The client’s goal was to take an old apartment situated above a car dealership and transform it into a dream entertainment space to host business partners and friends. As the project evolved, the vision expanded into a venue that could also be rented for corporate events, meetings, and private parties. In addition to a main entertainment area with ample seating and a full bar, they wanted a convertible sleep space with a full bathroom. They also had an extensive collection of taxidermy mounts—including multiple deer heads, a massive sail fish, and a 15-foot shark—that needed to be incorporated tactfully as one-of-a-kind art pieces.

One of the largest challenges was executing a top-of-the-line design in an outdated space with difficult access. The shark and large fireplace slabs could not fit through the only side entrance with its sharp turn and steep stairs, so the team rented a machine to lift them over the building and bring them in through rooftop sliding doors.

Attempts to salvage the cement floors failed, forcing a pivot to an engineered option that better supported the design. Exposed insulation and visible nails in the ceiling were resolved by painting it black, creating a dramatic industrial feel. A wood cased opening above the bar unified varying ceiling heights and provided seamless transitions for tile and wine racks.