A Rhythmic Composition of Design

Challenge

This 4,800-square-foot restaurant and bar was to be an integral part of an exterior balcony in the Neiman Marcus San Antonio store. The narrowness of the space configuration was challenging to establishing flow. In addition, the bar had to be visible, yet also away from dining traffic.

SOLUTION

Our plan took advantage of the narrowness of the space to set forth a linear theme and a strongly sequenced perspective, from one end to the other. Circular forms, linearity, and gridded elements were applied in various ways, resulting in a distinctive visual choreography throughout. A linear pendant light fixture extends the entire length of the bar to create a pleasant, warm glow, and an open, welcoming atmosphere.

The main palette for the furniture and fixtures encompasses shades of tan, cream, bleached ash, and alabaster; there are Venetian plaster touches in gold and wine; and area rugs in wine, leaf-green, and chocolate, carefully placed on warmly tinted floors of concrete. Just as music is composed with sustained backgrounds, rhythm, a melody line, and accented notes, we developed this space as a visual composition, using playful ceiling discs, rhythmic grids, repetitive fins, and color accents.