I was just returning from one of my annual trips to Paris, France, when I got a call from Chris and Sophie Evanoff of Vanille Patisserie, who were in the process of moving Vanille’s production facility and were looking to create a new look for their new retail outlet on Clark Street. It took some convincing before adopting a neutral palette of dark grey and pearl white, but redefining the Vanille Brand meant creating a space that would have been at home amongst the many high-end Patisseries of the Parisian landscape and providing a contrasting backdrop to make the colorful macaroons and entremets truly stand out.
One of the interesting features in the space is the oddly shaped ceiling pattern. To make room for the retail space, several office walls had to be knocked down, leaving a network of soffits and covered beams. Instead of hiding them, I elected to accentuate them by using alternating light and dark colors to tie up the ceiling with the walls. To echo the pearl white ceiling accents, the refrigerated display cases were fabricated in white quartz counter tops with Blond Riffed Oak cabinetry.
The most outstanding feature in the space, however, has to be the glass partitioned tasting room. To complement and contrast the modern European vibe of retail and café, a windowed tasting room was created to resemble an 18th-century salon anchored by a “unique to Vanille” custom mural simulating an antique French decorative paneling with mirror.