Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.

Let me take a moment to geek out over branding. I find it fascinating how you can create a brand new identity purely out of colors, graphics, a couple of fonts and a some well directed attitude. Not to simplify the process, but to do it well is an artform. Plus, if the brand is cool enough, throw it on some quality merch and it’s game over. I will forever be a sucker for cool merch.

Branding is also my favorite place to start for interiors. Whether it be a concept-driven restaurant or creating an office for a young company, I look at my job as taking that brand and making it tangible.

My latest project, Mr. Ivy, is a great example of this.

Mr. Ivy is a nightclub located in Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. If the name Mr. Ivy immediately made you picture a green wall paired with some sort of cheeky neon sign, let me stop you right there. In the words of the great Miranda Priestly, “Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.”

Don’t get me wrong. There is a time and a place for literal interpretations of branding, but with Mr. Ivy I wanted to do something that didn’t feel so on the nose. The intent for the club was to be more than just a dance floor, but also offer weekly no-cameras allowed performances featuring dancers, acrobats and constantly changing theatrics. Mr. Ivy was built to be an experience.

In this instance, it’s important to know the difference between a brand and a theme when it comes to interiors. A brand should be honored with a new aesthetic, unique as it’s carefully molded identity. A theme is better reserved for birthday parties or that time in elementary school I decided to deck my bedroom out in tropical fish décor (Finding Nemo clearly had an impact on me).

While the colors and inspiration behind a brand are a great place to start, I’m always looking for ways to take it a step further. At Mr. Ivy I did this by using the “ivy” moniker to guide my selections without being literal. I opted for a botanical palette – think a range of smokey greens, earthy grays, metallic rosy tones, coppers, brass and rust. Throughout the space you’ll see organic shapes such as the free form arch of the mirrored back bar and the soft curves of light that highlight the brick walls behind the banquettes. I chose finishes with natural textures like limewash walls, exposed brick, terrazzo floors and brushed metals. These elements combined, Mr. Ivy was personified into a unique space synonymous with it’s name; all without using a single vine.  

I like to think Miranda would approve.