Contract Magazine - October 2018 - 38

Beacon Brasserie
Visitors to Bullion
restaurant encounter
a palette of mixed woods
and brass, the latter offering
some continuity from
the exterior skin. Full-height
glazing on the north and
south elevations provide
views for diners and
pedestrians alike.
End walls curve upward,
hinting at the shape of
the restaurant's structural
shell. Bespoke furnishings
include blue velvet and
leather seating with
Macassar ebony veneer
hugging the banquettes.
The interior designer's own
furnishings company,
And Objects, made the
solid-brass ceiling fixtures,
which hang from the Ceilings
Plus ceiling.

Bullion
Architect Gensler
Interior designer Martin
Brudnizki Design Studio
Client The Hartland
Mackie Family
Where Dallas, Texas
What 57,000 square feet
Cost/sf Withheld at client's
request

While Gensler conceived the exterior elements of Bullion
restaurant, Martin Brudnizki Design Studio (MBDS) fashioned
the interiors, mostly with bespoke touches that help make the venue
a dining "experience." Taking cues from the client and the city itself,
"we wanted to create a contemporary take on a brasserie that had
a glamorous flare," Brudnizki says. "Something that felt reminiscent
of the midcentury whilst also working for today's Dallas, which has
experienced a bit of a culture renaissance in the last few years."
To instill this sentiment, the designer used form, color, and
tactility. As guests ascend the restaurant's dramatic entry staircase,
for example, they'll feel the luxurious blue leather wrapping the

stairs' handrail and again repeated on the armrests of the dining chairs.
This helical stair also cleverly highlights the client's art collection,
spiraling around Jean-Michel Othoniel's two-story, blown-glass
necklace. Upon reaching the second level, the guests arrive at a lounge
outfitted with bespoke plush blue club chairs, onyx-and-brass
occasional tables, and a Macassar ebony-topped bar.
On the other side of the staircase is the dining section,
replete with custom wool-mohair banquettes that feature brasserieinspired metal railing with integrated silk-shade lamps. High-gloss
wood wall panels nod to the midcentury-modern aesthetic, as do
hand-spun solid-brass ceiling luminaires by MBDS' own product
design studio, And Objects. Additionally, rose gold-leaf on Ceilings
Plus acoustical ceiling panels magnifies the glamour factor while
echoing the scales of the restaurant's exterior. Another tie-in to the
exterior, the ebony-stained oak floor accentuates the Gensler
design by following the curve of the restaurant shell on the east
and west ends, extending halfway up the walls.
Elegant as the interiors are, they're also exposed to the streetlevel pedestrians to animate this aspect of the building. However,
for extra-special occasions, two banquette niches offer semi-privacy.
One boasts a stunning red wall, which is actually a triptych by Matthew
Chambers, another work from the client's art collection. This is, in
fact, the designer's personal favorite feature within the entire project.
"The contrast between the blue leather and red artwork is striking,"
he says. "The arrangement of the booth also makes for a cozy spot,
perfect for gathering with friends and family."
contractdesign.com

OCTOBER 2018

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Contract Magazine - October 2018

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