Part of the top-to-bottom Trumbull & Porter hotel project, the Red Dunn Kitchen included everything from branding and naming to every last interior design detail. Our main design objective was to create a conversation with the hotel while establishing a distinctive aesthetic for the restaurant.
Detroit, MI
2016
John D'Angelo
Color inspiration–bright teal, rich navy, and muted jewel tones–was pulled from a piece of art found during the renovation: a painting of a streaky, red-breasted dunn, called the bone-crusher. We used tile work and Douglas Fir marine-grade plywood to bring both interest and warmth to the concrete, Brutalist style of the original space.
To elevate these humble materials, we employed elevated details: custom, smoked-glass streetlight-esque light fixtures at the ends of curvy, camel-colored channel-back booths; and a row of beautiful custom-designed brass lamps on top of the marble bar. We personally sourced artwork from local antique shops, creating a wall of warm, pastoral images that reflect the kitchen’s commitment to farm-to-table ingredients.
