Nineteen Town, California
食酒堂
Project the Chinese-inspired Restaurant and Lounge
Project design direction, interior, furniture, and branding/VI direction
The restaurant interior forms part of an ongoing investigation in Xiong’s design practice where she studies the notion of lavish restraint, with rigorously minimal and linear forms balanced against a richness of materiality and detail. An artful choreography of dining and lounge spaces including three private dining rooms and a bar, the high-drama design integrates custom furniture, lighting, and casework for an elevated dining experience where connection around food takes center stage.
Located in L.A.’s City of Industry, the 4,200-square-foot space is divided into five distinct zones to amplify the distinct hospitality experience contained within each. In the entry area, a custom brushed stainless and Formica reception desk is backed by a feature wall of Venetian plaster and custom plywood casework, with a collection of circular Vibia pendant lights completing the geometric composition.
Delineated by alternating panels of opaque wall and glass block, the main dining area contains a central seating area with round tables and custom banquettes of brushed stainless and green leather and vinyl. Overlooking an open kitchen, the main dining space evokes an aura of retro futurism, with Xiong’s carefully detailed furnishings and casework balancing soft lines and hard edges, shiny and matte surfaces, and an overarching feeling of weighty yet airy forms.
Bookending the central dining zone are a lounge and a bar area. The semi-open lounge area contains a graphic, curated collection of sofas, benches, and tables designed by Xiong, all combining natural and industrial materials into forms that artfully balance positive and negative space. The bar continues the design language of the main dining area, with high-top tables and custom banquettes that harmonize mass with subtlety. The private dining rooms complete the monochromatic palette and restrained aesthetic, offering a focused experience where dining takes on a ceremonial quality.
