Darb is a “fusion” retail store, combining beer & wine with music in a hip environment. Inspired partly by the idea of the 1920’s speakeasys were people got together in underground bars to listen to edgy music and drink. At the time Darb meant “excellent,” today it is sometimes used to describe a grunge teenagers– the name could therefore be taken to describe an excellent grunge hang out.
The interiors follow this concept by taking an industrial feeling space of cold concrete and painted plywood floors, and combining them with modern furniture, classical lines, and modern crystal chandeliers. The volume undulates in space with the many different elevation heights, including the steep spiral stair case that leads to the vintage wine loft above the beer cooler. Darb is a mix of the best of both worlds of design, and also a great place to browse rare vinyls while you have a pint of a micro brew.
floor plan-nts
reflected ceiling plan showing suspended ceiling panels and soffits
The materials used were recycled or salvaged when possible. Most base materials were kept in shades of grey to accent the black laquered woods and bright pops of green & red.
The texture & finish of the products help keep it very interesting-even when in greys and silvers, such as the metallic renewable fiber wallpaper or recycled aluminum tiles.
I often use light fixtures as the art in my spaces. I have yet to find a room that wouldn't benefit from a chandelier! Since contrast was important in my concept, I chose these very delicate glass and crystal pieces to juxtapose against the cement and heavy dark wood.
This space should make you want to linger. You want the regulars to feel like it is a special place of theirs were there is always something new to look forward to (new beer & wine, rare vinyl finds) and yet feel a familiarity about the space.
I used a mixture of modern pieces with simple and interesting lines and contrasted that with curving sculptural lines of antique pieces. The more ornate pieces are all in black to help tone down the transition of the contrasting looks. The black chair above is a quite interesting piece; the designer took a classic chair with baroque carvings and then burnt it to morph the look into a whole new and surprising design.
Library bookcases rise 13 feet up the wall filled with vinyls and cds, and custom cubist display cases are interesting and sculptural enough themselves providing an attractive background for products. The wine bar is shown in the background and is marked by a definite drop in the ceiling with a soffit finished in stainless steel
an array of chairs and sofa gather around a fire place filled with candles, above which you will a huge silver leafed baroque frame empty against the wall but framingn many other frames featuring interesting shots and notorious people of the music world.
In the background you can see the wine racks & walk in beer cooler, and also the staircase up to the loft were more expensive vintages are kept.
The "bend" was cured around a form cut to precision by a CNC machine utilizing my CAD drawings.
With all the colors being brought in throught the fabrics, the hard materials were kept in rich blacks & golds. Glass beaded ceilings, glass tiles floors, & gold leafed wall papers make for an exquisite & glamrous setting. Interesting materials such as counters inlaid with bamboo and tiles of cow horn are both beautiful and allow for LEED credits.
