9

    dznmichelberger2

    dznmichelberger5

  • 14/09

    Merus Winery by Uxus Design

    A fine wine gets even finer when it can be ingested in an as thoughtful an environment as this one. Welcome to Merus, a “designer” winery like no other. Located in the Napa Valley in California, Merus looks more like a Michelin-starred restaurant than your average cellar-door retail outlet. Exposed beams are the only nod to the past in this interior design strategy, which is thoroughly modern with a hint of Californian warmth. Amsterdam-based Uxus Design is the architecture and design firm behind the winery. With more than a few inspiring, high profile projects under its belt, Uxus is one of the Netherlands’ hottest design studios – with an office to match. It’s been a busy year for Uxus, who have unveiled a number of other great retail design projects recently including the new Heineken ‘concept’ bars which will open in airports across the globe and one of Europe’s coolest McDonald’s play areas in Amsterdam.

    Via The Cool Hunter

    m

    merus4(1)

    m2(1)

    mw

  • 05/08

    Maison Du Champagne in Hong Kong

    Hong Kong designers John Lin, Joshua Bolchover and Jason Carlow have designed the interior of a champagne bar in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Called Maison Du Champagne, the interior is furnished with raw MDF boxes, illuminated from inside. Each block is punctured by circular holes, increasing in diametre towards their tops and revealing interiors coated in high-gloss, bright colours. The inside of each box is colour-coded according to the area of the bar and its use.

    maison-du-champagne-by-john-lin-joshua-bolchover-and-jason-carlow-12

    maison-du-champagne-by-john-lin-joshua-bolchover-and-jason-carlow-14

    maison-du-champagne-by-john-lin-joshua-bolchover-and-jason-carlow-15

    maison-du-champagne-by-john-lin-joshua-bolchover-and-jason-carlow-17

  • 20/05

    Contemporary Interior Design

    Through the ancient times interior designs have been very popular and people in the past have been picky on the interior designs they have wanted for their homes, offices, restaurants, pubs or clubs.

    First impression of everything really matters and hence that’s when interior designs come into picture. People are very conscious about the way their home, office, restaurant, office, pub or clubs looks like. This trend is still continuing today, although in the 21st century it is about the modernization of interior designs that are very different to the older times.

    21st century stands out with the vast collection and variety of designs that have been designed by different interior designers all over the world. It is about recognizing the art of interior designing and the process involved in it.

    Contemporary interior design styles are more likely to be recognized as International styles that are adapted from all over the world. These designs are incorporated and are linked with each other in terms of corporative designs taken from all over the world. Interior designers use the modern techniques to decorate and furnish working spaces and indoor living involving both the aesthetic and practical considerations.

    Contemporary Interior design cultures

    Classical and Asian culture are some of the most modern interior design cultures used to elaborate and create various interior styles. These cultures have originated through the past changing the design styles with the modernization.

    In the medieval European days interior designs were more of hanging objects made in elaborate styles that were used for the furnishing of castle. This style was reformed in the middle ages with more of Roman and Green styles that became popular. The recent style comes with the combination of all the international styles. Most modernized style is usually glass or metals to give a finishing look to the interior designing.

    Lighting is the important factor when it comes to Contemporary interior designing and hence arrangement of the interior designing is based on comfort, pattern, scale, color and balance.

    Furniture

    Furniture used in the Contemporary Interior design is often blended with the color and is more modernized than the ancient times. Furniture usually is made to complement the color and the entire designing process. Furniture is also very important aspect of designing process. The entire interior designing depends on the furniture you will opt for. You can actually make a statement, ‘Bad furniture will spoil the entire décor of your interior designing’.

    Wall Paper

    Most contemporary interior designers are now going for modernized wall papers that would give more of an attractive look to the décor. The interior designers choose the color and the wall papers but they definitely will sit with you to discuss if the colors and the paper used for the wall are feasible and if that is what you would like.

    Most Wall Paper décor will give a very sophisticated and classic look to the entire interior designing. The entire process of it is discussed to make the client comfortable with the look.

  • 02/05

    Artbar Cologne




    Placed in a narrow spacial gap next to the Cologne cathedral is the KUNSTBAR. Another designer/artist is invited every year to create a new concept and interior for it. This year it is Arne Quince – and part of his concept is to only serve Belgium beer, which makes this bar probably the only one in Cologne that does not serve Koelsch (the local beer). Apart from the interior designer/artist Quince is also responsible for a video installation on the walls of the bar, featuring the eyes of his girlfriend Barbara Becker.


  • 12/04

    Ronnybrook Milk Bar in NYC's Chelsea Market



    The latest addition to NYC’s Chelsea Market is the Ronnybrook Milk Bar featuring Ronnybrook Farm‘s line of milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream incorporated into seasonal breakfast and lunch menus.

    Designed by Mark Sarosi in collaboration with Studio A+I, a small Brooklyn design firm, it features a circular island counter in the centre. Along the walls is a whole stock of old antique wooden milk boxes “to make it feel like you’re back at the farm”.

    “Chelsea Market itself is an environment where transparency is key. It’s a marketplace wthout walls where you can watch purveyors practice their trade. Our transparency is kind of minimal, but you can watch drinks and sandwiches being made and ice cream being dipped. It’s a nod to old Americana, the milk shop and the North Eastern kitchen,” says Mark Sarosi, the initiator of the space. “I never thought it would be this busy!”

    Via Coolhunting

  • 19/03

    Connaught Bar Review By B3 Designersv

    Connaught Bar

    Situated within the The Connaught Hotel, one of the grandest hotels of London, the Connaught Bar must be one of the most chic and stylish places to have a drink and realx.
    Redesigned by David Collins, the interior design retains its classic art deco feel and mixes dark rich colours with elaborate textures and details such as the brogue detailing on the furniture. The bar also has a ‘Head mixologist table’ where guests will be able to taste an assortment of drinks produced on a cocktail station next to the table.

  • 18/03

    The Cristal Bar, Hong Kong

    Funky new champagne bar at The Loop.

    At Hong Kong’s Cristal bar every wall, ceiling and floor is covered with fantastic surreal mythological creatures with futuristic colors that populate the mind of the graphic designer Katrin Olina, making the bar as one big mural, where the visuals are completely unbroken.

    The main effect of the wrap-around graphics can be seen as a dematerialization of the space, adding to the dreamlike atmosphere.

    Colors ebb and flow to accentuate the bar’s spatial division into four areas. Where the areas meet, the different colored graphics overlap in a fluid transition.

    The bar counter-top incrusted with almost 300,000 Swarovsky cristals illuminated with multicolored LEDs is equally fanciful.

    The imagery in the bar is like a mesh of stories where everyone ca interpret it how they want.

  • 04/03

    Jerusalem Tavern Review By B3 Designers


    The Jerusalem Tavern

    Owned by Suffolk-based St. Peter’s brewery, The Jerusalem Tavern is a must for every beer connaisseur, but it is equally as interesting for those of us who are merely amateurs or not even that much into beer. The food offer is good, but it is mostly the atmosphere of the place that makes us come back so often. It is like stepping into Dickens’ London, the place is tiny, painted in sombre colours and very dimly lit. The furniture is bare and wooden but it still manages to feel cosy and comfortable. There are many places that try to replicate that ‘authentic’ London Inn look, but this seems to be the real thing.

  • 25/02

    Tokujin Yoshioka's Waterfall Bar Review By B3 Designers

    Tokujin Yoshioka’s Waterfall Bar in Tokyo

    Situated in private house in Tokyo, the waterfall bar is another example of Yoshioka’s talent and eye for materials.
    Covering the facade of the space is the work of Olafur Eliasson, the entire surface is made from what looks like black, shiny crystal which creates shimmering reflections and a deeply textured surface.
    On the inside, the main feature of the space is Yoshioka’s 4.2m long solid glass bar top (which weighed 1000kg). The surface of the bar top looks slightly rippled and looking at it, one really gets the impression of looking into a pool of water. As with the facade, the play of light and reflections is one of the important features of this piece, with colourful reflections dappling the walls and floor.

  • 24/02

    Piazza By Anthony Review by B3 Designers

    Piazza by Anthony

    The latest venture by the Flinn family (known for their flagship restaurant Anthony’s in Leeds) is located at the Corn Exchange in Leeds.
    The building, which is Grade I listed, was built in 1861 and is one of Britains finest Victorian buildings. Over the years it has seen a number of different retail uses and even stood empty for a while. So it is wonderful to see that the building has now been restored to its former glory to house a Food Emporium. The interior design is tasteful and really brings out the beauty and charm of the original scheme.
    The Emporium includes a 125 seat brasserie situated in a central opening, a cafe, a lounge bar, private dining rooms, and retail shops. These sound just as inviting as they include: a Bakery, Patisserie, Chocolate Shop, Cheese and Ham Shop and Ingredients Shop. They also feature ‘theatre’ production kitchens where the customer can watch the food being freshly prepared throughout the day. This is a concept B3 Designers have successfully used in the Cinnamon Kitchen, where diners have a large view into the kitchen.

  • 23/02

    Shunt Lounge

    One of the Best Clubbing Secrets

    The Shunt Lounge is a Bar/Club located within the brick tunnels under the arches of London Bridge Station, where exhibitions, performances or even live music, film or design shows are hosted regularly.
    As a secret club, the first challenge is actually finding the entrance door. There’s no sign but a little brown door at the lower level of the station, where you will find clubbers queing if you are too
    late.

    Once inside, you can be sure that there will be something that will surprise you. Upcoming events include “The reading Room” by Lewis Gibson and “Now Revisited” by Hilary Lawson

  • 30/01

    The Double Club

    The artist Carsten Holler has created, with the help of the Prada Foundation, a bar, restaurant and nightclub in an old warehouse in Angel, London. The concept is based around putting Congolese culture and Western culture together, without mixing them. The image shows the bar, which is split into four lines of vision, each representing either a Western or Congolese environment. The restaurant servers both Congolese and Western food, and the nightclub has a rotating dance floor, alternating between Western and Congolese music.
  • 21/01

    Architectural Interior Designers: Combining Aesthetics with Architecture

    Architectural Interior Designers, also sometimes referred to as InteriorArchitectural Designers, are skilled professionals who bridge the fields of architecture and interior design. Simply put, they apply knowledge from both of these fields to make sure that a client’s home, or office, looks good and lasts long.

    The people who opt for this challenging field need to start preparing themselves academically during their college years. Computer Aided Designing (CAD) is a very handy skill to have, along with photography, and structure systems design. An aspiring architectural interior designer should be familiar with construction techniques and the process of creating sustainable structures. A good knowledge of physics is invaluable in this field, as the structural design of a building is usually created keeping in mind various laws of physics. Some knowledge about the tectonic structure of the area (where the building will be constructed) is also essential and should be acquired prior to beginning the designing process. If the area has a history of earthquakes, it is up to the designer to make sure the constructed building will be able to withstand all but the most devastating earthquakes.

    An architectural interior designer will often have to work closely with construction workers and should also know how to interact with these people properly. So having people management skills is certainly a great bonus.

    Architectural interior designing involves long working hours and hard labor, but the result is quite satisfactory, both emotionally and financially. An experienced designer can expect to be paid well for his efforts. Besides, the smiles of satisfaction and praises from the client make it all worth it.

  • 02/01

    Interior Designing Solutions for your Restaurant / Colour

    Restaurant interior designers are facing greater challenges now as customers are getting to be more discerning and demanding. They want comfort, beauty and innovation at the same time, and delivering all of these in a satisfactory package may be a daunting task for quite a few restaurant interior designers. The good news is, it need not really be all that hard.

    The Wikipedia entry on interior design makes the task appear to be quite a daunting endeavour. It says, “The work of an interior designer draws upon many disciplines including environmental psychology, architecture, product design, and traditional decoration (aesthetics and cosmetics).” Of course, few of us can claim to be masters of all the disciplines mentioned. So is there an easy way out? Actually, yes. You don’t even have to spend a ton of money to get the desired effect in restaurant interior design. All you have to do is keep in mind certain basics. what is the colour of your restaurant?

    Colours

    When I went to see a talk given by Kevin McLoud on his book COLOUR, he mentioned that he was constantly asked by people “what colour should I paint my room”. He rather wittingly said “paint it cream”. I was expecting him to give some complicated answer regarding space, and appropriateness. It is the universal colour of safeness. It is near to impossible to decide on a colour for a space without seeing it in context. But I believe Kevin’s advice is helpful as a starting point. In most cases cream or white are colours that are ideal to enable the space to stay light and bright and practical. However, if every interior was this colour the world would be a boring place.

    In a restaurant one needs to think through this process and start with defining what the brand is, where the space is positioned and who is the target audience. Below is a selection of colours that have been pulled together whilst being inspired by the adjacent photograph. The palette is diffused and harmonious. These colours could be used through out the space in different materials, wall colours and fittings.

    In a restaurant it is good to use a far wider range of colours to fulfil any demands from the brand identity. If we were looking at the other end of the palette we would be suggesting aubergine, charcoal and fawn as below.

    We specialise in developing colour palette for our clients, so that we can make a big change to a restaurant space without having to spend a fortune. If you would like us to speak with you about developing a new colour palette for your restaurant, please do not hesitate to contact us at colours@b3designers.co.uk