New York studio Parts and Labor Design has overhauled a diner in Albany, updating nostalgic design tropes from the archetype to create a contemporary interpretation.
Owned and operated by the Pilarnos family since 2010, the Capital City Diner just off the New York State Thruway was ready for a refresh.
Parts and Labor Design was tasked with breathing new life into this “community favourite” and creating a more sophisticated dining experience.
The 5,000-square-foot (465-square-metre) restaurant was refreshed with lighting and furniture that references 1960s and ’70s designs.
“Our new design of Capital City Diner prioritises comfort, familiarity, and social connection,” said Parts and Labor co-founder Danu Kennedy.
“It’s a space where the diner’s regulars not only feel welcome but that they are returning to an elevated experience.”
Many of the classic design elements found in mid-century diners were reintroduced into the space, but with fresh spins.
Typical checkerboard flooring is reimagining in colourful marble, while black mosaic tiles provide trim for the aubergine-hued lacquered bar front and demarcate spatial transitions.
Deep burgundy Rosso Levanto marble forms the countertops, as well as layers in the wooden partitions that form the host stand and booths.
Tables and seating feature chrome details, including the custom booth seats upholstered in a high-sheen burgundy vinyl as a nod to vintage automotive design.
Swivelling bar stools have circular mustard-toned seats and cylindrical backrests, supported by tubular chrome frames.
Along one wall, which is covered in vertical black and white striped tiles, sit a trio of three-quarter-circle booths dressed in cream leather.
Parts and Labor Design created a variety of custom lights for the space, which come in spherical and tiered forms that nod to 1970s styles.
The ceiling is supported by gently arcing wood beams with translucent glass fins on their undersides, while windows are shaded by Venetian blinds.
Artworks across the walls and in the restrooms includes photos and memorabilia that tie back to the diner’s location in Albany, the capital of New York state.
“Parts and Labor Design’s Capital City Diner presents a fresh prototype that never loses sight of its origin story for American diners everywhere,” said the team.
The studio’s previous hospitality experience includes spaces inside the Eaton DC and Thompson Washington DC hotels, as well as the recent renovation of the Beachside Hotel on Nantucket.
Other eateries that borrow aesthetics from America’s mid-century diners include Mollie’s in Oxfordshire, England, by Soho House, and a burger restaurant in Shanghai by Neri&Hu.
The photography is by Matt Kisiday.
Project credits:
Architect: Dembling + Dembling Architects
Contractor: JNC Management Co
Lighting design: Parts and Labor Design (custom decorative lights)
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