Olive & Finch Eatery and Bakery

Our client Mary Nguyen wanted to grow her successful café concept from a beloved, single neighborhood spot to a new space with an upscale demographic. The café enjoys a robust take out business, so traffic flow and the right space plan is critical. We designed nooks to wait in, to avoid crowding the folks that stay and hang. The space is bright and light with lots of glass — we used wood and lush materials to add warmth, and a bold color for whimsy to not take itself too seriously.

After working with Keegan and Lisa designing their D Bar San Diego location, we were excited to expand their brand in our hometown. They grew out of the first Denver location, and worked with Xan to evolve the brand into a larger space, new construction, and still in Uptown. The design challenge became how to retain the cozy character of the very first D Bar, and connect this new restaurant to the interior brand of the more refined San Diego space. We utilized the same color palette of D Bar blue and chocolate brown, and used the same booth design as San Diego. Reclaimed table tops and a cement floor bring in the cozy feel, while the dessert bar is still the star of the space. Check out the cafe counter where you can watch cake decorating and order some goodies to go. Xan was involved from the core and shell start to the icing finish.

We were incredibly excited to be involved with this project, and remember the days when this neighborhood was dominated by the recycling plant and train tracks! The RiNo (River North) district has become a place where creative agencies and art galleries set roots, bringing plenty of hipsters in tow. This project involved construction of a new building from the ground up, positioned at the entrance of the neighborhood. The desired vibe for Los Chingones was part neighborhood bar, part Mexican cantina, a casual, drop-in place for the community. The taquería has two levels featuring the first roof-top deck. Xan was inspired by the colors of Mexico, hokey Mexican restaurants, the industrial history of the area, and simple, inexpensive construction materials.

Once inside the spacious courtyard, the large windows draw you inside. We designed the space to feel inviting, from morning breakfast, to late night meals. The pop art style mural was a collaboration with a local artist, and sets the perfect tone. We filled the space with custom booths and a sweet long banquette. The mezzanine provides a secondary bar or private party space. This project was unique in that the space is new construction, but situated behind the redeveloped Cobbler’s Corner in the Sunnyside neighborhood. It is truly a hidden gem.

This location marked our second time working with the folks at Atomic Cowboy. The triple concept — biscuits to start the day, pizza for dinner, a drink at the bar — means attracting various types of people, on different missions. We love the challenge of blending three distinct brands to feel seamless, at the same time, providing the thread that ties them together. The spot is approachable and cozy with an, “all are welcome” vibe.

Creating a new restaurant brand from scratch is our specialty. Believe it or not, this building was originally a 7-11 convenience store. We designed a façade with a colorful vertical interruption to draw attention from the busy street. Our clients wanted a space that felt like grandma’s kitchen combined with a masculine motorcycle vibe. We combined vintage wallpaper and Formica table tops with rustic materials in the bar design. Macrame and plants give the space a cozy feeling, without that fun old house smell.

The Stanley is a large repurposed airplane hanger in East Denver. There are fifty businesses where folks can eat, drink, shop, play, and work. The Stanley houses the third Comida location in Colorado — people just can’t get enough. Xan works hard to create branded spaces that are relevant to the established look & feel of our client’s brand, yet evolves the customer experience to a new level. Each new location is different and presents unique challenges and opportunities to bring a brand to life.

Keegan Gerhard and Lisa Bailey own Denver’s D Bar, a sweet and savory culinary sanctuary with an emphasis on elaborate, hand crafted desserts. Our San Diego design retains the existing branded color palette and creates a polished, refined environment. The newly constructed building offers 30 foot ceilings that include tremendous sky lights. This mass of natural light creates a bright, sunny experience for lunch. However, the evening lighting was critical to create a more intimate and dynamic vibe, despite the high ceilings. We achieve this feel with a combination of lighting effects and hand blown glass fixtures. An undeniable design element is the large wood veneer wall that functions to create a division between the dining, and drinking atmospheres, and also serves as a gallery like display space for dessert sculptures. The layout uniquely features a long Dessert Bar where guests can enjoy watching the pastry chefs meticulously plate beautiful desserts.

A classic tiki bar can be crowded with all sorts of culturally themed décor. Our approach to this genre is modern and refined, with a bit of retro kitsch. The low light space has a vibe that transports the customer to a tropical Polynesian getaway. Sip your Mai Tai surrounded by bamboo walls, black lacquer tables, woodcarvings and hot colors. The food is authentic, the drinks are elaborate, and the experience is sexy.

Our clients have an extensive art collection and wanted their pieces to be the focal point of the home. Our job was to design a simple, neutral palette that highlighted the art. We saw this as a creative challenge. We served as architect and created a custom space plan for all three levels, as the interior was a shell. Out of twelve units, the arthouse residence has the only unique floor plan. Our design focused on non-traditional use of natural materials to create texture in the walls, and a home management system for fully automated lighting to create a brilliant canvas for their art collection. They’re not charging admission to enter their home, but our clients definitely feel their living space is their personal art museum.