Departing from the commonly celebrated imagery of Greece, &Daughters embraces an elemental, pared-back approach to distill the essence of the Greek islands, using a palette that is both sophisticated and natural. Early inspiration drew from personal travel photographs of the Greek islands and a palette evolved that references the elemental qualities of both the geography and the architecture. Base layers are mineral, geological and earthen – concrete floors, lime plaster clad walls and columns and stone countertops that bear traces of iron oxide-like markings.
Though situated within a newly constructed building, the city’s historical preservation requirement led the architect’s to replicate the Mediterranean-style house’s façade that once stood on site, featuring arched windows, doors, and terracotta shingles. This influenced the layout, situating the main dining room adjacent to the windows and integrating steps leading up to it. The result is an elegant space that intuitively guides guests through the 52-seat restaurant on a Grecian culinary journey.
Hand-painted whimsical drawings and frescoes by local artist Emiko Mizukami depict earth elements, the Aegean sky and sea and lively Greek immortals such as Gaia, Uranus, Helios and Hyperion who animate the walls throughout. At the entrance by the bar, Selene—the goddess of the moon, offers a celestial welcome for the restaurant’s dinner service.
Playfulness emerges through unexpected textural details, such as columns and handrails wrapped in rope that evolve over time under human touch. Rooted in agriculture and fishing, the rope adds warmth, texture, and organic earthiness while parallel lines of large braided rattan Dou shades run the length of the dining room, enhancing the space’s natural feel.
Solid pine wood chairs, alongside other wooden components such as the curio shelving are crafted from natural or stained pine. While not currently in vogue, the wood is appreciated for its beautiful character and ubiquity throughout Greece as it naturally enriches the space. A stained pine ceiling trellis above creates the illusion of a skylight over an olive tree at the focal point of the room, which connects the reception, dining room, bar and chef’s table.
