A mixture of cobalt tiles, chrome finishes and azure flooded partitions conspire for enchanted evenings hidden in Simply Love Strangersa brand new two-level cocktail lounge and restaurant on Manhattan's Decrease East Facet designed by Brooklyn Studio Omar Aqeel for a newly established hospitality group led by administrators Amelie Kang, Simona Petrovska, Christian Castillo, Irene Li and Yishu He. Its electrified atmosphere evokes the spirit of speakeasies the place patrons can bask in aphrodisiacs, sip craft cocktails and luxuriate in dwell jazz.
When in full swing, the 6,300-square-foot area is enveloped within the constant smells of Mediterranean delicacies within the bar, lounge and downstairs eating rooms, in addition to the honking, honking and honking of horns – usually accompanied by growling voices -. up by means of the fountain from the cocktail lounge and dwell efficiency area seen beneath. Aqeel references a 20s ethos, making use of aesthetic ideas from the 1950s and 60s to a subversive, retro-futuristic inside structure. “We targeted on uncooked assemblages, anachronistic discourse, transmutative perceptions and materials juxtapositions,” notes Omar Aqeel, founding father of his eponymous studio. All of which implies that curious minds are inspired to really feel intoxicated by shades of electrical blue and blended harmonies of classic, customized and modern furnishings as they discover every space following a visible narrative guided by the ideas of French-American artist Louise Bourgeois.
A customized cellular by Max Simon
… The colour blue means that you’ve left the monotony of on a regular basis actuality to be transported – to not a world of fantasy – however to a world of freedom the place you may say what you want and what you don't like. This has without end been expressed by the colour blue…
Visitors are greeted upon entry by the cantilevered brushed aluminum host stand, illuminated by a classic Goffredo Reggiani wall lamp. Shifting ahead by means of an extruded archway that feels extra like a passageway than a threshold is the adjoining bar room. Guests are enveloped in floor-to-ceiling cobalt blue tiles with tone-on-tone blue grout. Weary vacationers can change the noise of New York for a second, anchored by the rounded-edge aluminum bar. The adjoining wall is lined with trendy summary banquettes upholstered in Verner Panton's iconic 'Black and White Optik' textile from 1969, whereas the primary eating area is marked by lime plastered partitions blended with brushed aluminum accents, Sottsass worktops Grey and extra seats for upholstered banquettes. in Kvadrat's cobalt blue wool.
However for a extra non-public affair, a separate eating room affords loads of privateness and distinction to the primary area, that includes a wall-to-wall, hand-painted maximalist mural that abstracts the Bauhaus grid. The room can also be adorned with Ant chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, a classic Makio Hasuike eating desk for Seccose metro, Maru pendant lighting by Ingo Maurer – and its personal entrance with a branded door deal with. Different honorable mentions from adorned New York artists and designers embody furnishings from Blue Inexperienced Works, Yuyu Shiratori, Nico Anon, Superabundance, Gregory Beson, Adriana Gallo, Ash Allen, and Lucas Prepared Studios.
Curiosity piques with a sublime cellular by Max Simon suspended within the voyeuristic exit, which permits a view into the subterranean lounge by means of a light-weight effectively surrounded by a number of intimate domed eating alcoves with crescent-shaped blue cubicles. A cobalt siren track emanates from the 55-seat decrease degree lounge beneath, inviting listeners to dive into the blue. Each inch is supersaturated in OLS's signature ink shade for heightened senses to understand the feel of area and sound. And every orthogonal line turns into activated by the human type that breaks the grid.
Baklava Sundae
Steamed mussels
“We regularly hear that visiting OLS appears like a really posh residence of a pal – you realize, the type you by no means wish to depart,” says the OLS group. “It's actually this sense of being at an amazing get together, individuals getting up and going to see what's happening within the different room. It feels very particular.”
Put up Bop, Acid, Bebop and Groove Cocktails
To expertise OLS, go to onlylovestrangers.com. And to be taught extra about Studio Omar Aqeel, go to omaraqeel.com.
