Local Favorite: Hubbard Inn


Location: Chicago, IL
Designer: Owners Adolfo Garcia, Daniel Alonso

This beautiful tavern, inspired by travel and tradition is rich with a slight bohemian feel. You could easily assume you were stepping into your well traveled friends library. The space is filled with artifacts, old paintings, gilded fixtures and rich wood. The small plates being served also allow you to experience a bit of everything, much like the interior.






All photos © Grub Street

Virtual Caffeine: Blue Bottle


Name: Blue Bottle Coffee
Location: San Francisco; Mint Plaza
Designer:

While we have many coffee shops in SF that top the charts for their coffee (our favorite cup of joe comes from Philz on 4th & Berry). One of my favorite stops for coffee shop design is Blue Bottle located in the Mint Plaza. It is clean, modern with just a hint of industrial science lab. Take a look:


(This is how the drip coffee is created, it is a beautiful process)
Image © Scott Beale


Image © Mapplr

Image © Scott Beale


My other favorite Blue Bottle location; The San Francisco Ferry Building. I would grab a cup here every Saturday morning to stroll around the farmers market with.

Image © Jaunted

Bell Book & Candle



Location: New York City, NY
Designer: Grade

Stunning! The space feels moody, intimate and warm and included so many of our favorite features; exposed brick walls, tufted booths, modern artwork and industrial fixtures & furniture. The long community table and open kitchen gives you the impression you are in the middle of all the action. We can image the wonderful chorus of clinking pots and pans would create a wonderful energy to the space and experience. Perfect for catching up with family and friends. We also love that the booths are a bit untraditional in size and can easily fit between six and eight.




Mama Shelter


Name: Mama Shelter
Location: Paris
Designer: Philippe Stark

While stumbling through my daily design blogs I can across a wonderful giveaway currently being hosted by Oh Happy Day!. While I would love the chance to win a trip to Paris, what I found most intriguing was the hotel the winner would be laying their head at. Mama Shelter was designed by Philippe Stark and was created inside a former garage. The feeling is hip, slightly brash,clean, modern with a large technological aspect (think iMac tv's in each room and panels & tables displaying photos & messages you upload).





all photo © Mama Shelter

Miller + Union

Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Designer: ai3

What we love:
1. It is located on what used to be stock yards. It makes me want to start up a project in Chicago's old stockyards. There is just so much history pouring out of locations like these, you have to embrace it.
2. They make their own ice cream sandwiches. The space itself is beautiful but pair that with homemade ice cream sandwiches and you really can't be beat.





We love the industrial farmhouse feel. There is a beautiful combination of tradition cabinets, concrete floors, industrial pendants and vintage finds that creates an open, warm and inviting space.
All images © Miller + Union

Local Favorite: Lillie's Q



Name: Lillie's Q
Location: Wicker Park- Chicago, IL

Think of this BBQ joint, located in Wicker Park, as southern tradition paired with a modern, industrial farmhouse feel. Industrial Edison bulbs hanging from meat hooks, beveled white subway tiles, leather strapped tweed benches and metal Tolix chairs work perfectly with the southern BBQ being served. Metal trays, ball jars for all beverages and dish towels as napkins complete the southern, down-home feel. Not only does the interior work perfectly with the food and local area, but the BBQ is some of the best we have had in the city! We recommend the pulled pork sandwiches, mac-n-cheese and house-made moonshine for the perfect souther meal surrounded by southern charm.





All photo © Lillie's Q

Colonie



Name: Colonie
Location: Brooklyn Heights, NY
Designer: Architect Alex Meyers of Mad design

We love the urban farmhouse feel of this space. The interior was created using found and reclaimed materials and has a warm, industrial feel to it. The greatest part of the design was that it was funded by members of the brooklyn heights community, friends and family. The owners of the space created a Kickstart Campaign asking for funding for the design. This allowed the community to actively get involved and excited about the project, adding to the value the restaurant gives back to the community.



The open kitchen and ability for community seating, at both the banquette and tables situated on a recycled steel beam, gives you the warmth and memory of sitting in your family kitchen. I really enjoy that they were able to create a space entirely of reclaimed and recycled materials that still feels fresh, new and warm.

All Photos © Yatzer via Colonienyc.com

The Crosby Street Hotel




Name: The Crosby Street Hotel
Location: New York, NY

We love this Soho getaway because it fits. It responds to the area and the history of soho and creates a space that is at once modern and fun but also artistic and sophisticated. Every room boasts a different design and features unique, interesting pieces that always manage to capture our attention. The public spaces manage to feel like an artist gallery, greenhouse, and chic social spot all at once. Firmdale did a great job making the entire space feel like it has been in Soho for year, rather than a new construction, corporate hospitality job. Did we mention the terrace?, we could spend hours socializing with a beautiful space like that. And to think, before the Crosby Street Hotel, the site was nothing more than a quickly deteriorating car park.









All images © Firmdale Hotels

Local favorite: Gilt Bar


Name: Gilt Bar
Location: Chicago, IL
Designer: Chef Brendan Sodikoff


After a long day of work there are few places in the city that have the innate ability to make you feel completely relaxed. Gilt Bar has mastered the effortlessly cool vibe and manages to be both, a bar and a restaurant. The space is what we would consider 'vintage modern' and features long, leather chesterfield sofa's, reclaimed wood tables, modern and salvaged chandeliers and exposed brick walls.






All images © Chicago Mag

Goat Town

Image © The Feast


Name: Goat Town
Location: Alphabet City, NYC
Designer: Owner Nicholas Morgenstern

While we find the design fairly cookie cutter in terms of current design trends; Reclaimed materials, Edison bulbs, tin ceilings, and subway tiles; What we do love is the unexpected use of subway tiles on the booths! This fairly mainstream interpretation of the American Gastro-Pub is popping up quite often and we find it refreshing and a bit heart-warming when typical materials get turned on head and re-purposed for ways you never would have thought. We cannot comment on the comfort of the booths but this kitschy touch is definitely worth a stop in.

Image © Popsugar NYC

Image © Eater NY