White Horse Village
Newton Square, Pennsylvania
Client: White Horse Village
Team: Alberto & Associates
Photo: Jeffrey Totaro Photography
Award-winning (Learn More)
Summary
White Horse Village wanted to reinvigorate their community by updating, expanding and diversifying their dining program with multiple venues, including a new Café Marketplace with a “gourmet-to-go” concept.
Before
Inspired Design
The design was inspired by the need to create a more vibrant environment that would increase usage, food consumption, and most importantly, resident satisfaction. Through renovations and the addition of an outdoor terrace, the former cafeteria-style café was transformed into an exciting dining destination and new hub of activity.
Style
The refreshed interior takes cues from the bucolic Delaware County House farm style of the original building and adds modern touches to create an open and inviting environment. Triple Shoji-style sliding wrought iron gate doors provide separation between the multiple dining options while maintaining visibility even when service options are closed. A dual-sided fireplace, ceiling details and lighting articulations help break down the scale of larger spaces to create more defined and intimate gathering areas. A variety of seating options, from Panera Bread-style soft seating and hip-height coffee counters to four-top square tables and six-top rounds, support a variety of dining experiences.
Materials
A warm, earth tone palette with strong accent colors was used with an emphasis on a high level of finish. Simple painted wood paneling, wood timbers and rustic ironwork recall the familiar bucolic Delaware County Horse farm aesthetic. The team then enhanced the palette with updated materials, such as stained wood paneling and stone. The rustic quality of the space is given an unexpected twist with the installation of a 36-foot-long, color-changing RGB light wall that energizes the dining environment.
