BASE Bar, Tokyo

A venue interior that tells a long, insightful story—because nothing has ever been taken off the walls

by James Rodrigues BASE Bar’s walls are thick with layers of posters, pictures, license plates and business cards; the ceiling is draped in faded flags. Wu-Tang posters are hung opposite of signed Uruguyan soccer jerseys. This bar’s incredibly storied design has been created organically, simply because the venue’s owner—Matsu-san—has never taken anything down in the 22 years he’s owned the clandestine Tokyo establishment. The design …

Alley-Oop II at Poketo

Designers Eric Trine and Will Bryant bring their second colorful installation to the LA retailer

For years Eric Trine and Will Bryant have been both friends and collaborators with Poketo’s Ted Vadakan and Angie Myung. Last year the first installment of Alley-Oop filled the Poketo gallery space in Los Angeles with vibrant hues, whimsical shapes and imaginative structures. According to Vadakan, “It rocked our world and was perfect for Poketo.” With the success of the show and the buzz and …

BHDM Design

The design duo create spaces that tell stories and their latest project—a craft beer bar called Hog’s Head—will open in May

Since joining forces in 2008, Dan Mazzarini and Brian Humphrey have been conceiving and crafting eclectic hospitality, retail and residential spaces through their company, BHDM. Mazzarini (previously designing stores for Ralph Lauren) and Humphrey (who ran his own design practice) met while working for Kramer Design Group and have never looked back; the diversity of BHDM’s projects is a testament to their success and their …