Samara, a new restaurant in Seattle by Mutuus Studio showcases the craft of food and design

The restaurant takes its name, Samara, from the winged fruit of maple trees that twirls like a helicopter. That attention to nature find its counterpart in the design of the restaurant. Inside, rich earth tones dominate, bringing to mind a tranquil wooded understory. “The design brief,” notes Saul Becker, a Principal with Mutuus Studio, “was to create a small, sophisticated, and intimate neighborhood corner bistro. The menu is focused on locally-sourced and environmentally-friendly heritage breed animals and produce. Central to the restaurant is the multi-level, wood-fueled grill and oven.”

The dining area opens directly to the wood-fired grill, ensuring that guests have a front-and-center seat to the preparation of their food and serving as a not-so-subtle reminder of the comfort we feel in gathering together around a fire. “The design team sought to integrate the restaurant into the fabric of the neighborhood by creating a place that evokes a rich sense of timelessness and comfort,” notes Kristen Becker, a Principal with Mutuus Studio. “We wanted it to feel comfortable to go to in all seasons, a fire in the winter and a fire in the summer. We also wanted to welcome the neighborhood including families.”

Dark-stained oak paneling and wainscoting wrap a portion of the space and the bar front, while the balance of the space features a section of the building's original firewall that was revealed during construction. Fellow Principal Jim Friesz adds, “The darker tones of the restaurant enhance the experience of the firelight from the hearth and the custom lighting made by Mutuus. Keeping the light low also helps create the sense of intimacy with the space and the food.” The firewall is composed of framing timber turned on its side, and now provides a subtle homage to the cooking method of choice.

Seating for 38 is handled through a mix of seating groups featuring anti-tip tables topped with wood recycled from old piers, and a leather banquette. A chef's counter, finished in soapstone, seats an additional six guests. Copper cladding wraps the area above the grill features a rich patina, and hand-made Danish brick, embedded with fused glass, surrounds the grill to create a delicate dance of firelight. “I liken the atmosphere to a Dutch still life painting. It's rich and moody with an elemental simplicity,” notes Saul Becker. “The simple, ubiquitous copper pot was an inspiration to us. It's something utilitarian that only gets better with age. We carried this theme throughout the restaurant with custom patinaed copper panels and pendants, handmade Danish bricks, a soapstone chef's counter and bar, and richly stained wood...simple materials that will get better over time and through use.”

Throughout the interior, custom-designed-and-fabricated lighting fixtures serve as important touchpoint, bringing the spirit of fire into the lighting scheme. The chef's counter and food prep areas feature a combination of 4-inch diameter Cinder lights and 2-inch diameter Ember lights, both made from knurled copper pipe and a custom patina. Banquette lighting is provided by a custom-designed rotating arm fixture dubbed Mallet (also featuring a knurled and patinated finish), that enables lighting to swing and adapt to table groupings. Translucent micarta sconces, made of linen and resin, line the wall. The washroom features a light fixture made from a spent artillery shell, the body perforated and coated with reflective glass beads to create a subtle, twinkling light effect. Existing concrete floors were given a subtle stain and then sealed. New windows, and an exterior awning round out the improvements.

Mutuus Studio design team
Kristen Becker
Saul Becker
Jim Friesz
Danielle Farrell

Project team
Mutuus Studio (interior architecture and interior design)
Plumb Level Square (contractor)
Eric Anderson (owner-chef)

Materials/fabricators
Wall tile from Statements
Custom-designed and fabricated lighting (Ember, Cinder, and Mallot) by Saul Becker
Wood-fired grill by Grillworks Black hex floor tile from Statements

Source: Mutuus Studio
Photography: Kevin Scott
Visit the Mutuus Studio website