Feature: A Feast for the Eyes
November 1, 2004
Tucked into the Swiss Alps in the jet-set town of Gstaad, Jouin’s recently
completed Chlösterli features a restaurant, bar and nightclub, all within a
300-year-old chalet. The chic après-ski hangout makes maximum use of dark curved
woods and leathers, but maintains a sense of humor with whimsical touches that
include the use of champagne buckets to serve milk. “The bright colors and warm
textures give a good energy–it’s a happy place,” says Jouin, who juxtaposed his
custom-designed contemporary chairs and tables against a backdrop of the
chalet’s original furnishings, including artwork.
At Chlösterli in Gstaad, Patrick Jouin infuses
contemporary touches
into the traditional design. Top Photo: The private dining
room, and Bottom Photo: the main
dining room of the
chalet’s restaurant, Spoon des Neiges. (Click images to enlarge)
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Taking the trend of high design to a personal level, Los Angeles-based designer
Thomas Schoos bought his own restaurant, O-Bar, and designed it for himself.
“It’s different when the restaurant is your own,” Schoos explains. “You really
question everything twice when it’s your own child.”
Top Photo: Curved zebra wood, light blue neck rolls and
Brazilian quartz
mobiles lend an airy yet sophisticated feel to the
main dining room of O-Bar. Bottom Photo: Making the most of its Los Angeles
locale, designer Thomas Schoos extends the
restaurant’s playful
atmosphere into the garden. (Click images to enlarge) ; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
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In a town where denim is considered dressy, Schoos wanted the décor of his
eatery to be sophisticated yet comfortable. “It’s sexy and sleek, but not
intimidating,” continues Schoos, who recently placed a family-style table with
black leather benches in the center of the restaurant to encourage casual
gatherings. “We wanted people to come in, hang out and have a good time.”
Practical touches that do not abandon the aesthetic include cast iron reeds
incorporated into the bar area. “You can water them with a martini, and the
things will still thrive,” he laughs.
While top designers can give a dining space a clever edge, style can come from
the simplest personal pleasures. When Bill Evans opened the Lodge at Torrey
Pines and its restaurant AR Valentien in 2002, he wanted the La Jolla, Calif.,
project to resemble the Arts and Crafts Blacker House in Pasadena, designed by
the noted architecture firm Greene & Greene. “It’s a very personal project
that I had a particular vision for,” he says. “I hired designers and architects,
but I knew what I wanted.”; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
The latest collaboration between designer Adam Tihany and chef
Thomas Keller is Manhattan’s Per Se. A polished steel and leather wall
sculpture
highlights the room. (Click image to enlarge)
But even the most refined and creative designers can only do so much. As
Tihany notes, “At the end of the day, it’s really about the food.”
DESIGNERS
Agence patrick jouin +33.55.28.89.20, www.patrickjouin.com
Karim Rashid Inc. 212.929.8657, www.karimrashid.com
Tihany Design
212.366.5544, www.tihanydesign.com
Thomas Schoos
310.854.1141, www.schoos.com
Tony Chi and
Associates 212.868.8686, www.tonychi.com
Yabu Pushelberg
416.778.9779
RESTAURANTS
A.R. ValenTien 858.453.4420, www.arvalentien.com
Chlösterli
+41.0.33.748.79.79, www.chlosterli.com
NoMI 312.239.4030, www.nomirestaurant.com
O-Bar
323.822.3300, www.obarrestaurant.com
Per Se
212.823.9335, www.frenchlaundry.com
Shibuya
702.891.3001, www.mgmgrand.com
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