Pronto! Pronto!

Over the weekend, we had a chance to visit Lexington, Virginia, and our friends’ new caffè and gelateria: Pronto.  Pronto is Franky and Meridith’s third restaurant and a testament to their love of Italian food, coffee and, of course, gelato.  Their goal is to offer quick, fresh take-away you want to eat every day and an inviting bistro atmosphere for those who want to dine in.

Franky and Meridith are incredibly creative, smart restaurateurs, and I think they would be the first to admit that establishing something new, in every sense of the word, can be a bit of a challenge, even for the most fearless.  But they definitely had a vision, and I was thrilled when they asked for my help with some of the decorative decisions at Pronto.

Starting with a shell of a space can be daunting and liberating. And we knew the right balance might be tricky to achieve.  First, we wanted Pronto’s decor to acknowledge its historic setting without any “quaintness”.  And although the Italian cases and counters are simply gorgeous, Franky and Meridith hoped to avoid a sterile interior dominated by too much white and stainless steel.  Finally, they planned to welcome folks of all ages, morning until night, possibly even late-night during the summer, so we needed sturdy, easy-to-clean materials and lighting to illuminate and provide intimacy.

We started with porcelain tiles that mimic hardwood planks.

We had considered mosaic or laminate flooring. But these long, lean tiles are absolutely perfect.  They add warmth in color and texture.  They seem contemporary… with a little nod to the past.  Their grain pattern helps reduce slipperiness.  The soft, slightly aged color is imbedded in the porcelain clay, not applied to the surface, so any future nicks will hardly be noticed.  Plus, the small grout joints make cleaning a breeze.  And as you may have guessed, these tiles come from Italy.  You can find something similar through Daltile’s Terrace Collection and Marazzi’s American Heritage and Riflessi di Legno lines.

Pronto is a deep space with huge windows along the street and almost no natural light towards the rear.  The ceiling is unusually tall, and we knew we had to bring the light down to humanize the dining areas, provide task lighting over the counter and illuminate the menu sign.  We also wanted a happy, ambient glow.  No black hole in the ceiling!

We originally looked at those schoolhouse-style pendants you see in so many renovations.  But in the end, we opted for fixtures that, I think, are slightly less trendy, starting with amber, seeded glass pendants from Ballard Designs;

Addie Pendant in amber

Hagen sconces and chandeliers, in heirloom brass, from Savoy House;

Shasta ceiling fans from Savoy House and Sadler track lights by Kichler;

and three Mini Barn Lights in matte black from Barn Light Electric.

Savoy House also supplied lights for the bathroom and office.

Using “off-the-shelf” lighting options fit our budget and tight time schedule.

We chose a mix of restaurant-grade furniture, including larger round metal tables for the front windows, small rectangular tables with simple pedestal bases for the rest of the space, classic all-weather wicker bistro chairs and moulded plastic chairs in chocolate brown.  Everything is really comfortable and functional.

The truth is that wooden tables and chairs would have cost less.  But I think they might have looked rather old-hat, even when brand new.  And we are hoping these more modern materials and forms hold up better, both visually and physically, in the long run.

As you may have guessed, our choice of paint colors was influenced by traditional gelato flavors… but nothing too icy or sweet.  Benjamin Moore’s Durango Dust feels like a warm afternoon in the main area.

 

Palest Pistachio, in the bathroom, is really more gray than green and we like how it continues the clean, silvery look of all the metals in the restaurant.

Meridith specifically asked for subtle wall décor… no black-and-white photographs of historic Virginia or vintage posters of the Italian countryside.  And I always love mirrors.  Three mirrors from Cyan Design have lovely frames and reflect light throughout the restaurant.

The over-scaled Tangiers mirror feels like a window in this little corner.

Detail of one of the Canterbury mirrors.

On Saturday, Walter and I enjoyed turkey and brie sandwiches, Italian sodas and butternut squash soup for lunch.

And after a brisk walk around downtown Lexington, we returned for scrumptious gelato.  Walter chose three flavors: chocolate hazelnut, coconut and banana. I splurged on salted peanut and banana.  Yum!

Gelato is decadently rich, especially when compared to American ice cream, and more intensely flavored.  At Pronto, Franky makes his gelato in-house, in very small batches with fresh, seasonal ingredients.  It doesn’t sit around.  Most modern ice creams include a lot of air, especially so-called low-fat or slow-churn varieties.  Gelato seems thicker, creamier and denser, because it is.  Ice cream is usually made with heavy cream and has a much greater butterfat content than gelato.  Fat might be addictive.  But it tends to mask, not enhance, flavors.

So, if you are traveling on Interstate 81 this holiday season, we hope you will stop off in Lexington for a caffeine, sugar and soccer fix at Pronto.  (Franky broadcasts Italian Serie A and Premier League soccer games from around the world.)

Pronto is open 8 am until 8 pm, most days, at 26 South Main Street in the historic R.E. Lee Building.  (540) 464-1472.

Welcoming Foyer

Over the years, my friends Franky and Meridith have asked me for help in decorating their foyer.

Foyers can be difficult spaces.  They usually seem too big or too small and, no matter what the size, must accommodate multiple traffic patterns and serve many functions.  Franky and Meridith’s foyer falls into the slightly too big category.  Even with two windows, a large front door, staircase, radiator, double-width opening to the living room and a small passage to the kitchen, their foyer is a substantial space… but one with almost no regular wall surfaces!

Foyers can also be exciting.  They greet visitors, transition us from outdoors to in, (and sometimes downstairs to up), and set the mood for the rest of our homes’ décor.  Franky and Meridith use their front door almost exclusively, so their foyer is literally where they start and end each work and school day.  And I wanted to help them create a room they love in every way.

We started by painting the walls in Benjamin Moore’s Castleton Mist.  Castleton Mist is the softest linden green with lots of yellow ochre and a little brown mixed in… kind of the color of new maple “helicopters” or Tuscan plaster.  It is cheerful without being trendy.

We then added Roman shades in a bold floral fabric.  These are big windows that need sunlight control and can handle a little funk.  The cotton sateen keeps everything looking crisp and fresh.  We dressed another window on the upper landing in a panel of the same fabric and draped it aside with a porcelain lily.

Angela Adams’ tufted wool rug visually grounds the rather open space and introduces more greens and browns.

The pretty 19^th-century burlwood desk provides enough cubbies and drawers for household business.  And the spinet front means everything can be hidden away quickly.

A traditional chair would have obscured the desk.  So instead, we paired it with a rolling ottoman that offers extra storage for magazines or mittens.  The polka dot velvet lends a bit of luxury and is surprisingly sturdy.

Finishing touches include a turquoise egg lamp from Haeger Potteries, who have been producing affordable and lovely glazed ceramics since the 1870s; a spun aluminum Francisco Mirror by Babette Holland; and a chalky, French-inspired pendant light.  We wanted something friendly and a little unexpected with the room’s Craftsman elements … something that brightens the space at night but doesn’t grandstand.  The photograph above the desk is by Jeremy Kohm.

We are still looking for an upholstered chair or two that would extend the livability of the foyer and provide seating for visitors who just happen to stop by.  But in truth, foyers do not need a lot of furniture or accessories.  I think Franky and Meridith’s choices are practical and beautiful, so everyday use and viewing is a pleasure.  And who wouldn’t want that for every space in their home?

Iciness at Home, Continued

This Muhly Grass is amazing… like small frothy waves arrested in time and ice crystals.  But it is the memory of what it was just a few months ago – a porcupine plant of stiff green blades and pink, gossamer plumes – that makes its current icy state all the more magical.

Maya Romanoff’s wall coverings are very much like my frozen Muhly Grass.  Beautiful in their own right.  And stunning when I think about the imagination and care needed to produce them.

Maya began his company in 1969, first exploring tie-dyed fabrics and fabric as an artistic medium, then handcrafted, folded paper, wood, grass, bamboo, gold leaf, and eventually, mica and glass beads.  He and his wife Joyce still run the corporation with his original inquisitiveness, his interest in other cultures and his enthusiasm for experimenting with new technologies.

Wallmica in Isfahan

Maya Romanoff products are available through several showrooms, including their flagship showroom at Merchandise Mart in Chicago and Donghia in Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Dallas, Dania, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Beadazzled Flexible Glass Bead in Sylvie

with Donghia's Albero

Beadazzled Bauble in Pearlie

in Bianca

in Coco Butter

with Donghia's Estrella

Callisto Mirror

with Donghia's Delphi

Designed with Amy Lau, Anniversary Crystal wallpaper honors
the company's 40th anniversary and Maya's early dyed fabrics.

with Donghia's Flirt

These really gorgeous materials remind me that winter is never perfectly white.  They capture the season’s slightly shimmery muddiness and softening textures and transform them into a startling exquisiteness.

Maya Romanoff wall tiles in Vail home designed by Jorge Castillo

Maya Romanoff is based near Chicago, and about half of their products are constructed at this facility.  The rest are made in collaboration with craftsmen in developing countries.  Maya and Joyce are committed to reducing waste and promoting green materials here in the United States and abroad.

Snow and ice are transformative in the garden.  They encase branches, leaves and seed pods and redefine their silhouettes.  And layers of freezing water reveal other colors and forms, like a veiled window into an almost-hidden glacial world.

Oly furniture, mirrors, accessories and light fixtures really echo the frosty complexity of winter.

Oly is the brainchild of Kate McIntyre and Brad Huntzinger, who first collaborated in the 1980s when they founded Ironies.  Ironies still produces some of the most elegant home furnishings I’ve ever seen, especially in terms of wrought iron designs and hand-painted finishes.

But Kate and Brad were very interested in creating a line that was a little younger and more affordable, so in 1999, they started Oly.  Oly designs are about blending the traditional with more contemporary life, adding a little humor and drawing influence from France and Indonesia.  But most importantly, they celebrate craftsmanship and beautiful materials, such as natural fibers, antiqued mirror, limestone, granite, marble, onyx, agate and hammered iron,

Yves Side Table

acrylic,

Lorna Accent Table

obsidian,

Bowl

mahogany, sono and mindi woods, burnished or brushed sheet metals, reclaimed glass,

Isabella Sconces

and shell.

Nest Mirror

Serena Screen

Their creations in resin are especially lovely.

Anni Vessels

Muriel Chandelier

Paris Vases

Adeline Table

Both Ironies and Oly are based in Berkeley, California.  Oly furniture and most accessories are made in their own factory in Indonesia from as many locally sourced materials as possible.