When I envisioned creating a mid-century French Riviera restaurant & bar, I saw pastel colors and I felt speed.  This would be my first venture not wearing the owner hat and was able to focus solely on the creative process.  Halfway through the buildout, I converted the cellar storage room into a night lounge, and convinced customers they had stepped into the party room of a 1960’s vintage yacht.

Racing coupe-inspired seating.  Banquettes were designed with a quilted leather bumper and baffled back support.

I was infatuated with the glamour of the mid-century French Riviera Hollywood scene.  So I constructed the main dining chandeliers from basic chrome vanity strips that were framed in oiled mahogany.  Hand painted high-gloss racing stripes gave them a since of speed while casting a warm consistent glow throughout the dining space.

French classics reimagined by the team at Apotheke.

While glancing out a cab window in Midtown, NYC, I saw a floral fresco on a facade and immediately knew this would be a dominant detail in the cellar lounge.