The floors are done! They are plain grey floors and they look fine and will look even better once they get a little wear and tear.
I am glad we spent the money and redid them. I know most people would probably prefer the stained ones we had done first (like the landlord) but this is better. It is grittier, imperfect and better for the overall design.
The restaurant equipment was delivered and that meant that one of our key trades could come in to get started. One of the nicest guys we had the pleasure of working with setting up Lawrence was our electrician Robbie. I don’t even know his last name. Not that it matters. A lovely guy and a hard worker, he is great to have on any project. To me the lighting in any space, but specifically a commercial space, is key. People are often surprised by how early in the design process you need to have your lighting sorted: you need to know where every piece of furniture is going to go (sometimes weeks in advance) and sometimes the lights are installed before you’ve even moved the furniture into a place. Meaning, your lighting plan better be finalized before someone like Robbie walks in. Another good reason to hire a designer – someone that can think about the project globally, see the big picture, know what you are going to want to highlight. At the shop, the big pieces needed to be put into position so that Robbie could get started. It was really neat seeing it all come together. Figuring out how the place would flow and where the large pieces and their lighting should be placed. This is the part of the process when things really start coming together. And when the left-to-do list seems impossibly long.
Robbie & one of the delivery guys The merch table rolled into position
The very professional sketch I drew up for Robbie’s light installation!
And the lights installed:
At the same time as the lights were getting put up, other major details were getting seen to. The big merchandise table had been on wonky wheels and so Sefi rented hydraulic lifts to raise the table up and to remove the wheels and install feet. The coffee table was painted and the cash table was stained. Bit by bit, pieces were falling into place.
Hydraulic lifts raising the table up Marc hydraulic lifting
Green stain on the cash table Coffee table top painted in Onyx
The space instantly felt warmer and more put together with the lights up and the big pieces placed. Still there were a few missing links. I needed waiting area seating, office style odds and ends (tape dispenser, stapler, index boxes), some kind of furniture piece for under the cash table to hold bags and paper, and a clock, amongst other things. A flea market trip was definitely in order… Other than the initial design, this is definitely the funnest part for me – the shopping. So off to the Marché Aux Puces St-Michel we went on Saturday. I shipped the kids off to my parents (after a really lousy night of sleep and quite a few breakdowns, mostly by me) and as the coffee started to work its magic and Sefi and I drove Northward, my spirits started to lift. I ADORE my babies but some mornings Mama needs a break and some retail therapy. This was one of those mornings. My spirits really soared when I stumbled upon these gorgeous chairs in one of the last stalls:
35$ each and in great shape, these were not what I originally had in mind but they totally clicked. They are almost identical to our Lawrence chairs, except unpainted, and the oak-y colour was going to be gorgeous up against my Covington Blue wall. I loved the subtle link to our sister business and I loved the shape and colour. And 35$ a chair? Who can beat that? Waiting area – check.
Next we spotted this piece and decided it would be perfect in the bathroom.
The bathroom is really big and the toilet and sink are weirdly spaced. We needed something in there. This can hold toilet paper and paper towels and also eat up a good chunk of surface area.
The mirror, paper towel holder and soap dispenser need to go up on the walls, maybe some art, and then bathroom – check.
The biggest piece left to find was the office-type thingy to fit under the cash table pictured below:
After the flea, we went to Home Depot to pick up extra lighting and other supplies and then it hit me: why not look for a tool holder style piece of furniture. I had wanted a painted metal something for that spot, maybe something like a tool caddy would work.
The customers would only ever see the back and we would have these great flat drawers for our paper bags, totes etc. I had gradually been bringing in more and more black to the space but really what better way to cut the orange brick then shiny black? It is perfect. Cash area – check.
Then it was off to Lawrence for a late lunch before picking the babies up. And sitting next to me at the bar was this very pretty girl wearing – hands down – one of the best outfits ever. Great patterns, great contrasts, and Holy smokes! – the most perfect nails to pull it together. I asked if I could take her picture and she was game.
Chieu-anh rocking the coolest colour/pattern combo
Writing this thing has made me fearless with the whole approaching total strangers thing. Who knew that writing a little design blog would teach me to be a little bit braver?
xa
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