Anka Grill
New York, NY

Designed within a compact New York City footprint, this project transforms constraint into precision – distilling the restaurant experience into an efficient, highly focused environment defined by material, light, and movement.

At the street, the storefront establishes a distinct identity through dimensional glass that fragments and layers views into the interior. Rather than offering a direct reveal, the façade filters movement, light, and activity – creating a shifting, atmospheric threshold and a dynamic edge between the city and the space within.

A Palette of Texture and Restraint

Materials selections are purposeful and tactile. Wood seating and integrated banquettes introduce warmth, while stone and tile surfaces provide durability and contrast. Rather than relying on bold color, the design builds richness through texture, proportion, and the interplay of surfaces.

Layered Boundaries, Unified Experience

A decorative metal screen is integrated as a feature wall along the service boundary, creating a layered backdrop that defines the transition between public and operational zones. Its patterned surface introduces depth and visual interest while maintaining continuity across the interior, reinforcing the architectural rhythm of the space. Lighting is used to shape the experience at multiple scales. Soft illumination along the banquette wall creates a more intimate edge to the space, while focused lighting at the counter and kitchen enhances visibility and reinforces operational flow. Anka Grill demonstrates how a small-scale environment can deliver a strong and memorable experience through precision, material expression, and thoughtful spatial organization – where every element contributes to both function and identity.

Transparency, Craft, and the Heart of Fire

The interior layout is organized around a direct and intuitive sequence, guiding guests from entry to ordering while maintaining a continuous visual connection to the kitchen. This transparency brings the act of cooking forward, allowing the process itself to shape the atmosphere. A wood-fired oven set within a textured stone wall anchors the space, becoming both a visual and experiential focal point. The presence of flame, combined with the weight and depth of the material, reinforces a sense of authenticity and craft central to the dining experience.

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Hotel Indigo By IHG North Conway, NH

The design begins with a story – one that was already here, rooted in place, carried forward through material, and reinterpreted through interior form. At the center of that story is the “Harmony Tree,” a maple long known to the community and once located on this site. Its presence is carried forward overhead – reclaimed wood slabs from the tree are integrated into the ceiling at reception, creating a direct material connection to what once stood here. A monolithic front desk of Belgian bluestone establishes a contrasting counterpoint – grounded, weighty, and precise – anchoring the point of arrival with a sense of permanence. Behind it, a custom wallcovering and integrated open shelving form a continuous backdrop. The composition draws from Diana’s Baths, a nearby series of cascading waterfalls in the White Mountains, translating that movement into an abstract, textural field. Shelving is set directly in front of this surface, displaying a curated mix of local objects, vintage finds, and books sourced from nearby shops, including titles specific to the history of Intervale – bringing the narrative of place into direct view.

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The Viewpoint Rooftop & Eatery North Conway, NH

Defined as much by how it is composed as how it is experienced, The Viewpoint Rooftop & Eatery is a space where the interior design led – shaping the identity and experience that followed, with each zone calibrated for how people gather, move, and linger. Set at the top of the Hotel Indigo, the restaurant operates as both a destination and extension of its surrounding context. In colder months, the experience turns inward – grounded in material, light, and proximity. As the seasons shift, it expands outward onto the rooftop terrace, allowing dining and social activity to extend directly into the mountain setting. Arrival is structural and intentional. A deep, framed portal establishes a clear point of entry, aligning with a central axis that organizes the room beyond. This moment of compression gives way to openness, allowing guests to quickly understand how the space is organized while still discovering it gradually. Vertical black slats and warm walnut millwork introduce depth at this threshold – revealing and partially concealing views to create a controlled sequence of arrival. The layout is calibrated to support a range of dining experiences. At its center, a dedicated chef’s table for eight anchors the room – positioned between the dark slat feature wall and the full-height curved glazing, and designed to gather guests around a more intimate, chef-led dining experience with a specialized menu. Surrounding it, seating shifts in scale and intent: perimeter tables along the glazing offer quieter moments, while lounge groupings extnd dwell time before and after dining, encouraging guests to linger.

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