Silver, an American brasserie, is an upscale, urban brand extension of the owner’s classic diner concept, Silver Diner. Silver’s layout, influenced by a traditional Pullman car diner, has a central entrance, long, narrow shape, with the “counter bar” and kitchen front and center. The bar itself is a show-stopping proscenium that acts as a glowing beacon in the restaurant, creating visual impact from the street. The team chose an updated Art Deco style, which blends notions of streamlining and richness of material and detailing, merging the energy of an authentic diner with a layer of sophistication. The elegant Deco-inspired color palette combines blue, silver, cream, black and Mahogany-wood tones with punches of red. The prominent hand-glazed brick wall tile, common in 1920s-era train stations, adds character and visual texture to the dining room. Custom large-scale brasserie lighting and Chrysler Building-inspired sconces on soaring columns, give the space a warm glow and ambiance for all day parts. This dramatic lighting draws the eye of street-goers and adds to the iconic, alluring design of Silver’s prominent storefront.
Awards:
Lighting Award, Art Deco-inspired Lighting - Association of Retail Environments (ARE) Flooring Award, Art Deco-inspired Flooring - Association of Retail Environments (ARE)
Status: Built
Location: Bethesda, MD, US
Firm Role: Design Architect
Additional Credits: Client: Silver Diner Development, LLC
Project Team: Dale Stewart, AIA, Daniel Chapman
Photography: Greg Powers