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6 4 • r e s t a u r a n t d e v e l o p m e n t + d e s i g n • M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 1 8 FIREPOINT GRILL block views of other guests or into the 2,500-square-foot open kitchen, which is framed by a long marble-like counter and glazed black tile walls. Its $1 million equipment package includes a large grill; a rotisserie; and a domed, tile-covered pizza oven, all fueled entirely by wood fire and visible to diners and bar guests. In place of a traditional back bar, liquor bottles and two large TVs are housed on a custom iron shelving fixture suspended from the ceiling. The shelving is made from the same type of iron bars from which linear, fabric-lined box light fixtures hang, casting a warm, amber glow throughout the dining room. Among Firepoint's interior design features, Paxos says the bar was a significant investment. It is topped with durable black quartzite stone with gold veining. The bar's front is lined with reclaimed wood planks that were black- ened using the Japanese shou-sugi-ban charring technique, another example of intentional incorporation of the element of fire into the restaurant's materiality. Adding to its standout design, the entire bar is surrounded by a perimeter of custom-painted floor tiles in a Wright- inspired geometric pattern. Custom geometric tile flooring surrounds the patio bar as well, and it is also used to line that bar's front. "Both of the tile patterns are really beautiful," Paxos says. "They add so much to the overall design of the restaurant and bring in just the right amount of visual energy." Forging a Lived-In Look and Feel While a sophisticated concept in a brand-new building, Firepoint was carefully designed to feel warm, com- fortable and lived in. To that end, long wood beams run the length of the main dining room against high black-painted ceilings and exposed ductwork. The beams appear to extend all the way from inside to outside, passing through a full-length glass wall that separates the patio from the restaurant's interior. Concrete-look porcelain tile and warm wood flooring in select areas, along with a painted brick feature wall, help to create a loft-like aesthetic. "Some of our thinking centered on creating a feeling that maybe this was once a warehouse or loft space, that it has the look of something that we might have uncovered and repurposed during the design process," Pandolfi says. Back of the House Main Dining Area with Open Kitchen Semi-Private Dining Area Private Dining Room Bar Area Restroom A painted brick feature wall is an abstract representation of the Firepoint Grill logo and includes the restaurant's latitude and longitude.