Type
Commercial
Location
Arts District, DTLA
Year
2024
Area
2,200 sq ft
Materials
3,500 board feet of mixed reclaimed hardwoods
Timeline
12 weeks
Budget Range
$120,000 - $150,000
Wood Species Used
- Reclaimed Barn Wood (accent walls)
- Recycled Walnut (bar & tables)
- Salvaged Industrial Oak (shelving)
- Reclaimed Maple (flooring)
Finishes Applied
- Wire-brushed natural on barn wood
- Food-safe tung oil on bar top
- Matte lacquer on shelving
- Commercial-grade polyurethane on flooring
Project Story
A brand new farm-to-table restaurant concept in the heart of LA's Arts District wanted their space to reflect their commitment to sustainability and local sourcing — not just in the food, but in every surface and fixture of the space itself.
The chef-owners had a clear vision: an interior that felt like it had always been there, as if the restaurant had grown organically from the century-old industrial building that housed it. They did not want the "new wood made to look old" aesthetic — they wanted genuinely old materials with authentic patina and history.
We provided reclaimed barn wood for dramatic accent walls flanking the main dining area. This wood was salvaged from a dismantled dairy barn in the Santa Ynez Valley, and its weathered gray-silver surface needed minimal treatment. We wire-brushed each board to remove loose fibers while preserving the aged patina, then sealed with a matte clear coat for restaurant durability.
The centerpiece of the space is a 16-foot communal dining table made from a single reclaimed walnut slab that we sourced from a century-old furniture factory in Pasadena. The slab was 42 inches wide and featured stunning cathedral grain figure. We flattened, sanded, and finished it with food-safe tung oil, preserving every natural edge and character mark.
The bar top spans 22 linear feet and was fabricated from reclaimed walnut planks edge-joined and finished with multiple coats of food-safe tung oil for a surface that would develop a beautiful patina with years of use. Behind the bar, open shelving was constructed from salvaged industrial oak beams cut into shelf blanks.
Reclaimed maple was installed as the main flooring throughout the dining room and bar area, chosen for its hardness and resistance to the heavy foot traffic of a commercial restaurant. The maple was sourced from a gymnasium floor demolition in Glendale and retained a warm honey tone after sanding and refinishing.
This project is one of our largest commercial installations, using over 3,500 board feet of mixed reclaimed hardwoods and diverting the equivalent of 14 trees' worth of lumber from waste. The restaurant has since been featured in LA Magazine and Eater LA for its design and sustainability commitment.
Before & After
BBefore
The raw commercial space was a former auto parts warehouse with exposed concrete floors, bare drywall, and industrial steel columns. The shell was completely unfinished with no interior partitions, no ceiling treatment, and no fixtures. The concrete floor was stained with decades of oil and had significant cracking.
AAfter
The transformed restaurant features warm reclaimed barn wood accent walls that frame the dining space, a stunning 16-foot walnut slab communal table as the room's focal point, a 22-foot walnut bar top with industrial oak shelving behind it, and gleaming reclaimed maple flooring throughout. The space feels like it has existed for decades — warm, inviting, and authentically weathered in a way that cannot be manufactured.
Material Specifications
Accent Walls
Reclaimed dairy barn wood, mixed widths 4-8", random lengths, ~70 years old, sourced from Santa Ynez Valley. Wire-brushed with matte clear coat.
Communal Table
Single reclaimed walnut slab, 16'L x 42"W x 2.5" thick, ~100 years old, from Pasadena furniture factory. Food-safe tung oil finish.
Bar Top
Reclaimed walnut planks, edge-joined, 22'L x 26"W x 1.75" thick. Multiple coats food-safe tung oil.
Shelving
Salvaged industrial white oak beams, resawn to 2"x12" shelf blanks, matte lacquer finish.
Flooring
Reclaimed hard maple, 3/4" x 2.25" strips from gymnasium demolition, commercial-grade water-based polyurethane.
Project Timeline
Design Consultation
2 weeksMultiple meetings with the owners and their architect to develop material specifications, select species, and create a phased installation plan.
Material Sourcing & Preparation
3 weeksSourced barn wood, walnut slab, oak shelving material, and maple flooring. Prepared all materials including milling, cleaning, and initial finishing.
Flooring Installation
2 weeksInstalled reclaimed maple flooring throughout the 2,200 sq ft dining and bar areas. Three coats of commercial-grade polyurethane applied and cured.
Wall Installations & Shelving
2 weeksInstalled barn wood accent walls on prepared furring strips. Fabricated and mounted industrial oak shelving behind bar area.
Custom Pieces & Finish Work
3 weeksDelivered and installed the walnut slab communal table on custom steel legs. Completed bar top installation. Final finishing, touch-ups, and protective coating applications.
Challenges & Solutions
Challenge
The walnut slab had a significant natural crack running 4 feet along one side that threatened the structural integrity of the table.
Solution
We stabilized the crack with butterfly (bowtie) keys made from contrasting reclaimed ebonized oak, then filled the remaining gap with clear epoxy. The butterfly keys became a celebrated design detail.
Challenge
Health department requirements mandated that all food-contact surfaces be finished with approved food-safe materials, limiting our finishing options.
Solution
We used 100% pure tung oil for the bar top and table — a fully food-safe finish approved by the FDA. We applied six thin coats, allowing 48 hours between each coat, creating a durable surface that can be easily refreshed.
Challenge
The barn wood accent walls had to meet fire code requirements for commercial interior finishes in LA.
Solution
We treated all barn wood with an intumescent fire retardant coating before installation, verified with a Class A fire rating test, satisfying the fire marshal and building inspector.
“Our guests constantly comment on the warmth of the space. When we tell them that the table they are sitting at came from a single walnut slab from a 100-year-old factory, and that the wall behind them was a dairy barn — their connection to the food and the place deepens. That is exactly what we wanted.”
Chef Marcus & Elena T.
Restaurant Owners