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    Kelly Wearstler designs Los Angeles bar to feel “like it has been there for ages”

    Interior designer Kelly Wearstler paired clay plaster walls with Moroccan cement tiles at this eclectic cocktail bar in the Downtown LA Proper hotel.

    Named after Mexico’s national flower, the Dahlia bar features a blushing interior that was designed to echo the rest of the hotel – also created by Wearstler.
    The designer looked to the same Spanish, Mexican and Moroccan influences that define the wider Downtown LA Proper, such as terracotta Roman clay plaster walls and ceilings when conceptualising the bar.
    Dahlia is a cocktail lounge within the Downtown LA Proper hotel”The warm, earthy tones of the lounge are in concert with the larger hotel while striking their own note entirely,” said Wearstler.
    “Dahlia feels like it has been there for ages,” added the designer, who has been named as a judge for the inaugural Dezeen Awards China.

    Moroccan cement tiles clad the barVisitors enter the bar through yellow-tinged stained glass doors that were custom-made for the venue by Los Angeles’ historic Judson Studios, which claims to be the oldest family-run stained glass company in America.
    Seating was created from a mix of built-in reddish banquettes and low-slung curved armchairs that hug circular timber tables, while a geometric chandelier draped in light-filtering silk was suspended overhead.

    Kelly Wearstler renovates swimming pool for suite in Downtown LA Proper Hotel

    In one corner, an embossed and low-slung black cabinet supports two squat table lamps that look like oversized green olives.
    Wearstler adorned the clay plaster walls with a mishmash of vintage and contemporary textural artwork, which was finished in ceramic and sand. Various local artists were included in the mix.
    Kelly Wearstler imbued the venue with her signature eclectic styleDefined by “saturated hues and dramatic lighting,” the cocktail lounge also features a bar clad with lilac-hued Moroccan cement tiles and woven crimson rugs.
    “This is the kind of space where you can entirely lose track of time,” said the designer.
    Known for her distinctively eclectic style, Wearstler has created interiors for various other destinations that are part of the Proper Hotel Group. The designer scoured vintage shops to source the furniture that decorates the living room-style lobby of a Santa Monica branch while an Austin location features a sculptural oak staircase that doubles as a plinth for Wearstler’s own glazed earthenware pots and vases.
    The images are courtesy of Kelly Wearstler.

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    “Not having architectural education makes you find different solutions” says Charlotte Taylor

    Visualisation artist Charlotte Taylor discusses how she is translating her digital design work into built architecture projects for the first time in this interview.

    Taylor is the founder of 3D-design studio Maison de Sable, where she collaborates with other 3D designers on renderings of imaginary, fantastical interiors and buildings.
    Recently Taylor’s designs have become less fantasy-driven and closer to real spaces, with some of them set to get built as physical architecture projects.
    “In the long term, I’d like to move more into architecture,” Taylor told Dezeen.
    Taylor is venturing into built architecture projects for the first time. Image by Thea Caroline Sneve Løvstad and top image by Nicholas PréaudHaving not pursued formal architecture training, the designer believes there should be more non-traditional pathways to designing buildings.

    “I didn’t train in architecture at all,” she said. “I think it would be great if there were more entries into architecture because it’s such a hard career to get into.”
    “I’d like to think that there’s hope that you can get into building physical spaces through unconventional means.”
    Casa Atibaia is a fictional home in Brazil that is due to be built. Image by Nicholas PréaudOne of Taylor’s designs due to be built is Casa Atibaia, a house that was originally conceived as an imaginary project in collaboration with designer Nicholas Préaud.
    The duo imagined the house situated by the Atibaia River in São Paulo, creating a digital model of part of the riverbank based on information from Google Maps.
    The interior of Casa Atibaia features on the front cover of Taylor’s bookFrom this, Taylor and Préaud designed a concrete and glass fantasy home raised on huge boulders, the interior of which features on the front cover of Taylor’s first book, Design Dreams, published last month.
    Although the project was not originally intended to be built, Taylor is now in the process of finding a plot of land suitable to actualise the design.
    The fantasy home is raised from the floor on boulders. Image by Nicholas PréaudTaylor has also collaborated with architectural designer Andrew Trotter on a house in Utah, which forms part of Trotter’s wider design for a hotel and retreat centre named Paréa.
    The house, which is currently under construction, was designed to blend into the desert landscape with large spans of glazing and walls finished in lime plaster.
    Taylor also worked on a house in Utah that is currently under construction. Image by Klaudia AdamiakAccording to Taylor her fictional designs have received a mixed response from architects, with some saying that “in the real world, it doesn’t work like that”.
    But for Taylor, not having an architecture degree and exploring spatial design digitally without being constrained by lighting, noise, safety and budget requirements allows for more creativity.
    The house in Utah was designed to blend into the landscape. Image by Klaudia Adamiak”It acts as a sort of creative playground for me in which I can test out all these concepts and see how they work visually,” said Taylor.
    “Then bringing that into the physical world and working with engineers and architects, it becomes pared down.”
    “I think not having architectural education makes you find different solutions or ideas to bring to the real world that wouldn’t have come from just designing an actual space,” she added.
    According to Taylor, digital design allows for more creativity than designing for the real world. Image by Klaudia AdamiakThe designer mentioned that her design icon Carlo Scarpa also never became a licenced architect.
    “My icon, Carlo Scarpa, never had his full qualification, so there are little stories that inspire me, but the general thinking is quite rigid – this particular entry is a bit frowned upon from what I’ve experienced,” said Taylor.

    Casa Atibaia designed to be “ideal modernist jungle home”

    Having learned most of her design skills from experimenting with digital design and collaborating with other designers, Taylor describes herself as “self-studious” and encourages other designers to create work that they feel best represents themselves.
    “Strive to build a portfolio that excites you and represents you the most,” Taylor said.
    “Through building a portfolio and working with 3D designers and architects was how I learnt – it’s very research-heavy.”
    She founded the 3D-design studio Maison de Sable. Image by Klaudia AdamiakTaylor’s Design Dreams book features 3D designs of buildings and interiors created by herself and other artists.
    The curation includes fantasy-like environments as well as renderings of interiors that appear like real, tangible spaces.
    “[The book] became a space in which to share my personal projects, the artists I work with and work I admire around the field of interiors and architecture,” said Taylor.
    Taylor recently published her first book. Image by Klaudia AdamiakAlthough most of the images are already widely shared online, by collating them all into one volume Taylor hopes readers will enjoy getting lost in the printed format.
    “The same way that the Instagram page acts where people go to get lost in the images, to have that in a physical format means you are able to spend more time in detail than you can on a phone screen,” she said.
    Design Dreams features work by Taylor and other digital designers”To take something digital that doesn’t exist in the physical world and bring it to print was quite important for me, to see it in that way,” the designer added.
    Although they work in the digital sphere, Taylor maintains that 3D-visual creators play a part in interior design trends.
    It collates digital designs into a physical format”The arts trends that happen in 3D gradually make their way into interior spaces, and it’s really interesting to see the Pinterest effect,” she said.
    “People love to collect images and make their ideal moodboard with them, and these spaces really play into that. People are constructing their own ideas and making architecture and interiors more accessible rather than something very professional.”
    In her own interior visual designs, Taylor includes elements from her actual home to make the spaces feel more relatable than traditional architecture renderings.
    The Design Dreams book includes fantasy interiors and ones that look like real spaces”It’s down to the construction of the images, they have this sort of lightning and familiarity, and we always put little props that will often be things from my home,” she said.
    “These little details make it lived-in and more relatable versus traditional architectural visualisation, which can be very sterile and not aesthetically relatable.”
    Taylor has also previously worked on various NFT projects, including a video artwork informed by an OMA-design sculpture and NFT capsules that contain digital images of fantasy architecture projects.
    The images are by Charlotte Taylor unless stated.
    Dezeen In Depth
    If you enjoy reading Dezeen’s interviews, opinions and features, subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.

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    Crosby Studios uses steel kitchen equipment to create Berlin jewellery store interior

    A faux industrial kitchen and yellow camping furniture feature in this store in Berlin by Crosby Studios for jewellery brand Avgvst.

    The studio put the space together from scratch using repurposed furniture and fittings including office blinds, camping chairs and kitchen equipment.
    The store’s colour scheme is dominated by grey, silver and yellowThe space is situated on the ground floor of a 19th-century building and retains a conventional glazed shop front. In contrast, the interior aims to distance itself from traditional jewellery stores.
    “The main idea was to create a new sense of retail in a non-traditional commercial way,” Crosby Studios told Dezeen.
    Cookers, storage and washing stations have become jewellery display casesThe store draws on the concept of a dark kitchen, a fast food outlet that provides food for deliveries and takeaways but doesn’t have a dedicated area for in-house dining.

    “We purchased all the steel appliances and shelving from the kitchen supply store in Berlin,” the studio said. “We needed sturdy stainless shelves with sliding drawers, which is why we decided to repurpose restaurant equipment.”
    Splashes of yellow animate the store’s interiorThe interior scheme is unified by its use of yellow paint, which is Avgvst’s signature brand colour.
    Yellow details at the front of the store include a kitchen sink, a rinsing tap with a coiled arm and numerous small display stands for jewellery.

    Blobby sculpture functions as cash desk inside Rains’ Aarhus boutique

    The back of the space features yellow storage cabinets, curtains and foldable furniture, as well as yellow and green flowers and plants that soften the space’s industrial feel.
    “Yellow is associated with gold, which is reflected in Avgvst’s jewellery,” the studio said.
    Yellow details are picked out in display stands, seating, signage and wiringAside from the dominant use of yellow, other features include the space’s original exposed brick walls and wooden door lintels that have been lined with slats from repurposed office blinds.
    Foldable camping tables, chairs and stools are set up as permanent furniture to add to the interior’s playful atmosphere.
    Yellow flowers and green foliage soften the industrial aesthetic of the shopJewellery has been laid out on top of stainless steel equipment in the spots once dedicated to food preparation, replacing ingredients and dishes with high-end jewellery.
    To celebrate the store’s opening, Avgvst designed a range of pieces that mimic the shape of knives, forks and spoons.
    The tattoo studio is situated towards the back of the spaceAs well as a jewellery shop, the space houses a tattoo studio and a garden area.
    “The tattoo studio works as a pop-up space for the artists, whose style and aesthetics we like,” the studio said.
    “They make their own tattoos, as well as the flash sets inspired by the designs of our jewellery. The garden will host yoga classes, meditation sessions and pop-up dinners.”
    Other retail design projects published on Dezeen include a clothing boutique in Shanghai that incorporates oversized buttons and an Aesop store in London piled high with sage green books.
    The photography is courtesy of Crosby Studios.

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    Viruta Lab blankets former fisherman’s house in Valencia with chequerboard tiles

    Spanish interiors studio Viruta Lab has renovated a compact house in El Cabanyal, Valencia’s traditional fishing neighbourhood, using geometric blue-and-white tiling for an understated nautical aesthetic.

    Built in 1946, the humble two-storey building once belonged to the grandparents of the current owner but had been boarded up for many years.
    Viruta Lab has renovated a former fisherman’s house in ValenciaViruta Lab was brought on board to transform the small 85-square-metre home into a modern holiday residence while respecting its great sentimental value to the family.
    “Emotion was a very important starting point,” the studio told Dezeen.
    The interior is dominated by chequerboard tiles”The house is a family legacy and the image they have of it is very deep, so it was necessary for any intervention to be as respectful as possible and with a language that they understood and took as their own,” Viruta Lab continued.

    “We understood that the architecture already had a value, that we only had to beautify it, preserve it.”
    Green upholstery provides a contrast with the blue-and-white colour schemeViruta Lab uncovered the building’s original brick walls from under layers of peeling paint and carefully repaired the pre-existing mouldings “to give height and nostalgic value to the interior design”.
    Liberal chequerboard tiling provides a contrast to these traditional design details, featured throughout all the rooms from the kitchen to the sleeping quarters.
    Viruta Lab restored the home’s original mouldingsIn a suitably nautical palette of navy and off-white, the tiles reference the great variety of tiled facades found in the El Cabanyal neighbourhood.
    “The dominant colours on the facades of the Cabanyal are white, blue and green, which are associated with a lifestyle linked to the resources offered by the sea,” the studio said.

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    “It was clear that we had to respect the local traditions, the architecture and the essence of the house and give it a maritime aesthetic, reinterpreting the Mediterranean style to adapt it to the tradition of the neighbourhood using its own materials.”
    Green shows up throughout the interior in the form of simple upholstered furniture – including a sofa, pouffe, benches and stools – all custom-designed by Viruta Lab for this compact space.
    European oak was used to form joinery detailsThe interior woodwork in European oak was stained to resemble Canaletto walnut, matching the tones of the two remaining original interior doors that were painstakingly restored and repurposed as sliding doors.
    “We wanted the woodwork to provide a quality counterpoint to the cold tones of the blues and greens, with an imprint and weight,” the studio said.
    The remaining interior doors were restored and repurposed as sliding doorsAnother key local material – esparto grass fibre – is less noticeable than the tiles but pops up throughout the house to add textural interest.
    Traditionally used to make ropes, baskets, mats and espadrille sandals, the flexible natural material was repurposed to form headboards and backrests, and even clad the suspended ceilings in the bathrooms.
    Esparto grass was used to from headboards and backrests”This material has been used because of its roots in the traditions and life in the Mediterranean area, especially in the Valencian community,” the studio said.
    “For Viruta Lab, the legacy comes from its use by men of the countryside and the sea, by the original residents of the Cabanyal, those men who used to wear espadrilles.”
    The house has a shaded outdoor dining area on the roofAs well as a clay-tiled roof terrace with a shaded outdoor dining area, the house also features a sensitively restored inner courtyard, complete with a stone water trough where the owner’s grandfather once dried his fishing nets at the end of a day’s work.
    Other projects that celebrate Valencia’s historic architecture include a 1920s penthouse that was renovated to celebrate its original mosaic floors and an octogenarian home in El Cabanyal that was updated using traditional construction techniques and local materials.
    The photography is by David Zarzoso.

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    Hotel Genevieve in Louisville features colour-coordinated guest rooms

    Room types are organized by bold colours at this hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, which was designed by US hospitality group Bunkhouse and Philadelphia-based design studio Rohe Creative.

    Located in Louisville’s East Market district, also known as NuLu (New Louisville), Hotel Genevieve occupies a new six-storey, black-brick building that’s within walking distance of some of the city’s biggest tourist attractions.
    In the hotel’s lobby, pink terrazzo flooring matches the plasterwork behind the reception deskThe hotel takes its name from a regional type of limestone, Saint Genevieve, which is a key ingredient in local bourbon production and also prevalent in Texas, where operator Bunkhouse is based.
    The company collaborated with Rohe Creative on the interiors, which are intended to reference Louisville’s history.
    Communal spaces for guests include a speakeasy-style bar with a golden vaulted ceilingIn the lobby, pink tones of terrazzo flooring are echoed in the plasterwork behind the reception desk, surrounding an equestrian-themed mural.

    Artworks are displayed on white walls and in front of red velvet curtains to form a gallery around the lobby seating areas and corridors.
    The rooms are coloured by type and the smaller spaces feature a blue paletteThe adjacent all-day restaurant, Rosettes, serves food made with local ingredients and is influenced by al fresco Parisian cafes and chef Ashleigh Shanti’s Southern background. This bright, brasserie-like space combines green-tiled floors with colourful dining chairs and retro light fixtures.
    “Richly decorated, each design accent tells a story, from bold usages of colour to a playful mix of vintage and modern furniture, and a vivacious art program featuring local talent,” said the hotel team.
    The chosen colour in each room extends across the wall and ceiling, as well as into the bathroomsA mini market on the ground floor, which is “part convenience store, part pop art installation”, sells locally sourced provisions, handmade artisanal goods, and coffee and snacks to go.
    There’s also a dark and moody speakeasy-style bar with lounge seats and a golden vaulted ceiling.
    Double Queen rooms are decorated in a terracotta hue”Luxurious and feminine architectural details bring life to the space and reference the city’s namesake, King Louis XVI, heavily featuring Louisville’s vibrant local flora and fauna, with goldenrod [plants] shining throughout the suites and ground-floor restaurant,” said the hotel team.
    The hotel’s 122 guest rooms are each painted a distinct colour that correlates with their size or type. These hues cover the walls and ceilings, and also extend into the bathrooms via floor and shower tiles.
    Four Suite Genevieve rooms have a separate living room and are coloured yellowSmaller rooms, including the King Louie and Petite King categories, feature a blue palette, while the slightly larger Double Queens are decorated in a terracotta hue.
    Four Grand King rooms accommodate a seating area and are also painted blue, while an additional four Suite Genevieve rooms have a separate living room and are coloured yellow.

    Jenny Bukovec draws on “soulful” local heritage for Kentucky hotel

    All of the rooms boast custom features and fittings by ROHE, as well as paintings and prints by Kentucky-born artist John Paul Kesling.
    The rooftop venue, Bar Genevieve, serves cocktails and French-Mediterranean food from an indoor space that opens to the outdoors.
    Bar Genevieve on the top floor features teal accents and can be hired for private eventsThe bar area is accented with deep teal colours across the counter, stool seats, arched window frames and floor-to-ceiling velvet curtains that can be used to divide up the room.
    Hotel Genevieve has also partnered with local organisations Black Soil Kentucky, Louisville Orchestra, and the Olmsted Parks Conservancy for programming across its varied communal spaces.
    The hotel occupies a new black-brick building in Louisville’s East Market districtKentucky draws visitors for its bourbon production and horse racing heritage, and demand for high-end accommodation in the state appears to be on the rise: a new five-star hotel called The Manchester also recently opened in Lexington.
    Bunkhouse operates multiple properties across North America, including the Austin Motel and nearby Hotel Magdalena, Phoenix Hotel in San Francisco and Hotel San Cristóbal in Los Cabos, Mexico.
    The photography is by Nick Simonite.

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    Eight sunny yellow interiors from kitchens to living rooms

    One-palette rooms and statement staircases are featured in our latest lookbook, which explores the best yellow interiors from the Dezeen archives.

    From soft, buttery hues to vivid primary colours and deeper mustards, these residential and commercial spaces have challenged the use of traditional shades to create unique, eye-catching yellow interiors.
    The use of yellow has been incorporated into bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and facades, whether it is contrasting with brighter colours, blending with other honey tones or standing out against neutral materials.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with lime plaster walls, Barbiecore pink aspects and retro nods to Wes Anderson.
    Photography is by Peter LandersBeresford Road property, London, by Russian for Fish

    This London-based apartment features a statement yellow kitchen that was used to brighten the basement and complement the other colours in the space. Russian for Fish used the same vivid shade throughout the entirety of the kitchen, which also continues to the staircase.
    Plant pots are added to the area to create dimension, with the green tones adding more colour to the otherwise yellow and neutral home.
    “Yellow is a great colour – it brings out the ochre tones of the natural concrete floor, compliments the off-white walls, and creates warmth throughout the flat, even on the dullest of days,” says architect and founder at Russian for Fish, Pereen d’Avoine.
    Find out more about Beresford Road property ›
    Photography is by Eugeni BachSeven Lives, Spain, by Anna and Eugeni Bach
    Spanish architecture studio Anna and Eugeni Bach built this apartment block in Barcelona, adding primary yellow features to the facade that add a vibrant touch to the interiors.
    The building has yellow window frames and grills, balconies and blinds that are all visible from the apartments, as well as yellow internal doors to the balconies. These statement attributes contrast with the grey stucco and internal walls.
    The shade – which was selected as it was approved by the area’s regulators – is also used in the communal staircase.
    Find out more about Seven Lives ›
    Photography is by René de Wit and Pim TopResidential complex, The Netherlands, by Shift Architecture Urbanism
    A variety of bright colours were used to decorate this residential complex designed by Shift Architecture Urbanism in Amsterdam. The 235 apartments feature shades of yellow, green, blue, red in the furniture, fixtures and appliances to create a playful atmosphere.
    The homes feature laminate floors, white walls and concrete ceilings that create a neutral base for the additional colours used for the modular units, cupboard-style bedrooms and ceramic tiled walls.
    Find out more about the residential complex ›
    Photography is by Jesper WestblomApartment, Sweden, by Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor
    This apartment in Stockholm uses plenty of primary colours, with reds, blues and yellows used on the walls and on the furniture.
    A butter shade decorates the walls of the main and children’s bedrooms, and is complimented by a sunshine hue on the ceiling. Soft yellow shades are also used to contrast maroon tiles and doors throughout the home.
    Yellow accents can also be found on its accessories, such as lamps, crockery and artwork.
    Find out more about the Stockholm apartment ›
    Photography is by Del Rio BaniCasa Collumpio, Spain, by MACH
    MACH designed this industrial-style house in Barcelona with lemon-yellow steelwork used on the interior and exterior.
    Used as a focal point among grey concrete and wooden cladding, a bright yellow staircase with a protective mesh panel connects the upper floors of the building. To complement the feature, yellow stripes are added to the white kitchen cupboards.
    The colour continues on the steelwork around the door, forming a decorative statement around the windows at the front and back of the home.
    Find out more about Casa Collumpio ›
    Photography is by José HeviaApartment, Spain, by Arquitectura-G
    Arquitectura-G designed the interiors of this apartment in Barcelona with pastel yellow tones to create a lighter, more open space. The walls and floor of the space are covered in glazed square tiles, with the metal kitchen units matching in a similar tone.
    Yellow furniture, such as a sofa and cupboards, complement the apartment’s colour palette.
    “We prefer to use the same colour in the whole project, in order to give a strong visual impact and make it an essential part of the house’s identity,” sids Arquitectura-G.
    Find out more about the Spanish apartment ›
    Photography is by Mikael LundbladCafe Banacado, Sweden, by ASKA
    ASKA has created a picturesque cafe in Stockholm informed by film director Wes Anderson’s aesthetics, using shades of mustard, cream, pink and brown to adorn the space.
    The yellow checkerboard floor was influenced by traditional Cuban styles of interiors and mirrored by similar tones in the tiled table tops.
    “In order to create an environment that feels harmonious we work with subtle layering and tone in tone methods,” said ASKA co-founder Madeleine Klingspor. “The same yellow is used on the walls, lamps, tables and floor but in different scales and intensity,”
    Find out more about Cafe Banacado ›
    The photography is by Jose HeviaJJ16, Spain, by Lucas y Hernández-Gil
    Citrus yellow offsets petal pink in this Madrid apartment by Lucas y Hernández-Gil, with a yellow built-in bookshelf lining the length of the corridor.
    The hallway leads to the kitchen, which features a contrasting soft pink floor and walls and matte grey units.
    The rest of the space has been decorated with similarly vivid colours and prints, including neon orange storage hidden by white doors, blue checkerboard flooring and an aubergine wardrobe.
    Find out more about JJ16 ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with lime plaster walls, Barbiecore pink aspects and retro nods to Wes Anderson.

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    El Departamento designs Barcelona eyewear store as a “challenging visual exercise”

    Slight variations in tone and texture differentiate surfaces inside the PJ Lobster glasses store in Barcelona, which Spanish interiors studio El Departamento has finished entirely in green.

    The shop in the El Born district features walls, floors and stuccoed ceilings all covered in soft, tranquil tones of seafoam green, creating an immersive experience designed to challenge the eye.
    The PJ Lobster store in Barcelona is finished entirely in green”The human eye is able to distinguish more different shades of green than any other colour,” El Departamento told Dezeen. “That’s because, deep inside us, we’re still hunters from the prehistoric era.”
    “So that’s what we wanted to aim for here, not to hunt anything but to recover the challenging visual exercise of exploring a wide range of greens.”
    A glossy counter stands at the centre of the shopThe practice was also influenced by Charles and Ray Eames’s short film Powers of Ten, which explores the scales of the universe.

    This informed El Departamento’s study of different textures within the store “from macro to micro”, from the small-grained velvety micro-cement on the floor to the rough textured plaster that was applied to the wall by hand to achieve the right level of thickness.
    “We wanted to get to the last step, just before a texture becomes a topography,” the studio said. “It was done manually, carefully and step by step to achieve the perfect state.”
    The examination room is located at the rear of the storeStainless steel is another key player in the store, used to create banks of display shelving that frame each pair of glasses, with the soft sheen of the metal creating a striking contrast with the deliberately blobby texture of the walls behind.
    Another textural juxtaposition is provided by the large, capsule-like counter at the heart of the store with its high-shine gloss finish and mirrored top.

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    Further back in the store is an area dedicated to visual examinations, delineated by a shiny pleather curtain and a softer carpeted floor.
    The result, according to El Departamento, is “a vibrant space that swings between the soft and the hard, the rough and the velvety”.
    Glasses are displayed on stainless steel shelvesThe studio has been collaborating with PJ Lobster since the eyewear brand was founded in 2018 under the name Project Lobster, helping the company to expand from an online business into real-life stores.
    With this latest outpost, El Departamento wanted to encapsulate the evolution of the brand and its products.
    The examination room is hidden behind a shiny pleather curtain”We wanted to show that the brand has matured,” the studio said. “We tried to show somehow the organic evolution of the brand by giving this space a more technical and precise atmosphere, where the wide range of textures speaks of the precision levels of the products.”
    Other monochrome eyewear stores include Lunettes Selection in Berlin, which is enveloped by mint-green floor-to-ceiling cabinets, and Melbourne’s Vision Studio where cool-toned industrial materials such as aluminium and concrete are paired with grey marble surfaces.
    The photography is by José Hevia.

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