Frederick Tang Architecture has completed Nabila’s, a new elevated-casual concept, in the Cobble Hill section of Brooklyn, New York. The Lebanese restaurant and market occupies a Queen Anne-style structure from the late 19th century that has been dramatically reimagined as a bright and inviting setting adorned with lush materials and rich colors that nod to the Middle Eastern country’s culture.
“Our favorite projects are ones with some historic contexts when we can create something that’s both old and new. We loved playing with some original details and inventing new ones that work with them,” says firm founder Frederick Tang. “We were so thrilled when [owner Mike Farah] chose this space as it was an exciting opportunity to design in a prominent corner building with beautiful light and great bones.”
Nabila’s boasts a distinctive curb appeal thanks to a ground floor façade clad with wood and ornamental moldings, as well as black paint and a forest green awning. Inside, a softly curved Caesarstone quartz counter arcs from the entryway and draws the eye through the long, linear space anchored by the open kitchen.
Echoing the form of the bar, arched nooks accommodate plush booths wrapped in exuberant floral patterns and, in the rear of the store, host shelving that displays grocery items. Teal and cream tones spread across the tiled floor, while white oak millwork and brass fixtures serve as key motifs. Details, like fishscale cement mosaic tile installed behind the counter, complement a color story that draws upon vegetables, from eggplant purple to leafy greens offset by notes of cream and pale lavender.
A swooping pattern—reminiscent of the complex geometries that define historic Lebanese decorative arts—adorns ceilings in the rear of the interior, which is illuminated by a large antique chandelier modernized with globe shades and a minimal base. An antique wooden bench was also adjusted to wrap two sides of the room, transforming the space into a communal hub.
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