This week we dove into a space I’ve always dreamt about designing, a restaurant. Commercial spaces in general tend to be more colorful so one's imagination can run wide. Now, it also comes with some limitations like adhering to codes, contract grade furniture, and easy to clean materials.
Vintage luxe lounge concept board posted June 26th, 2023.
Inspiration
The concept board this week was inspired by this beautiful, vintage inspired fabric. The teals, creams and burgundy set the color scheme. I knew I wanted a channel tufted booth with gold piping around the cushions and deep red bolster pillows, so that dictated the fabric selection.
Inspirational colors and materials
Colors & Scale
I knew burgundy was going to be a big part of the design and marble tends to give that luxe feel I was going for, which led me to these side tables and dining table. The rich warm tones of the red as well as a few dark warm woods help balance out the cool teal tones.
Bringing the teal from the walls down to an inlay for the floor was important for dictating walking zones as well as table placement. Again, playing with scale of pattern allows this tile in a medium scale, to pair well with the large-scale wallpaper and small-scale fabric prints.
The wallpaper, by the way, is very much giving Gucci vibes with the cranes and gold. The dark teal keeps the space feeling moody and luxe.
A gold wall to the left of the booth would wrap around to the host stand in the entry. A lacquered brass plated metal under the booth too acts as a durable kick plate.
Sconces on either side of the booth would add warm and soft light to this seating area. The round style of these sconces help break-up the vertical lines of the walls.
A dramatic chandelier overhead draws the eye up and disperses more light.
Styling
The dining chairs have a heavy iron frame paired with a light off-white linen fabric for an interesting juxtaposition that makes you want to take a seat just so you can try them out for yourself. In a commercial dining space, the chairs really make it or break it for me. You want them to be comfortable enough to sit in for an hour or more, but you also want them to be spill resistant and not so comfortable that your customer lingers for hours.
In this restaurant, the tabletops have a simple setting of a diamond check glasses that tie back to the diamond shapes in the floor tile and chandelier. An organic shaped water decanter with a round gold topper balances out the angles in the glassware.
For more ambient lighting, I have burgundy taper candles in brass holders to create a special setting. In reality, these candles would have to be fake or in a hurricane to prevent anything catching ablaze!
Cozy dining corner in the vintage luxe lounge
Now Step Back
Would you have a meal here and what seat would you claim?
I want to sip a cocktail on the booth bench cushion by the red marble side tables while I wait for the rest of my party to arrive. Then I would scoot on down to the other end for dinner in what feels like an intimate setting with the flickering candlelight and dark booth walls.
Make sure you vote each Friday on what goes on the concept board. Polls are posted on Facebook & Instagram. Then sign up for emails so you get an alert for Behind the Design each Monday!
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