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      Eight living spaces that go heavy on metal furniture

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      Although more commonly associated with industrial applications, furnishings made of cool-toned steel, aluminium and chrome are infiltrating every room of the home. This lookbook rounds up eight living spaces that show how it’s done.

      In recent years, a growing cohort of young designers has been experimenting with humble, industrial metals – often using only one material, which is left raw and unfinished to promote recycling.
      Among them are Paul Coenen, Annie Paxton and David Taylor, whose Knuckle light made of bent aluminium tubing was crowned lighting design of the year at the 2023 Dezeen Awards.

      Paul Coenen folds single sheet of steel to form furniture “that can last a generation”

      Contrasted against natural materials like timber and stone, these pieces can add a raw, industrial edge to interiors while still feeling refined.
      Read on for eight living spaces from around the world that are toughened up with steely metal furnishings, including a Ukrainian log cabin, a flat in Antwerp’s brutalist Riverside Tower, a Melbourne residence set in a former chocolate factory and two separate São Paulo apartments.

      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more examples, see previous lookbooks featuring homes with slides, colourful renovations and New York City lofts.
      Photo by Andrey Bezuglov and Maryan BereshRelogged House, Ukraine, by Balbek Bureau
      Balbek Bureau set out to offer a modern interpretation of a traditional log cabin in this renovation, contrasting the building’s warm timber panelling with an industrial palette of concrete and metal.
      The Ukrainian studio created several custom furniture pieces for the cabin, including a trio of sleek stainless-steel consoles that frame the low-lying bed.
      Find out more about Relogged House ›
      Photo by Gareth HackerHighbury House, UK, by Daytrip
      A vintage zinc-plated lamp stands atop a brushed aluminium console by American sculptor Jane Manu in the hallway of this renovated Victorian terrace house in London.
      The home was designed by interiors studio Daytrip and furnished by Sophie Pearce, founder of design gallery Béton Brut, to contrast a “gallery-like minimalism” with organic materials and forms.
      Find out more about Highbury House ›
      Photo is by Fran ParenteFrederic Chopin Apartment, Brazil, by Tria Arquitetura
      Brazilian studio Tria Arquitetura went beyond furniture and enveloped an entire column in this São Paulo apartment in sheets of stainless steel to offer a cool, sharp-edged contrast to the wood and other warm tones in the living room.
      The home belongs to an art-loving couple and was designed to accommodate their collection of art and collectible design.
      “The main concept in the choice of finishes and architectural solutions was to bring comfort but still leave a big void so that the works could dress the house,” said Tria Arquitetura.
      Find out more about Frederic Chopin Apartment ›
      Photo by Matthijs van der BurgtRiverside Tower apartment, Belgium, by Studio Okami Architecten
      Metals in different finishes meet inside this duplex apartment in Antwerp’s brutalist Riverside Tower, where local firm Studio Okami Architecten exposed the building’s original concrete structure.
      Sleek metal surfaces provide a counterpoint to the rough finish of the walls, painted baby blue in one instance to form a spiral staircase and elsewhere left raw in the form of cabinets and a sculptural kitchen island.
      Find out more about Riverside Tower apartment ›
      Photo by Pier CarthewKerr Street, Australia, by SSdH
      Eclectic metal furniture takes centre stage in Melbourne’s Kerr Street apartment, which is housed in a former chocolate factory.
      Among them are folded aluminium stools, a two-seater armchair with an undulating frame and a chainmail-fringed side table by local designer Annie Paxton.
      Find out more about Kerr Street ›
      Photo by Piet-Albert GoethalsApartment A, Belgium, by Atelier Dialect
      Apartment A in Antwerp delivers a more pared-back take on the theme, pairing a chromed metal floor lamp from Reggiani with a steel-bottomed velvet-upholstered daybed by Belgian designer Jonas Van Put.
      In the bedroom, Belgian studio Atelier Dialect went a step further and installed a bathtub wrapped in panels of mirrored steel in the middle of the minty-green room.
      Find out more about Apartment A ›
      Photo by Giulio GhirardiCanal Saint-Martin apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente
      Metal covers almost all of the surfaces in the kitchen of this Haussmann-era apartment in Paris, as well as spilling over into many of the other rooms.
      In the living room, there is Axel Chay’s unlacquered aluminium Septem stool, while the bathroom is brightened up by the Morgans chair – created by French designer Andrée Putman for Emeco – whose aluminium frame is polished to such a high shine it basically functions as a mirror.
      Find out more about Canal Saint-Martin apartment ›
      Photo by Fran ParenteGale Apartment, Brazil, by Memola Estudio
      Part of the balcony in this São Paulo apartment was converted into a bar and lounge area as part of a renovation by local practice Memola Estudio.
      The practice designed a custom metal bar for the space that matches the nearby kitchen cabinetry while adding an industrial edge to the seating area with its low-slung soft furnishings.
      Find out more about Gale Apartment ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with slides, colourful renovations and New York City lofts.

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      Hauvette & Madani restores Haussmann-era Paris apartment to its “former glory”

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      Local design studio Hauvette & Madani drew on the Haussmannian history of this Paris apartment to create a gallery-like interior for its occupant’s vast art collection.

      Located in the city’s historic Triangle d’Or, the dwelling previously featured minimalist marble surfaces and gilding leftover from a recent renovation.
      Hauvette & Madani “re-appropriated” the apartment, originally designed as part of Georges-Eugène Haussmann’s famed reconstruction of the French capital during the mid-19th century, to reflect its architectural past.
      Hauvette & Madani added cornices and mouldings to the apartment to reflect the dwelling’s Haussmannian roots”The challenge was to completely revamp the apartment, which had just been refurbished,” said studio co-founder Samantha Hauvette, who designed the dwelling with Lucas Madani.
      “We carried out meticulous research to find the right motifs and decorations to restore the place to its former glory and Haussmannian charm,” she told Dezeen.

      The living room features various artworksThe designers recreated delicate white cornices and mouldings – hallmarks of Haussmannian design – within the apartment, which had been previously stripped of these details.
      This created a considered but neutral backdrop for the resident’s eclectic collection of artwork and a curated selection of furniture “mixing eras and styles,” according to Hauvette and Madani.
      Sarah Crowner designed a bold fireplace for the dining spaceVisitors enter at a small round vestibule clad in straw marquetry – a “common thread” that also features on a pair of curved sofas and a sleek coffee table as well as sliding doors, the main bedroom’s headboard and the dining table.
      The light-filled living room is characterised by sculptural furniture and art pieces, including rounded vintage armchairs finished in a dark green hue and metallic base.
      An amorphous ceiling work by Austrian artist Erwin Wurm was suspended above the sofas, while a deep blue painting by Swiss practitioner Miriam Cahn adds a bold hue to the room.
      “It’s a real living space, where the homeowner shares a lot with her artist and designer friends,” said the designers. “All the pieces have a strong identity.”
      The kitchen balances traditional elements with more alternative detailsFor the dining room, American artist Sarah Crowner created a striking turquoise fireplace, which was clad in a blocky mosaic of geometric tiles and positioned alongside a burnt orange vintage egg-shaped chair.
      “We wanted to take the codes of classicism and break free from them,” explained Hauvette and Madani, who aimed to balance traditional interior details with more contemporary colourful touches.
      A blocky drinks bar was finished in the same design as the kitchen tableContinuing this theme, the designers sandwiched a bright green stove between more subtle, light pink cabinets in the kitchen, which includes a patterned feature wall.
      Blocks of light-coloured timber were stacked by French furniture maker Hervé van der Straeten to create a singular lumpy leg for the kitchen table as well as the base of a drinks bar elsewhere in the apartment.

      Wood Ribbon apartment in Paris features an undulating timber wall

      Hauvette and Madani also constructed an in-house sauna for the home, finished in dark wooden slats and tucked behind a bespoke green-hued daybed, made by the designers themselves.
      “We have a strong belief that everything that you love independently will work perfectly once put together,” said Madani, who highlighted the power of trusting your instincts when curating eclectic interiors.
      Hauvette & Madani also added a home saunaSummarising the overall look and feel of the apartment, the pair declared, “it’s Paris Haussmannian style, with a hint of craziness!”
      Hauvette & Madani is not the first studio to renovate a traditional Parisian apartment with contemporary touches.
      Local studio Uchronia recently filled a home for jewellery designers with multifaceted furniture pieces crafted to mirror the appearance of precious stones. The studio also previously added a wine-red kitchen to an otherwise neutral flat in the French capital.
      The photography is by François Coquerel. 

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      Gharib Studio outfits Austin jewellery store with pink walls and arches

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      Los Angeles design studio Gharib Studio has contrasted concrete floors and exposed ceilings with soft-pink walls and clean lines for a jewellery store in Austin.

      Created for the friendship jewellery brand Little Words Project (LWP), Gharib Studio used elements of the merchandise to inform the store’s pink material palette and incorporated arches throughout the space to contrast the industrial elements of the building, which were left exposed.
      Gharib Studio has outfitted a jewellery store in Austin with dusty pinkAccording to Gharib Studio founder Nora Gharib, the team followed the common phrase “everything is bigger in Texas” when designing the concept store.
      “I wanted to amplify the brand in a grand way by taking the LWP brand aesthetic and localizing it to Texas by pushing the standard design elements, such as the brand’s bracelet arches and beading table experience, then accentuating it,” said Gharib.
      Arches and soft tones contrast with the space’s industrial elementsVisitors enter the store into a large, primary space, where built-in display cases were integrated into the walls.

      On one side, the display resembles small bookcases and on the other, the bracelets are displayed throughout a series of arches.
      Long tables lead to the seating area at the back of the spaceAt the centre of the primary space are two long tables with metallic-coated bases, also used for display. A circular display table in the middle was created to resemble a vanity, with merchandise incorporated throughout.
      Gharib inserted three arches along the back of the space, in part to accentuate the height of the space, and to draw visitors to the space beyond them, which serves as a beading area.
      Metallic details were informed by the charms found on the braceletsThis space was outfitted with CB2 Castell Chairs in burgundy, with similar tables as the main space, except with pink bases instead of silver.
      A neon sign that reads, “You can sit with us” hangs above the tables.

      Side Angle Side transforms mid-century Austin post office into restaurant

      Textured dusty-pink wallpaper by Belarte Studio was used to line the space, while the remaining interior was covered in a rose pink hue.
      Metallic accents throughout the store, including aluminium light pendants, a metal trimmed mirror and the display table’s metallic bases, were informed by the metal charms found in LWP bracelets.
      It is the brand’s first store in AustinThe space’s utility elements were left exposed on the ceiling, with red track lighting running the perimeter of the space.
      Other retail projects recently completed in Austin include a mid-century post office turned grocery by Side Angle Side.
      Gharib Studio is a Los Angeles-based studio founded by Nora Gharib in 2023, focused on retail and brand design.
      The photography is by Casey Woods Photography 
      Project credits:
      Architectural designer: Gharib Studio
      General contractor: Paco Santander Construction

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      Bijoy Jain creates bamboo hut and stone furniture for Paris exhibition

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      Bijoy Jain, founder of Indian architecture practice Studio Mumbai, has created a series of structures and furniture made from natural materials for the Breath of an Architect exhibition at Paris’s Fondation Cartier gallery.

      Most of the pieces on display in the Jean Nouvel-designed building were designed by Jain specifically for the exhibition and made in his studio in Mumbai.
      Bijoy Jain designed a bamboo hut for the exhibitionUniting them is a use of natural materials, including graphite, basalt, lime, sandstone, bamboo and fired clay.
      “No material was bought,” Jain told Dezeen. “It’s all been harvested from whatever was needed to be available.”
      Pieces in the exhibition were made from natural materialsOn display until 21 April, Breath of an Architect was spread across two exhibition spaces at ground floor level – with views of the Fondation Cartier gardens through the building’s glass facade – and two rooms in the basement.

      A bamboo hut with silk thread woven into the walls forms the centrepiece of one of the ground floor spaces.
      Jain created a large chalk floor slab painted with cadmium pigmentArchitectural models and furniture made from stone, asphalt and tar surround the hut. Inside, more furniture was displayed with a bamboo sphere coated in cow dung, string and turmeric.
      A large chalk floor slab decorated with stripes of cadmium pigment was placed at the centre of the adjacent ground floor space.

      Junya Ishigami’s architectural models feature in Fondation Cartier exhibition

      On the level below, stone animal sculptures were lined up in the middle of the room, and decorative woven bamboo mats coated with cow dung, lime, and pigments were displayed on the walls.
      Turkish-Danish ceramicist Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye created ceramic bowls for the exhibition, displayed on brick tables by Studio Mumbai.
      Stone animal statues were displayed in the basementIn the other basement room were graphite drawings by artist Hu Liu, and small stone sculptures by Jain were placed around the room’s edges.
      Jain told Dezeen that he expects different visitors to come to the exhibition with different perspectives, ultimately leading to different interpretations of the work.
      Many of the pieces were made by Jain in his Mumbai studio”[The purpose] is to evoke different viewpoints, so everyone will have a different response to the work,” Jain said.
      “There’s no singularity here. This is not about being exclusive to an idea, it’s about being inclusive to the possibility of many viewpoints, many different ideas.”
      The exhibition also includes works by ceramicist Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye and artist Hu LiuMany of the pieces in the Breath of an Architect exhibition were designed to evoke Jain’s memories or hold a personal connection for him.
      “I have a relationship with every piece in the exhibition,” he said. “My creations are about transmitting ideas. Architecture has the capacity to embed sentiment.”
      Previous exhibitions at Fondation Cartier include a collection of architectural models by Japanese architect Junya Ishigami and an installation on the impact of climate change on nature by Dutch artist Thijs Biersteker and scientist Stefano Mancuso.
      The photography is by Marc Domage.
      The Breath of an Architect exhibition is on display at Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain in Paris, France, from 9 December 2023 to 21 April 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      Crosby Studios looks to the “signature red” of David Lynch for Silencio New York

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      New York-based Crosby Studios has utilised gold accents and rich-red fabrics and lights informed by director David Lynch for the interiors of Silencio nightclub in Manhattan.

      Silencio NYC is located between Times Square and Hell’s Kitchen and is the second location for the club, whose Paris flagship was designed by Lynch.
      Crosby Studios founder Harry Nuriev wanted to respect Lynch’s original design while fusing the “essence of French flair into the character of New York City,” according to the studio.
      Red carpet covers the walls and floor of Silencio NYC, while red lighting outlines the spacesEvoking the same mystery and allure as Silencio’s first Paris location, Nuriev created sumptuous interiors that are saturated with Lynch’s signature hue.
      “Being the next designer for Silencio, Harry wanted to have a dialogue with the director through the movies he grew up on,” said Crosby Studios.

      “The signature red colour of [David Lynch] was heavily used to capture the true essence of modern-day New York. Harry wanted to create a space that felt sexy and as if you were in a movie.”
      Raised private rooms are lined in gold and can be concealed by drawing red velvet curtainsThe newly opened space is situated near the former location of iconic nightclub Studio 54, which also informed the design of New York’s Silencio.
      Expected to face a strict door policy, those who make it over the threshold will experience a series of spaces where the walls and floor are covered in plush red carpet.
      Thin strips of glowing red lighting follow the outlines of the rooms, framing doorways and openings to a variety of small lounge spaces.
      Another VIP area is located behind the minimal DJ boothThese raised private areas are lined entirely in golden metal panels and surfaces including curvy built-in seating.
      “In New York, as in Paris, Silencio tunes into the ambient air,” said the club’s team. “Its agenda celebrates the moments that make the city pulse; the club becomes a nighttime landmark.”
      “Inside, you will find Silencio’s signature universe – minimal and contemporary – expertly reimagined by the aesthete Harry Nuriev,” the team added.

      Public Records in historic Brooklyn building pairs vegan cafe with nightclub

      Red velvet curtains can be drawn across to conceal those desiring privacy, but when open, the gold nooks reflect the cinematic red lighting elsewhere. The same gold was used for the dance floor.
      In the main room, mirrored walls create the illusion of more space and upholstered benches allow guests to rest their feet if needed.
      A larger niche is positioned behind the minimal DJ booth, offering an area for VIPs to party during music performances from local and international talents.
      The cinematic interiors by Crosby Studios are intended to evoke the spirit of legendary NYC nightclub Studio 54Silencio also recently opened a beach house in Ibiza, and a second Paris outpost in Saint-Germain-des-Prés on the Left Bank of the Seine.
      Its original address is on Rue Montmartre in the second arrondissement of Paris and was opened in 2011 by Arnaud Frisch and Antoine Caton.
      Silencio offers a membership program for those wishing to enjoy all of its locations, and gain access to cultural offerings and events that include concerts, performances, talks, screenings, exhibitions, dinners, private tours and more.
      Silencio NYC is expected to host local and international DJs as part of its varied programming”Resolutely multidisciplinary, Silencio fosters free movement of ideas and the birth of new projects,” the club said. “Its curious and eclectic programming generates a unique energy in confidential venues.”
      Nuriev has risen to prominence through collaborations with brands like Nike and Balenciaga and has previously designed hospitality spaces such as a Moscow restaurant where gleaming sheets of pink corrugated metal contrast with rough plaster walls.
      The designer also added his “signature boldness” to his own NYC apartment, which features tiled walls, purple carpeting and leathery cabinets.
      The photography is by Pauline Shapiro.

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      IKEA unveils “powerful” first photos by artist-in-residence Annie Leibovitz

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      Swedish furniture brand IKEA has released two images from a series of photographs taken by Annie Leibovitz, its first-ever artist-in-residence, showing people in their homes across the world.

      The American photographer, who is best known for her portraits, travelled to twenty-five homes around the globe to take photos of people in their residences. She visited houses and apartments in Sweden, India, Italy, Japan, Germany, England and the US.
      “The home has always been important in my work,” Leibovitz said when appointed artist-in-residence in 2023.
      “I’ve been photographing people in their homes since I began,” she added. “It’s a way to understand who a person is. The advice I give to young photographers is to photograph their families. It’s one of the best ways to start.”
      Annie Leibovitz photographed 25 homes for IKEA, including this one in GermanyLeibovitz’s photos for IKEA show a variety of different interiors in seven different countries.

      “The result is a powerful photographic document that illuminates the nuances of life at home – across borders, ethnicities and professions,” the furniture brand said of the project.
      The series, which comprises 25 photos in total, was commissioned by IKEA after its IKEA Life at Home Report showed that 48 per cent of people globally don’t feel the media represents their home.
      The first two images released by IKEA, show the homes of Yusuke Onimaru in Japan and Maria Arrechea in Germany – specifically Onimaru’s ceramic workshop and Arrechea’s living space filled with friends.

      IKEA and H&M’s design incubator unveils products by 22 emerging London studios

      Leibovitz’s photos will be shown as part of the IKEA+ exhibition in Paris, which will take place during Paris Fashion Week.
      It will also feature a collaboration with online radio station Rinse and showcase the Tesammans collection made by IKEA together with Eindhoven-basd design duo Raw Color.
      Six emerging designers from the Casa93 fashion education program are also taking part in the IKEA+ showcase. They worked with “home furnishing mentors” from IKEA to create designs that focus on upcycling and sustainable design.
      The photography is by Annie Leibovitz for IKEA.
      IKEA+ will take place on 28 Rue de Lappe, Paris, from 29 February to 3 March. For more worldwide events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design, visit Dezeen Events Guide. 

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      Barde vanVoltt gives historic Haarlem house a contemporary update

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      Interiors studio Barde vanVoltt has renovated this early 1900s house in the Dutch city of Haarlem to forge a strong connection between the building’s past and present, grounding the space with warm woods and tactile textures.

      The owners – a young family of four – wanted a home that would stand the test of time while telling Dutch practice Barde vanVoltt to “surprise us”.
      Barde vanVoltt had overhauled an early 20th-century house in HaarlemIn answer, the studio worked to create an interior that fuses the past and the present.
      “Stepping into this house is a journey through time, a reminder that architecture is a dialogue between generations,” the studio told Dezeen.
      “Meticulously preserving its historical charm, the house’s design seamlessly integrates contemporary features, creating a harmonious blend that transcends eras.”

      The studio added an extension to the rear of the homeTo address the narrow footprint of the house – a typically Dutch feature – internal walls were either removed, widened or replaced with glass panel doors.
      The back of the property was transformed with an extension and concertina glass doors to maximize the sense of light and space.
      The extension houses the kitchen and dining area”With the extension on the ground floor, we wanted to create contrast with the original architecture,” said Barde vanVoltt. “The understated square modern architecture, due to its shape and angular position, blends perfectly with the past.”
      “With the historic facade at the front, we took advantage of the space at the rear, extending the kitchen and living areas into the garden.”
      A vintage sandstone table centres the living roomThe practice carefully aligned the new design elements with shapes drawn from the architectural features of the house, with the new full-height door openings echoing the proportions of the living room’s original windows.
      In the attic, a guest room doubles as a playroom. Barde vanVoltt infused this once-dark space with natural light via a skylight, “allowing guests to sleep under the stars”.
      Barde vanVoltt retained Haarlem House’s original stained glass windows”Dutch houses are noted for their sloping attic roof lines,” the studio said. “For the children’s bedrooms, we followed this structural line and created custom bunk beds that combine sleep, storage, and space for play.”
      The material palette includes a range of mid- and dark-toned timbers that bring a sense of warmth and tactility to the home.

      WillemsenU submerges house under the ground in the Netherlands

      These are complemented by natural materials including stone and linen.
      “Our colour scheme always consists of earthy colours like moss green, a faded terracotta, grey concrete and off-whites,” the studio said. “For this residence, we brought them in line with the original colours from the existing tiles and stained glass.”
      Custom bunk beds feature in the children’s bedroomsThe furniture edit features Barde vanVoltt’s favoured mix of statement pieces alongside handmade and bespoke elements.
      Selected pieces reflect the architectural style of the building such as the Lot table by Tecta in the study, as well as Gerrit Thomas Rietveld’s 1934 Zig Zag chair and his Steltman chair from 1963, which was the last chair ever created by the Dutch designer.
      The playroom, dining area and bedroom all have specially-made seating upholstered in Kvadrat fabrics, while the bedrooms and study feature bespoke beds and closets.
      Wooden blinds mirror the linear pattern of the bathroom tiles”We love creating interiors full of handmade, bespoke furniture pieces with refined details,” said Barde vanVoltt. “The headboard of the master bedroom is an art piece in itself. The walnut slats are slightly curved and give it a very sophisticated look.”
      The square coffee table in the living room – made from a single piece of sandstone – is a vintage piece from Atelier Uma.
      Barde vanVoltt created a custom headboard in the primary bedroomFor the lighting scheme, Barde vanVoltt set out to create the right balance between functional and decorative lighting, collaborating with lighting experts PSLab to create a “warm and cosy atmosphere.”
      Other Dutch homes that have recently been featured on Dezeen include a house with a hexagonal footprint in Amsterdam and a Hobbit-style residence that is partially buried underground.
      The photography is by Thomas de Bruyne.

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      Studio Paolo Ferrari designs Toronto restaurant as a “world unto itself”

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      Toronto-based Studio Paolo Ferrari has created cinematic interiors for a restaurant in the city’s Downtown area, combining influences from filmmakers that range from Stanley Kubrick to Nancy Meyers.

      Unlike a typical restaurant layout, Daphne unfolds as a series of rooms with distinct identities, each borrowing references from different cinema styles.
      Daphne is laid out across several spaces, including a Great Room designed to feel like Nancy Meyers movieStudio Paolo Ferrari intended each space to offer a different experience for guests, and custom-designed all of the furniture and lighting for the restaurant to make it feel even more unique.
      “Daphne is an elevated and exceedingly creative take on the American bistro, fusing the nostalgia of New England prep with wonder and eccentricity,” said Studio Paolo Ferrari. “At once intimate and grand, eccentric and sculptural, convivial and experimental, the deeply imaginative space is reminiscent of a great residence that’s evolved over time.”
      Studio Paolo Ferrari designed custom furniture and lighting throughout the restaurantGuests arrive into an intimate space that features a transparent full-height wine cabinet, which offers glimpses of the dining area beyond.

      They then move through to the Great Room, a cavernous room framed by a dramatic vaulted ceiling and decorated in a warm neutral palette.
      The Drawing Room is fully enveloped in a burnt orange hueThrough the centre is a line of dining tables, each paired with a rounded striped sofa and two boucle-covered chairs.
      The open kitchen is fully visible through the arches on one side, while a darker, cosier dining area coloured a burnt orange hue runs along the other.
      A mirrored corridor with a hand-painted landscape mural leads to a separate bar area”The grand space is reminiscent of the warmly luxurious spirit of a Nancy Meyers film, with custom furnishings that are deeply residential in feel and varsity-inspired checkerboard tiling,” said Studio Paolo Ferrari.
      The Drawing Room beyond continues the burnt orange colour, fully enveloping the walls, ceiling and seating upholstery to create a monochromatic space.
      The mural continues across the wavy walls of the bar room and green banquette seating follow the curvesCove lighting is installed behind louvres that cover the upper walls, adding texture and shadows as well as hint of “Cape Cod Americana”.
      The bar area is reached via a long corridor that’s mirrored from floor to ceiling along one wall, and is lined with a hand-painted landscape mural across the opposite side.
      The glass bar countertop is illuminated from within, while the counter front is flutedThis verdant rural scene continues across the wavy surfaces in the bar room, above green banquettes that follow the flow of the wall.
      “Daphne is a world unto itself, awaiting discovery,” the studio said. “Stepping into the bar is almost akin to stepping into an exquisitely-designed film set.”

      Omar Gandhi designs a “light-filled wood cathedral” for Toronto restaurant

      The snaking glass-topped bar counter is illuminated from within, as a nod to the bar in the fictional Overlook Hotel from Stanley Kubrick’s movie The Shining.
      The counter front is fluted in reverence to Beaux-Arts architect Henry Bacon, while reflective stainless steel across the back bar matches the circular tables and chair feet in the room.
      An adjacent dilapidated building was razed to create an expansive outdoor terraceA dilapidated building adjacent to the restaurant was demolished to make way for an expansive outdoor Garden Terrace with a dining area and bar.
      Sandwiched between two brick structures, this exterior space features comfy yellow and white-striped seating surrounded by plants, and a row of tall trees in the centre – continuing the botanical theme from inside.
      Plants behind the yellow and white-striped seating continue the botanical theme from insideA separate entrance from the street leads guests between tall columns clad in dark blue-purple iridescent tiles into the alley-like space.
      “It was important that the space had depth and a quality of experimentation,” said Paolo Ferrari, founder of his eponymous firm. “Daphne is truly an active experience of discovery, where guests can uncover thoughtful and innovative details throughout.”
      Columns of blue-purple iridescent tiles form a gateway from the street into the alley-like outdoor terraceThe designer’s earlier projects in Canada have included a lake house with wood and granite interiors, and a showroom for a development in Ottawa that appears more like a home than a sales gallery.
      Other recent additions to Toronto’s dining scene include Prime Seafood Palace, which features a vaulted-wood interior by Omar Gandhi Architect.
      The photography is by Joel Esposito.

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