How luxury vinyl flooring was the right fit for the new Bar Mezzana restaurant in Boston.
By Kerri Convery
Located at the up-and-coming Ink Block in Boston’s dynamic South End neighborhood is Bar Mezzana, a new coastal Italian restaurant. The recently opened eatery is owned by partners Chef Colin Lynch, General Manager Heather Lynch and Jefferson Macklin and has been a wildly successful addition to the city’s growing culinary scene. In planning their very first restaurant together, the owners hired Cafco Construction Management, a company known throughout the region as the premier restaurant contractor. Early in the design phase, Cafco engaged architects and interior design experts at Studio DRAW to design the new modern restaurant space.
When imagining their new eatery, the owners aspired to create a modern and relaxed restaurant space reminiscent of the airy and eclectic Mediterranean aesthetic inspired by the classic travel posters of Italy in the 1950s. The challenge, however, involved designers working to create the desired look out of what was at first a raw interior space entirely made of concrete. While the space was already fit for a restaurant, the Studio DRAW designers were tasked with starting from scratch. Part of the challenge was remaining true to the client’s design aesthetic while transforming the space into a truly comfortable dining venue.
“The clients wanted a place that was bright and comfortable that always felt like you were on the Mediterranean coast — no matter what time of year it was,” says Aaron Weinert, AIA, Principal of Studio DRAW.
Originally, Weinert planned to use porcelain tile for flooring throughout the entire restaurant space. However, further analysis of cost and style considerations sent the design team looking for alternative flooring options. The luxury vinyl flooring product selected provided not only the earthy aesthetic the design team was hoping to achieve in the restaurant’s dining room area, but it also allowed for a more durable flooring solution in an area that is commonly prone to heavy foot traffic and plenty of spills.
“We wanted flooring that was durable, but also added a warmer feeling to the dining room,” says Weinert.
To achieve the casual, coastal Italian dining experience the client was seeking, the designers worked closely with the flooring team to find the right product. After selecting a beautifully aged and weathered wood grain design, Studio DRAW was able to achieve a simple and clean-yet-rustic design element to complement the restaurant’s interiors, which feature a palette of light stone wall finishes.
The wood-look flooring appears so real that Weinert said diners don’t even know the difference. “It looks fantastic and completely natural,” he says. “Most people don’t even think twice about what it is.”
— Marketing Coordinator Kerri Convery joined Parterre Flooring in 2014 on the marketing team. Since 1991, Parterre has offered luxury vinyl flooring and surface products with unsurpassed quality and performance. For more information, visit parterreflooring.com.