This is what I get with today’s feature project, Barrio 47 is located in New York and is as underground and as rustic as you could imagine, which is something that works amazingly well and is ever popular in New York. Designed by Bluarch Architecture + Interiors + lighting this space is one that tickles all of my industrial rustic buttons. As described by the designers below:

Barrio 47, a new tapas restaurant, has now joined the West Village’s hip restaurant circuit, the restaurant’s hand-painted murals were chosen to remain in the new design, while the opposite south-facing wall within the bar areas has now been clad in plaster of varying tones of warm neutrals and then adorned with a laser cut feature and affixed with rivets Subway tiles in black and a deep green have been applied to all other vertical surfaces.

A custom made iron chandelier lit by 1/2″ incandescent light bulbs span the length of the bar area, establishing two separate areas for the bar and for dining. The back dining area is lit by linear pendant lighting. The place is energized by the controlled doses of red on the bar stools and brick oven, and further enlivened by the white Carrara marble bar and table tops.

As you can see from the images below and the description from the designers, you can’t get more underground and rustic than an old New York subway station tiled wall, the murals are set of beautifully with the stunning lighting features and the brick oven is a captivating centre piece that adds to the charm of this 120 square meter space, there is also a hint of stylish chic about this rustic space, mainly from the grogeous 1920′s style leather seats, a lovely and eclectic addition to the space that brings the whole design together in my opinion. A really cool and inspiring design that we adore and hope one day to visit when we are next in New York.

Take today’s project as an example, it is both unique for its target audience and it also has the bonus of being right up my street in terms of the style and use of color in the interior design. Beehives and Buzzcuts is a very cool hair salon / retail / event space concept aimed at children under 10 years of age, designed by Andrea Mason Architects this space is all about catering for children and giving them their own space away from their parents. I just love this playful design as every element has the main target customer in mind.

Funky design elements that I like start with the cool feature tree at the entrance of the store, this awesome centerpiece that inspires interaction coupled with the colorful wall units instantly grabs the attention of any child who sets foot in the store and thus sets their mind at ease and makes getting their haircut and pleasant and enjoyable experience. This is the key word, experience, everything about the design from the custom chairs to the graphic wall features to the tv’s and the playful color palette is geared towards creating an experience, which is great for the children as we all know how laborious it can sometimes be for young children to get their hair cut.

The latest addition is their new food lab which sits adjacent to the historic restaurant. Designed by 3XN Architects this space is as charming and as awesome as the restaurant interior. Described by the Architects below:

Nordic, Raw and Playful

The NOMA Lab is connected to NOMA situated in a former warehouse on the national registry of protected buildings.  The tight restrictions meant that GXN was required to design the interior without using so much as one single nail in the walls or flooring.  The approach was to design four central multi-functional storage units; each composed from over five hundred uniquely formed wooden cubes.

Curving playfully throughout the space, these units divide the 200M2 room into smaller areas accommodating the Food Lab, the herb garden, staff areas and office.  Raw and simple, through colours and forms, it captures a unique Nordic aesthetic.  True to the restaurant’s philosophy, the NOMA Lab is developed exclusively using Nordic materials.

The organic forms of the furniture pieces stand out through use of integrated light features, which also give the interior a lighter feel. The additional lighting is provided by GXN’s specially developed STAR lamp, whose reflective light casts dramatic geometric

An inspiring project for an inspiring client, with attention to detail and passion such as this it is easy to see why Noma still sit on top of the culinary world.

The Australasia Restaurant located in Manchester, England is a real winner for us in terms of industrial chic design. Favorite elements for us are the exposed distressed whitewashed brick, this coupled with the soft yet industrial lighting features give the space a real warmth which is something you wouldn’t necessarily think of when someone says the word industrial. The warmth also comes from the paneled ceiling feature, I am glad this was done rather than an exposed ceiling, this is one of the chic elements whereas an exposed ceiling is very much rustic.

The space planning in this restaurant is very well thought out, the stunning banquettes with the distressed wood frames are gorgeous, but what these banquettes also do is add to the warmth of the space, the soft furnishings and the arrangements immediately tell me that when this restaurant is full it must have a delightful and buzzy atmosphere and that is why designers are paid to do what we do as we create atmosphere. A really awesome project where the level of detailing is the real winner, even the bathrooms have had an extra awesome design touch and that is a sign of designers who think of every element.

As described by the designers below:-

A bubble is brief, and bursts at your touch. But while it lasts,it catches the light and reflects the room like a multi-coloured temporary structure. We wanted to create a constantly changing lamp that combines the most ephemeral of lampshades with an LED light source that will last for 50000 hours.  In the time it takes the LED to burn out, the lamp will have had 3 million different globe shades.

An wicked concept that is done ever more justice by the cool images and video below.

Images Credited to Front

Google have recently opened their latest offering in London’s Tech City, the Google Campus is the latest social office space to hit the UK market and as usually when Google do something they really go all out. Designed by Jump Studios the 25,000 sq-ft space is an eclectic mix of recycled and salvaged furniture and materials split over seven floors. There are 200 work desks, meeting rooms throughout, event spaces and of course like any good workstation there is a café that keeps the inhabitants fully fueled and raring to go. This space and the design is a lot more restrained and paired back compared to other Google projects we have covered in this blog, but for us this a plus point. This space is the perfect platform for startups, the paired back and industrial look is quite representative of the startups that will use the space, in their early days, blank canvasses with so much possibility and potential. This is one of the reasons why we love this space and the other reasons are quite apparent in the cool images below.

Images Credited to Gareth Gardner 

Bluberi has recently opened just outside of Washington DC and it serves a delectable range of frozen yogurts, something we anticipate that we at Studio EM will consume gallons of as the summer heats sore. Designed by Emmanuelle Moureaux of Emmanuelle Moureaux Architecture + Design this space is a fresh, vibrant and colorful space that is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face. The design is very simple and that is a good thing as the main design feature of having a blueberry shrub on the back wall that spreads along the shop showing colorful berries stands out a lot more and has a greater impact where as if the design were a lot more cluttered this feature would not have the intended impact.

I also enjoy the lighting features that represent the form of fruit, these suspended features are representative of fruit and toppings splash beautifully on top of the frozen yogurt, and although very abstract I still love the concept of it.  A very clever and enjoyable design that should be appreciated and celebrated for its simplicity and we love it. Check out the images below and have a look at the fresh branding the compliments the store, the logo is a real winner for us.

Images Credited to Emmanuelle Moureaux Architecture + Design

Stella Cadente in Paris is the perfect example of where a traditional boxed retail space has been transformed into an inspiring and stunning retail outlet that will get people talking. Designed by Parisian based architects Atelier du Pont the space is only 50 sq-m’s but because of the awesome design feature of the gilded and curved gold leaf frame the 50sq-m’s space is already more intriguing than a store twice the size. From a visual merchandising point of view and an interior design one I really enjoy the niches that are formed within the space, this adds great depth and texture but most importantly improved functionality within the main design feature.

The project is described below by Atelier du Pont:

The story of Stella Cadente and Atelier du Pont goes back a long way. It’s a story of a friendship between two women – Stella Cadente, a designer, and Anne-Cécile Comar, an architect – and, of course, of shared adventures, with their complementary professions and points of view. For a previous concept store in Dubai, Atelier du Pont came up with a design midway between an ice palace and a crystal maze for Stella Cadente. It espoused the brand’s style based on light, crystal, magic and transparent dress.

Thousands of stalactites changed colour, creating an impression that the store had come alive. Now they have teamed up again in 2012 under the skies of Paris. Clothed in glass from top to toe, the boutique stands out from the sober lines of the Boulevard Beaumarchais due to its gilded metal frontage. This new Parisian space breaks with the conventions of usual stores. Inside it is cylindrical, broken into two ellipses. The shop window display stand is out: the clothes are laid out on a large draper’s table, and the soft, practical design makes a mockery of the XXS-sized Parisian boutique. The final radical change is in colour, as the interior is entirely covered in gold leaf.

Check out the awesome images below and see if this space inspires you as much as it inspires us.

Images Credited to Sergio Grazia

Take today’s feature project as an example, it is a blend of the subtle and the simplistic, on the outside at least, but it’s the intricate and clever detailing in both the design and the branding that give the Aschan Deli its appealing character. Finnish design firm Bond are the brains behind this project and explain the idea behind it below:

Aschan Deli is an urban quick stop for breakfast, lunch, snack or coffee. The aim was to create a concept that looks fresh and modern while communicating convenience.

The symbols, used in the signage, communications and interior, are big part of the identity. Bright colours were introduced to bring more life and sparkle into the interior. Symbols and the light ash wood texture appear consistently in the interior as well in all the printed materials. Together with colours and design language, they create a holistic feel of the brand that can be easily achieved in the future Aschan Deli locations.

Enjoy the images below of this charming little deli and we hope you appreciate and like the branding integration as much as we did.

Photography Credited to Paavo Lehtonen

We discovered this project on Behance! Make sure you appreciate the work here.

Today’s feature project is based in Toronto, which is quite apt since we pitched for a project in Toronto earlier in the week; it is called Pusateri’s, as the name would suggest this store has an Italian background. The gourmet grocers designed by GH+A  is a firm favorite of ours as it delivers a more sophisticated approach to supermarket design. Not necessarily through the layout which is rather generic but through the delicious fixtures, fittings and design features. Elements such as the lighting really stand out, usually the hanging pendant lights are something we would associate more with an open ceiling but in this case they provide a much more decorative look and feel that gives this space a grander appearance.

This is also carried on through the hanging lights above the fruit and veg section, these lights not only look awesome they also provide a perfect service in enhancing the product. The stunning ceiling feature above the fruit and veg section is another element that stands out and differentiates this space from the local grocers, this attention to detail and design feature not only helps to create a space within a space it also draws the eye towards something that is much more fascinating than a tired old white roof with harsh yellow lighting.  I am also a large fan of using black as the choice of color for the shelving and visual merchandising displays, the black frames and shelves enhance the product and also gives the space a higher end look and feel compared to the traditional white or grey shelves we have become accustomed to.

Other elements that give this space a more gourmet / luxurious look and feel are described below by GH+A:

This Italian imported food emporium provides a modern approach to gourmet food shopping. Clean architectural lines and sophisticated materials guide the design approach, as does the concept of “Food as Fashion.” The textures, colors, and beauty of the food are the center of attraction in this space, with a fashion look expressed through the type of highly reflective surfaces found in high-end retailers. Unlike tradition grocers, the check-out area emulates a hotel concierge desk with marble slab desks, while the untraditional flooring consists of 24-by-24-inch mini-crystal white tile. A valet parking booth lets customers know they have arrived at an exclusive shopping destination.

Check out the images below and see how these elements all come together, now I just need to hope we win our project in Toronto so as we can visit this project in real life to appreciate it even more.

Photography Credited to Philip Castleton