Page 81 - Lighting Magazine August 2018

coMMercial project
Whimsical artwork, plenty of greenery, and strategic lighting choices are some of the touches distinguishing Herb & Wood in San Diego. BY STEF SCHWALB
Located in the buzzing gastronomic neigh- borhood of San Diego’s North Li le Italy, Herb & Wood is the latest restaurant concept from celebrated Chef Brian Malarkey and Partner/General Manager
Christopher Pu er. As an eclectic study of con- trasts, Herb & Wood evokes comfort and “the dual persona of the Gilded Age: lavish sophistica- tion set against and amidst industrial simplicity.” A seamless mix of category-defying styles and genres – as well as the integration of masculine and feminine elements – is evident throughout.
For Pu er, the choice of lighting xtures was crucial for achieving a cohesive experience. “Lighting is everything to me. It is so important to have it be perfect. No one wants to dine in a place that is too bright, or at table that feels like you are in the spotlight,” he explains. “Also, no one wants to dine in a restaurant that is too dark. Choosing the correct xtures to accent the di erent dining areas was a daunting task. I wanted the lighting to be even across the space without hot spots. This involved many late nights and the purchase of many di erent bulbs to get it right. We created a ‘light bulb bible’ to make sure there would be no question as to which bulb goes where when it was time to replace.”
With 30 styles of lighting at Herb & Wood, sourcing each element was not easy. The selec- tion process was labor-intensive from concept to installation. “The lighting grid alone took me over 100 hours. As for the time spent spec’ing the x- tures and creating the custom sconces, I could not even begin to say,” Pu er reveals. “The lights that hang above bar – which resemble Spanish street lamps from San Sebastian – took me two days to hang and involved a team of two electricians, sca olding to the ceiling, and two 16-foot step ladders.”
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