West Chicago Taverna - West Chicago, IL
West Chicago Taverna is a project that began in 2023, starting from a raw space. This collaboration was driven by the owners' desire to create a fusion concept that melds their cultural heritage with a contemporary, elegant aesthetic. At the time, the menu was still being developed, which allowed us the creative freedom to design a space that combines the owners heritage with contemporary elegant elements.
The design process culminated in a selective vote, resulting in a space that harmoniously blends natural browns and deep forest greens. Corduroy became the signature fabric, featured prominently in the custom seating, adding a layer of texture and warmth. The bar area is wrapped in a Flexible Tambour Wood Panel, seamlessly integrating with the surrounding wood elements.
Custom stained butcher block table tops, finished in a light walnut stain, dominate the dining area, furthering the natural wood theme. Acoustic panels in the bar room echo this design, enhancing both aesthetics and sound quality. For the dining room, ceiling baffles, custom finished in natural tones, create a cohesive look, complemented by a tranquil, natural twig design wallpaper. This wallpaper not only adds a soft, tactile element but also offers acoustical benefits, enhancing the overall comfort of the space.
Known for our bold and imaginative restroom designs, West Chicago Taverna’s bathrooms are a strong testament to this tradition. In the bar area restrooms, natural pebbles dress the floors, creating a tactile, grounding experience. These are combined with deep forest tones wrapping the walls, and an LED dropped stretch ceiling in glossy reflective black, adding a dramatic, immersive touch. This unique blend of materials and lighting transforms the restroom into a space that is as memorable and thoughtfully designed as the rest of the taverna. On the other side, for the private dining room, our the restroom is designed in a softer tone. Using warm natural beige and cappuccino tones and carved ceramic tiles for a more dramatic effect, we chose to finish this space with polished gold for our lighting and plumbing selection.
Other decor elements, strategically placed to emphasize elegance and complement the fusion concept, feature large metal pieces dressed in gold and polished rust. Elegant frames featuring black-and-white regional photos from the 1950s bring the space to completion, adding a touch of nostalgia that resonates with Eastern European Millennials. These photos not only serve as art but also as a bridge between the past and present, evoking a sense of history and connection.
Year Completed: 2024
Director of Hospitality Design: Cristiana Crin
Project Manager: George Papazov
Project Design: Jessica Bustos
Jr. Interior Designer: Tamara Jancic
Renderings: Christian Pires
Photo: Bogdan Nastase