Cobalt blue surfaces line this bar and restaurant on Manhattan's Decrease East Facet, designed by Brooklyn's Omar Aqeel Studio as a “retro-futuristic oasis.”
On the nook of East Houston and Allen streets, Solely Love Strangers is a two-level cocktail lounge, restaurant and reside music venue that pulls influences from 1960s and 70s surrealism.
Studio Omar Aqeel mixed references from Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A House Odyssey and Eileen Grey's villa E-1027 to Alexander Calder's sculptures for the interiors.
“A web site of sensory fantasy – particularly for discerning creatives – Solely Love Strangers boasts a novel aesthetic that encourages infinite discovery,” the staff stated.
Friends getting into the 6,300-square-foot (585-square-meter) area are greeted by a cantilevered, brushed aluminum host stand.
Straight forward, via an arched opening, is a bar space clad in floor-to-ceiling cobalt blue tiles with blue grout.
A brushed aluminum bar counter has rounded ends, echoed by a lightweight fixture above, and industrial-style bar stools seat seven.
The banquettes are upholstered in Verner Panton's black and white Optik cloth from 1969, including area for eight extra visitors.
In the principle eating area, to the left of the doorway, the partitions are lined in limewash that contrasts with the intense blue cushions of the built-in chairs.
“Right here, a voyeuristic exit permits visitors to peek into the subterranean lounge, whereas domed eating alcoves with crescent-shaped blue cubicles present a extra intimate eating environment,” the staff stated.
The non-public eating area for as much as 10 visitors is embellished with a wall-to-wall hand-painted mural impressed by the summary Bauhaus grid.
With its personal entrance, this area contains Ant chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, a classic Makio Hasuike eating desk for Seccose metro and Maru pendant lighting by Ingo Maurer.
Cobalt blue reappears within the basement lounge, the place almost each floor is dressed within the daring hue.
The aluminum accents proceed on this area as properly, together with a wide range of playful lights that add a heat glow to the cool-toned area.
Items by New York artists and designers could be present in Solely Love Strangers, together with Max Simon, Blue Inexperienced Works, Yuyu Shiratori, Nico Anon, Superabundance, Gregory Beson, Adriana Gallo, Ash Allen and Lucas Keen Studios.
The lounge additionally provides a reside music program with native jazz expertise within the evenings.
The full of life Decrease East Facet neighborhood is stuffed with bars and eating places, akin to Italian eatery Una Pizza Napoletana, with deco-meets-industrial interiors.
Boutiques which have not too long ago opened within the space embrace menswear retailer Le Père by BoND and streetwear retailer Awake NY by Rafael de Cárdenas.
The picture is by Ori Harpaz.