Stone, woodwork and pops of blue are teamed together inside this French restaurant and bar in Atlanta, which local practice AI3 designed to evoke the chef's childhood in Provence.

The local architecture and design studio designed the AIX restaurant and Tin Tin wine bar for chef Nick Leahy, who grew up in Aix-en-Provence in southern France.
The two share a kitchen but are intended to be distinct from one another in design?  AIX has a more formal yet rustic aesthetic, while the wine bar is deliberately more casual.

Stained wood beams, wide plank oak wood floors, and a natural stone wall characterise the restaurant. Wood and plaster moments also evoke a timeworn feel, alongside pops of bronze and brass, and pale, taupe and grey tones.

Glazing runs along an angled wall fronting AIX to bring plenty of natural light. A banquette set the inside of the window maximises seating space, with other tables of different shapes filling the dining room. A focal point of AIX is a free-standing volume, featuring booths on either side and a slatted beaded installation with round dowels that stretch along to the ceiling.

"The art fixture was inspired by the French game of pétanque and was used to visually divides the bar and dining room," said Lucy Aiken-Johnson, partner at AI3.
"The piece resembles an abacus, with wood cochonnets (balls) threaded on wire string creating an abstract pattern, and further utilizing the juxtaposition of natural and modern materials."

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