Boston — Tapestry, located at 69 Kilmarnock Street in the former Church restaurant and music venue, recently opened in the Fenway neighborhood and brings a fresh new perspective to the lively area’s dining experience.
With two separate concepts under one roof, this husband-and-wife-led 217-seat restaurant is divided into two sections – the Expo Kitchen and the Club Room. Enjoying the two styles of cooking – casual and fine dining – the dual concept not only appeals to multiple types of diners, but creates endless opportunities for their ever-changing menu.
Designed in collaboration with Meghann Ward & Kevin Walsh (Executive Chefs) as well as Marlena Ward (Principal Owner), Dyer Brown carefully interpreted each of their visions into one, cohesive design. Although the two spaces are aesthetically very different, both designs (and menus) were heavily influenced and inspired by the couple’s passion for travel.
The front of the restaurant, known as the Expo Kitchen, embraces the space’s natural light and exposed brick. A subtle sea-inspired décor, including overhead “sea urchin” lights, yellow-, blue- and white-striped banquettes, and a countertop with broken “sea glass” wrapping around the restaurant’s open kitchen all help to create this casual and inviting atmosphere.
A dimly-lit corridor leads patrons to the restaurant’s larger 70-seat dining room, known as The Club Room. Oversized brass pendant fixtures hang from a bronze-tiled ceiling while palm tree planters wrap seating areas to provide intimate dining experiences throughout the space.
Statement furniture pieces fill the room and provide a variety of configurations for different dining experiences. A Cuban-inspired tile knits into the walnut-stained floor creates a pathway around the four-sided glass fireplace leading to the 26-seat Private Dining Room.
The flexibility of the Private Dining Room allows the space to function as both a private event room and extension of the dining room when additional seating is needed. The design team created a system of fixed, sliding and single-hinged egress doors, required by code, to accomplish this goal.
Whether open or closed, this solution added another cohesive design element to the room and allowed the ‘Mondrian’-inspired mural to be a focal point when the room is not in use. The mirror paneled wood doors incorporate an overlay of the black and gold circle motif consistent with the dining room windows, subtly suggesting a line of windows at the back of the room.
The selected mélange of carefully edited textures, color palette and design features all work together to create the moody, yet intimate and warm character of the space.
