Pink Palette: Richmond’s Nostalgic Restaurant-cocktail Bar

In Richmond, Virginia, Studio Tarea has transformed a compact former studio apartment into Pink Room, a restaurant and cocktail bar that celebrates vibrant colours, plush textures, and pop-culture nostalgia. Designed for chef Brittanny Anderson, this 18-seat venue blurs the boundaries between dining and design, inviting guests into what the studio describes as “a 90s fever dream where you can have a cocktail made from concrete.”

GALLERY  

The interior takes inspiration from 1990s girls’ bedrooms adorned with Spice Girls posters and fluffy bedding. Studio co-founders Nolan Beck Rivera and Cameron Billinghurst elevated these references with a modernist twist, incorporating glass, polished metal, and bold hues to achieve a playful yet sophisticated balance. “Between the short timeline, the tiny footprint, and the client’s vision of bright colours and funky textures, it was a test for us,” said Beck Rivera.

Thick-pile, colour-blocked carpeting defines the floor, adding tactile comfort and acoustic dampening. Above, a collage by artist Monsieur Zohore features women in pop culture with food, complementing the whimsical aesthetic. Additional highlights include silver-bead curtains that partially veil large windows, smoked polycarbonate sliding doors to the powder room, and a vintage mirror enhancing the intimate bathroom space.

Dining at Pink Room is both a culinary and visual experience. Chef Anderson plates dishes in a compact open kitchen and serves them directly to bar seats or tables, including three upholstered banquettes. Lighting shifts as the evening progresses, with cove and under-shelf fixtures glowing pink and orange, amplifying the immersive atmosphere. Polished nickel sconces and glossy ceramic pendants punctuate the space, adding layered illumination.

“Part of the experience of eating there is looking around at the unique light fixtures, trying to find the hidden Miss Piggies, spotting pop-culture references,” said Beck Rivera. The result is a nostalgic yet modern dining room where maximalist charm meets contemporary design ingenuity.

Images by Nolan Beck Rivera via Dezeen

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