Three Saints Revival transports you into a hyper-saturated bohemian dream sequence inspired by eclectic Mediterranean travels. Blue Island Oyster Bar takes on a nautical tone with slatted seafoam booths, shell-shaped tiles, and weathered wood. Punch Bowl Social’s previous location at the former Stapleton International Airport was adorned with vintage travel trunks and baggage tags. What do all three of these restaurants have in common? Design that not only impresses but leaves a lasting impression. This is no coincidence as all of them are thoughtfully crafted by the talented team at FAM Design, led by interior designer Megan Freckelton and architect Frank Mataipule. And the award-winning design firm is far from finished transforming Denver’s dining scene. FAM Design has some exciting projects in the works, including Oliver’s Italian, coming to the DTC, and the pickleball “eatertainment” concept Camp Pickle, so we asked Freckelton and Mataipule to dish on what they have in store.
What inspired your design for Three Saints Revival? “Our goal was to design a vibrant, beverage- forward restaurant to celebrate the heightened creativity and imagination that occurs while dreaming. We introduce color on every surface, including a raspberry hue on the ceiling, which signifies mystery and magic. The large-scale wallcovering represents the nonlinear nature of the imagination. The patterned floor nods at brainwaves during sleep. The travel portion of the design concept is expressed by featuring items commonly collected on trips, such as rugs, lanterns, candles, plates, and brightly colored textiles.”
Many of the spaces you design serve multiple purposes, such as a bar, restaurant, and arcade. What design considerations are important in these projects?“With such a large footprint, we focus on making the space approachable with clear directions on how you move through the room. Extra-large circulation paths are crucial. When you are dealing with a volume and scale this large, you must think big. We hang large light fixtures lower than you would expect because anything too leggy or high will be completely lost. We include big pops of color because anything subtle or neutral will also get ignored.”
Tell us about your concepts for the Camp Pickle project. “The design celebrates the camp aesthetic through a classic color palette of dark greens, reds, and golds with pops of blue. Patterns mimic picnic blankets, wool camp throws, and bandanas. Evergreens, canvas tents, and firepits dot the landscape. Our favorite design element is the ‘pour your own beverage’ area inspired by camp lake activities. The beverage wall is clad in nautical-hued tiles, the glassware storage is constructed using actual canoes, the lighting mimics swimming and fishing buoys, the wallcovering on the ceiling celebrates a perfect blue-sky day, and columns are wrapped in manila rope just like a dock would be.”
