Topics
Third Places
“Third Places” are not only popular as a concept, but they are likely some of your favorite places to hang out. But, what are they? Where you live and where you work are the first two places you spend the bulk of your time. A “Third Place” is somewhere you go often to hang out. Often, these are restaurants, coffee shops, or bars: social spaces we humans go to congregate and communicate.
Our third places portfolio projects.
TI Build-Out for a Modern Coffee Lounge
Armistice Coffee & Cocktail Bar
In the corner commercial space in the Lucille apartments, this hybrid coffeehouse/bar offers drinks and treats with the vibe of a European café.
TI for a Wine Bar on Capitol Hill
Footprint Wine Tap
This wine bar on Capitol Hill in Seattle advocates for sustainable principles and the design of their new space reflects it with salvaged, reused, and rescued materials large and small.
Tenant Improvement for a Cheese Tea Shop
Atulea Tea Shop
This cheery tea shop on Capitol Hill in Seattle features dramatic wallpaper to catch your eye and draw you in to experience its perky “beach chic” vibe.
Tenant Improvement for a Coffee Shop
The Cottage: Coffee, Bistro & Bar
Coffee shop by day, restaurant, bar, and performance venue by night, this flexible space balances the aesthetics of a Parisian bistro and a rustic, country cottage.
Our third places posts.
Commercial, Interior Design, Third Places
Elements of Great Café Design
Think about your favorite café. What stands out to you? When it comes to designing amazing café spaces, there’s a lot to consider, but it doesn’t need to be complicated. Here, we break down the basic elements every café should include to achieve a great design that elevates your brand and your customers love.
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Commercial, Interior Design, Third Places
The Personalized Hospitality Experience
Before Covid-19 shifted our world, personalized hospitality experiences, like private dining rooms and by-appointment-only shopping, were considered luxuries reserved only for an elite few. But, with social distancing recommendations in place — driven first by necessity and later by comfort — it’s possible some of these once-elite experiences become more common. Here’s a look at how some of this could evolve.
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Commercial, Interior Design, Third Places
Commercial Design in the Age of Social Distancing
As commercial spaces slowly re-open, businesses and clientele have to take extra precautions because these spaces were designed to operate in a pre-pandemic world. This post is part of a series on how design for commercial spaces may evolve due to the Covid-19 pandemic, either by requirement or by cultural shift.
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Commercial, Third Places
5 Things You Need to Know About Opening Your First Commercial Space
Especially if it’s your first, opening a commercial space is a big deal and takes no shortage of knowledge or planning to pull off without too much trouble, or too much time lost. Here are five things to keep in mind when taking your new commercial space from concept to doors-open.
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Commercial, Third Places
Creating Intentional Interactions Through Design
When we’re designing spaces like coffee shops, bars, offices, and even yards, it’s key to create a space where people can have casual and occasional interactions. Here’s a little about how we go about designing spaces that promote interaction between strangers.
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Commercial, Third Places
Are Loud Restaurants Really Worth It?
There are certainly reasons why some chefs and restaurant owners prefer a loud space. And, some restaurant patrons enjoy it, too, at least for a little while. Here are a few reasons why loud restaurants exist and a few ways we could make them a little quieter, while still keeping a business profitable.
Read more.Our third places recognition stories.
Best Restaurant Architects in Seattle: Seattle Architects’ 2020 List
Seattle Architects includes Board & Vellum on their list of the 15 Best Restaurant Architects in Seattle in 2020.
Ada’s Technical Books & Café Featured at the 2014 Green Building Slam
At the 2014 Green Building Slam, Board & Vellum presented Ada's Technical Books & Café, featured as one of 10 projects honored.
2014 Residential Architect Design Awards Cite Ada’s Technical Books & Café
Ada’s Technical Books & Café was honored with a citation in the Light/Commercial category of the 2014 Residential Architect Design Awards.
Ada’s Technical Books & Café Wins 2014 REX Award
Board & Vellum's Ada's Technical Books & Café is honored with a Green Remodeling Excellence (REX) award in 2014.
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Our Story
Board & Vellum is a young and vibrant firm built on the idea that an informed and engaged team leads to better design and happy clients. We wouldn’t be where we are today without passion and hard work, and those same two things keep us going strong today.
Our Process
Bringing your project from “idea” to fruition is a little different at Board & Vellum. We give personal care to each of our projects, and you’ll be in the loop every step the way. The bonus: we are an integrated firm, so each project has access to plenty of great knowledge — and that leads to better design.
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