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In the first instalment of Dezeen and SketchUp’s Design Workshops, Uchronia founder Julien Sebban explains how he used SketchUp’s software to create a fictional bar interior characterised by amorphous forms and soft edges. More
New York-based Gachot Studios has redesigned the patrons lounge at The Metropolitan Opera, imbuing the space with rich materials like textured wallpaper, black granite and brass accents.
Gachot Studios transformed the Keebler J Straz Lounge while keeping the 1,861-square-foot space aligned with its ornate surroundings.
The bar at the refreshed Keebler J Straz Lounge features a matte brass front and black stone topStudio founders and opera lovers John and Christine Gachot have a personal connection to the venue, which is part of the Lincoln Center complex designed by American architect Wallace K Harrison and opened in 1966.
“Our son, who attended LaGuardia High School, would walk past The Met Opera every day on his way to school,” said the couple. “As New Yorkers, we value city institutions like The Met with its incredible history and cultural influence.”
Wall-to-wall carpet in a rust hue complements the palette chosen for furnitureThe lounge was originally designed by late American decorator Billy Baldwin, and Gachot Studios referenced his layout and some of the furnishings as part of the redesign.
“It had an intimate residential feel with various deep sofas defining seating areas,” said Gachot Studios. “The new furniture layout draws inspiration from Baldwin’s thoughtful arrangement with four lounge seating groups.”
Brass accents including bar-top lighting are found throughout the patron’s loungeA series of upholstered screens that were once used to delineate the different lounge areas were reinterpreted as walnut-framed panels that direct guest flow from the entrance and conceal the back-of-house door.
The arc-shaped bar is fronted by matte brass panels and topped with a curved slab of black granite.
Seating and tables from Roche Bobois were customised to accommodate guests of all agesBronze-tinted mirrors in the back bar area reflect the room’s gold-painted ceiling and provide a mount surface for delicate shelving and a vintage clock.
Sheer drapes are hung across the windows, and the wall are covered in textured wallpaper between vertical bands of polished brass.
Gachot Studios creates cosy New York neighbourhood bar
Rust-coloured wall-to-wall carpet provides a plush finish underfoot, and complements the palette of furniture pieces in cream, blush, caramel, oxblood, and various brown and black tones.
The seating and tables from French brand Roche Bobois were customised “to accommodate for patrons of all ages” Gachot Studios said.
Textured wallpaper sits between vertical strips of polished brassA dining area behind the bar is also provided for those wanting to sit more formally or use the space for meetings.
Architectural lighting is kept to a minimum so as not to detract from the ceiling, while sconces, floor lamps and table lamps by Hudson Valley Lighting offer a warm glow.
Black and white photos from The Metropolitan Opera’s history adorn the wallsThe majority of the furniture and decor can be rearranged to accommodate events beyond the use of the space before performances or during intermissions.
“In a building that requires a balance between grandeur and practicality, the lounge is no different,” said the studio.
Gachot Studios reinterpreted the screens originally designed for the lounge by Billy BaldwinElle Décor magazine collaborated with the opera and the studio to secure furnishings and fittings for the project.
Founded in 2012, Gachot Studios has completed several hospitality and commercial projects across the US.
These range from boutique hotels in Detroit and Washington DC, to the New York flagship store for cosmetics brand Glossier.
The photography is by William Jess Laird.
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French design studio Claves has transformed the interior of a Paris cafe, introducing bespoke retro-style decor that mirrors the architecture of local bars and tobacconists from the 1930s to the present day.
Claves founders Laure Gravier and Soizic Fougeront were assigned to craft a space fuelled by nostalgia and French tradition for the reopening of Le Cornichon, a contemporary neighbourhood cafe, bar and restaurant owned by Bertrand Chauveau and Paul Henri.
Claves has redesigned a contemporary neighbourhood cafe to evoke Parisian bistros”As the owners’ aim was to create a place where people from all backgrounds could come and go from morning to night, every day of the week, the decor had to lend itself to all kinds of scenes”, the design studio told Dezeen.
“The morning coffee while reading the paper, the business lunch, the aperitif with friends, the romantic dinner, the evening out.”
The interior of Le Cornichon incorporates nostalgic chrome fittings and laminate detailsLe Cornichon is positioned on a corner site, its facade and architecture designed to be indistinguishable from that of a local Parisian bar or tobacconist.
“These are highly identifiable but timeless places, which don’t refer to any particular period, or rather which cross the eras by adjusting as they go along”, said Claves.
Touches of different period styles are reflected in the cafe’s decor. Its interior was completely redone from floor to ceiling, and Claves also redesigned the bay windows and blinds for its facade.
A glossy lacquered wave ceiling is highlighted by painted walls with textured plasterClaves designed the cafe’s speckled mosaic flooring to reflect the typical architecture of the 1930s, while the creation of a glossy lacquered wave ceiling was a nod to 1950s Italy.
Textured plaster was applied to painted walls to create contrast and highlight the ceiling.
“We used the classic palette of Parisian bistros, including Bordeaux red, bottle green, cream and chrome details”, said the design studio.
El Fant Café and Bar celebrates both traditional and contemporary Finnish design
The counter and waiter station of the bar are covered in laminate travertine effect panels in matt red, with walnut effect worktops in gloss black.
Le Cornichon’s bar was clad in laminate fittings reminiscent of Formica, a material invented at the beginning of the 20th century and used in many post-war bars and tobacconists.
Neon green bar lights pay homage to the space-age design style of the 1960s”We wanted customers to feel comfortable and at home very quickly, that there would be ‘regulars’,” said Claves. “That’s why we’ve taken the codes that everyone knows and built a space that’s rhythmic, harmonious and punctuated with amusing details.”
1980s-style mirrors and chrome rod strips, inside and on the facade, add shine and give rhythm to the space. The studio also added neon-green lights to evoke the space-age design style of the 1960s and lend a party atmosphere to the cafe.
A decorative ‘smoke’ frieze aligns the velvet-padded banquette seating area”We also wanted to create a very cinematic space, like in Cédric Klapisch’s film Un air de famille,” explained the design studio. “This is reflected in strong markers such as the painted ‘smoke’ frieze and the fresco in the toilets.”
The decorative frieze, which evokes wisps of smoke, was created by decorative painter Mauro Ferreira.
Le Cornichon’s toilet displays a fresco mural paintingAccompanying laminate tables are green banquettes padded in thick velvet, which were custom-designed and produced by a Parisian workshop in the style of typical comfortable cafe bench seating.
Wave-shaped backrests echo the ceiling design and the wisps of smoke in the frieze. Chromed steel and black artificial-leather chairs were also custom-designed and made by another local workshop.
Numerous items were hunted down by the design studio to add a patina element to the interior, including the washbasin, mirror and bar lights.
“The pinball machine was hired from a vintage arcade game enthusiast and the postcard holder was bought from a specialist website,” said Claves.
Before founding Claves in 2022, Gravier and Fougeront gained experience working together over several years for French interior designer Pierre Yovanovitch.
Other retro cafe, bar and restaurant interiors that have recently been featured in Dezeen include the Fika restaurant in Almaty, Kazakhstan, by NAAW Studio and the Sant Ambroeus Coffee Bar Aspen in Aspen, Colorado, by Giampiero Tagliaferri Studio.
The photography is by Matteo Verzini.
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Finnish design studio Yatofu collaborated with young and local craftspeople to create El Fant Café and Bar in Helsinki, Finland.
The cafe and bar comprises three front of house spaces across 70 square metres, including a central bar with two adjoining dining spaces either side.
El Fant Café and Bar features furniture by Helsinki-based workshop PuutamoYatofu intended to inject the energy of Helsinki’s contemporary design community into Torikorttelit, in Helsinki’s old town, where El Fant is located.
“Our approach was rooted in celebrating the timeless qualities of Finnish design while infusing it with a contemporary twist,” Yatofu’s founders Angela Lindahl and Yihan Xiang told Dezeen.
Paja&Bureau created curved galvanised steel shelving for this projectGuests enter into the central bar area featuring a custom galvanised steel bar designed by Yatofu in collaboration with local custom metal workshop Paja&Bureau.
They designed the bar counter and matching shelving units to “add a touch of industrial modernity to the space”. The steel units bend and curve optimising the flow of the three connected interior spaces.
Guests enter El Fant into a central bar areaYatofu also closely collaborated with Helsinki-based carpentry workshop Puutamo, led by young female carpenter Eveliina Ylöne, to create solid pine furniture.
Yatofu purposefully worked with young and local craftspeople on the project, allowing them “to inject the space with fresh perspectives and a genuine connection to the community,” the studio told Dezeen.
“By working with local craftspeople, we were able to explore new possibilities for local production and celebrate the creativity and innovation that defines the current generation of Finnish craftsmen,” they added.
The cafe and bar features a pair of Howard Wall lamps by GubiEveliina Ylönen and Yatofu opted for four-centimetre-thick pine boards from northern Finland to create all the custom furniture pieces in the space.
“Pine was selected for its historical significance in Finnish craftsmanship and its natural characteristics, durability and warmth,” said the studio.
The interior includes dining chairs from the Finnish brand VaarniiThe result of the collaboration includes a set of stools, benches and tables with both natural and stained finishes.
“Together, we explored how to maintain the wood’s natural beauty while introducing bold, contemporary design elements such as the saturated tomato-red dye, which added a modern twist to the traditional material,” Yatofu explained.
The bar table features tomato-red stained finishThe stained finish was applied on a table and chairs set in the bar area, as well as benches in the dining areas.
Paired with dining chairs from the Finnish brand Vaarnii, the solid pine pieces counterbalance the cool-toned steel.
The earth-toned plaster walls are hand-finishedThis balance was also formed through the choice of earth-toned plaster walls and polished concrete flooring. As well as a series of warm-hued spotlights and wall lights, including a pair of Howard Wall lamps by Gubi.
“The juxtaposition of warm natural materials like pine with cooler, industrial elements like galvanised steel was designed to evoke a sense of balance and harmony,” Yatofu explained.
This balance of materials across the design scheme aims to create an “atmosphere that feels both relaxed and invigorating”.
The interior balances contemporary and traditional design elementsOther projects featured on Dezeen by Yatofu include a furniture showroom in Hangzhou, China and a refined teahouse interior in Helsinki, Finland.
The photography is by Aleksi Tikkala.
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Pink plywood and exposed insulation combine in this monochrome bar in Sydney, designed by local architecture office Akin Atelier to evoke the cosy feel of Tokyo’s mid-century listening bars.
Akin Atelier founder Kelvin Ho designed JAM Record Bar for Justin Hemmes, the CEO of the Merivale hospitality group, who also ran the music label JAM Recordings.
A passion project for Hemmes and his sister Bettina, the bar is named after their parents John and Merivale, who used the JAM label for various ventures alongside their successful hospitality business.
Akin Atelier has designed a monochrome bar in SydneyThe idea for the bar came from a trip to Japan taken by Hemmes and Ho, where the pair enjoyed sampling the atmosphere of Tokyo’s iconic listening bars.
“We wanted to create an immersive and fun environment,” said Ho, who has collaborated with Merivale for over 15 years on roughly 20 projects.
“Justin and I have had some super fun trips to Tokyo exploring lots of bars and clubs,” he told Dezeen. “The commitment to design and concept was what we loved in Japan and JAM was an opportunity to do our own spin on this idea.”
The interior scheme was influenced by Tokyo’s midcentury listening barsLocated on a corner of George Street in the city’s central business district, the compact 80-square-metre space seats 45 and houses a collection of 15,000 vinyl records along with a DJ booth.
The unit was previously occupied by a retail store and has large windows looking onto the adjacent streets. Together with outdoor seating, the corner windows help to create a strong connection with the surroundings.
Despite the small size of the space, Ho and his team created distinct zones organised around a central bar.
Fibreglass insulation panels are left exposed within the ceiling structureTowards the rear, an area with low seating has an intimate lounge-like feel, while the main bar area features tall stools and space for standing.
Ho described the decor as “simple and analogue but also refined”, explaining that this was achieved using a basic material palette including cork, plywood and off-the-shelf insulation.
“These are all familiar and accessible materials but we used them in a way that was more elevated through detailing and composition.”
The central bar is surrounded by tall stools with space for standingJAM Record Bar’s distinctive colour was driven by a specific material choice taken by Akin Atelier to enhance the acoustic properties of the space.
Pink fibreglass insulation panels from New Zealand firm Pink Batts are left exposed within the ceiling structure rather than being concealed behind plasterboard.
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“We loved the pink colour of the insulation, which then inspired the pink plywood and a full commitment to the colour throughout the project,” said Ho.
“JAM is designed to feel like you are drinking a cocktail inside a giant speaker box – but pink.”
The pink hue is applied across the ceiling, walls and all of the bespoke plywood joinery including the bar, the record library and the geometric stools that are used both indoors and outdoors.
The bar’s distinctive pink colour also extends to the built-in record libraryThe space is given a retro feel through the selection of vintage light fittings and objects curated by Merivale’s styling director Bettina Hemmes and design director Nasim Koerting.
Neon signage in the windows nods to the bar’s Japanese inspiration, while midcentury-style details such as the entrance with its grid of circular windows evoke the golden age of vinyl in the 1950s and 60s.
JAM Record Bar offers a menu of Japanese-inspired snacks developed by chef Michael Fox of Merivale’s Sushi E restaurant and drinks crafted by the company’s creative cocktail lead James Irvine.
Neon signage in the windows nods to JAM Record Bar’s Japanese inspirationKelvin Ho founded Akin Atelier in 2005 after studying at the University of Sydney.
The studio’s multidisciplinary output combines architecture and interior design, with previous projects including a retail space in Sydney with curved resin walls and a womenswear store in Melbourne featuring a tactile material palette.
The photography is by Tim Salisbury.
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This hotel bar in the centre of Kyiv, Ukraine, was designed by Mirzoyan Studio to have plywood panelled walls and a green latticed ceiling to improve acoustics.
Bursa Bar opened earlier this year in the city’s historic Podil neighbourhood, on the first floor of the boutique Bursa Hotel.
Bursa Bar was designed to look like the inside of a speaker or musical instrumentThe 55-square-metre cocktail bar was designed by Mirzoyan Studio founder Nastia Mirzoyan as a place for music lovers, hoping to attract “vinyl record enthusiasts and live-set lovers every weekend”.
“The architect’s idea was to create a space reminiscent of a musical instrument, where every visitor would feel like they’re inside a giant music speaker or guitar, surrounded by a cosy atmosphere of plywood,” said the team.
The space is lined with dark-stained plywood as a nod to contemporary Japanese designThe interior is lined with dark-stained plywood as a nod to contemporary Japanese design.
The material forms evenly spaced wall panelling, simple bench seating and shelves for displaying liquor bottles and vinyl records.
The space includes a DJ booth and an extensive vinyl record collectionA grid of wooden boards creates a coffered ceiling that helps to dampen echoes and improve acoustics in the space, as well as preventing the sound from travelling to guest rooms above.
This results in a lower ceiling height but allows lighting and ventilation systems to be hidden inside while creating a more intimate atmosphere within the bar.
Plywood is also used for built-in seating, accompanied by furniture with stainless steel legs”In our design, we aimed to subtly implement the features of Eastern style: orthogonal lines, clean shapes, horizontal orientation of objects, vertical rhythm of walls, and orthogonal ceiling,” Mirzoyan said.
Furniture with stainless steel legs is pushed to the edges of the rectangular room, with the bar and accompanying stools on one side, and a row of small high-top tables along the built-in bench on the other.
The bar counter front is clad in ochre, white and dark green relief tilesStraight in front of the entry door is a DJ booth, also crafted from plywood, behind which the extensive vinyl record collection is stored.
The centre of the space is left empty as a dance floor, where guests can move freely to sounds from the Ojas speakers.
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The front of the bar counter is clad using relief tiles in ochre, white and a dark forest green hue that matches the ceiling and the Flowerpot lamps by Verner Panton, which illuminate some of the tables.
Extra seating is provided at stainless steel counters installed in the window niches on either side of the door.
Additional seating is provided at stainless steel counters installed in window nichesThe lighting scheme is fully adjustable to create different atmospheres in different areas of the room.
“We combined accent lighting for guest seating areas, creating small bright spots, and used soft linear lighting to emphasize vinyl shelves and exquisite drinks,” said Mirzoyan. “This way, every guest feels special.”
Sound from Ojas speakers is improved thanks to the coffered ceilingDespite Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia, several projects have completed in Kyiv – from a laser clinic with futuristic interiors to a dance studio outfitted with custom furniture made from materials sourced in the face of wartime shortages.
Other spots for drinking and dancing in the city include the Virgin Izakaya Bar in a former arsenal building, which was shortlisted in the restaurant and bar interior category of Dezeen Awards 2021.
The photography is by Yevhenii Avramenko.
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A neutral colour palette unites the restaurant, bar and shop within a former interwar cinema and 19th century stables in Prague, which has been converted by local studio Neuhäusl Hunal.
Named Alma, after the cinema that used to occupy the site, the 800-square-metre space was renovated by Neuhäusl Hunal.
Understated lighting accentuates the original features of the cafe spaceThe ground floor was converted into a restaurant alongside a cafe, wine bar, wine shop and garden area, while the basement level contains a bar – which doubles as a nightclub – a function hall, a fermentation room and a room dedicated to wine tasting.
A colour palette dominated by sober, earthy tones was used to instil a laid-back yet refined atmosphere, which is the hallmark of all of operator Kro’s locations. As well as uniting various functions and purposes, the design scheme ties various architectural styles together, as the site contains a myriad of structures from a range of time periods.
A wine shop is found on the ground floor”The Alma project is housed in three buildings – the many-times-rebuilt classicistic house and the former stables in the courtyard date back to the 19th century,” Neuhäusl Hunal told Dezeen.
“The Alma cinema – which houses the restaurant today – was completed in 1924.”
“There was no significant interior work to react to – except, of course, for the original historic structures and vaults, which we wanted to let shine,” the studio continued.
The restaurant has both wooden and metallic furnishingsRepeated elements found throughout the interiors include unobtrusive lighting fixtures, which serve to provide task and ambient lighting as well as to highlight the space’s original features, and tiled walls, which gradually darken from a light beige in the cafe to a dark tone in the subterranean bar.
In contrast with the overall muted interiors, graphic designer Jan Horčík created a bold wayfinding system characterised by chunky uppercase lettering displayed on illuminated light boxes.
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“The sober interior is complemented by funky lightboxes, which illuminate it with their novel colours, formulations and graphic design,” said the studio.
“Alma works from morning to night: the day starts in the cafe, lunch and dinner can be sorted out in the restaurant, and then move on to the wine bar for a drink – this naturally corresponds to their designed character, colour, and atmosphere,” it continued.
“Logically, we treat brand-new constructions and historic ones differently – an interesting problem arises in the transitions between these spaces.”
The bar has an intimate atmosphere thanks to its vaulted ceilingNeuhäusl Hunal has completed a number of projects in the Prague, including an apartment for a sculptor that doubles as a workshop.
Other recent adaptive reuse projects published on Dezeen include a guesthouse in Transylvania that used to be a church and a city hall inside a former maritime structure in the Netherlands.
The photography is by Radek Úlehla.
Project credits:
Client: Alma PragueBuilding contractor: AversProject documentation: LZ atelierGraphic design: Jan HorčíkArt blacksmith: Peter Demek (DEMO Works)Lighting supplier: BulbCeramic tiling supplier: KeraservisGastro: Kitchen PlanPlants: Pokojovky
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Cobalt blue surfaces line this bar and restaurant in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, designed by Brooklyn-based Studio Omar Aqeel as a “retro-futuristic oasis”.
On the corner of East Houston and Allen streets, Only Love Strangers is a two-level cocktail lounge, restaurant and live-music venue that draws influences from 1960s and 70s surrealism.
Guests arriving at Only Love Strangers are greeted at a cantilevered host stand within a limewashed spaceStudio Omar Aqeel blended references ranging from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey movie and Eileen Gray’s E-1027 villa to the sculptures of Alexander Calder for the interiors.
“A site of sensory fantasy – especially for discerning creatives – Only Love Strangers boasts a unique aesthetic that encourages endless discovery,” said the team.
An arched opening leads into a bar area lined floor to ceiling with cobalt blue tilesGuests who enter the 6,300-square-foot (585-square-metre) space are greeted at a cantilevered, brushed-aluminium host stand.
Straight ahead, through an arched opening, is a bar area enveloped in floor-to-ceiling cobalt blue tiles with blue grouting.
Banquettes are upholstered in Verner Panton’s 1969 Black and White Optik textileA brushed-aluminium bar counter has rounded ends echoed by a light fixture above, and industrial-style bar stools provide seating for seven.
Banquettes are upholstered in Verner Panton’s 1969 Black and White Optik textile, adding space for eight more guests.
Cobalt blue continues as an accent on seat cushions in the main dining spaceIn the main dining space, left of the entrance, the walls are covered in earthy limewash that contrasts the bright blue cushions of built-in seats.
“Here, a voyeuristic egress allows guests to peek into the subterranean lounge, while domed dining niches with blue crescent-shaped booths provide a more intimate dining atmosphere,” the team said.
The private dining space is decorated with a mural inspired by the Bauhaus abstract gridThe private dining space for up to 10 guests is decorated with a wall-to-wall, hand-painted mural inspired by the Bauhaus abstract grid.
With its own entrance, this space includes Ant chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, a vintage Makio Hasuike for Seccose metro dining table, and Maru pendant lighting by Ingo Maurer.
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Cobalt blue reappears across the basement-level lounge, where almost every surface is dressed in the bold hue.
Aluminium accents continue in this space too, along with a variety of playful lights that add a warm glow to the cool-toned space.
The basement-level cocktail lounge is also lined almost entirely in cobalt bluePieces by New York-based artists and designers can be found throughout Only Love Strangers, including Max Simon, Blue Green Works, Yuyu Shiratori, Nico Anon, Superabundance, Gregory Beson, Adriana Gallo, Ash Allen, and Lucas Willing Studios.
The lounge also offers a live music program of local jazz talent in the evenings.
The lounge features aluminium furniture and hosts live music performancesThe lively Lower East Side neighbourhood is packed with bars and restaurants, such as Italian spot Una Pizza Napoletana with “deco meets industrial” interiors.
Boutiques that have recently opened in the area include the Le Père menswear store by BoND and the Awake NY streetwear shop by Rafael de Cárdenas.
The photography is by Ori Harpaz.
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