Cubitts Mercer Street in New York is a moody ‘treasure box’ of depth and drama
Cubitts Mercer Street opens in New York to a concept by London-based studio Tutto Bene, offering sleek details and moody design
Moody and theatrical, the new Cubitts Mercer Street in New York offers much more than the usual retail experience. The spectacle maker's first US store has just opened to a design by emerging London practice Tutto Bene – which pulled out all the stops in bringing together a conceptual, evocative and functional interior for what also is its foray into the city.
Inside Cubitts Mercer Street by Tutto Bene
'The mood is stepping from a breakfast-at-Tiffany’s-like NY shopping stroll moment into the layered depths of an Edward Hopper painting,' says Tutto Bene's Felizia Berchtold, who recently co-founded the London design studio together with architect Oskar Kohnen – the hand behind works such as a Barbican apartment interior refresh, and the midcentury modern-inspired offices for Crosstree Real Estate.
Back in New York, the design at Cubitts Mercer Street blends deep red and black surfaces with metallic tones and product displays in curved forms that nod to the 'S' shape of spectacles. Dark hues are contrasted by areas of light and brighter colours, in a composition that crafts drama in this alluring, almost mysterious 'treasure box' of a store.
'The space should evoke a palpable sense of preciousness, in line with our jewel-box-inspired design. Buying spectacles is personal and sensual, so we focused on creating a meaningful experience,' say Kohnen and Berchtold.
'On the one hand this meant meticulous focus on physical details and the quality of material and colour, but equally important were flow and customer journey – curating the encounters that take place in store.'
At the same time, this is all done with a fantastic economy of means, as in effect, this is a very minimalist interior – allowing the theatrical atmosphere to bring the product to the forefront to take centre stage.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Oliver Spencer’s new Marylebone store offers an ‘arts and crafts-inspired’ approach
Oliver Spencer opens a new store in the heart of London's Marylebone, with sage green interiors and repurposed materials. We speak with the designer to unpack the space’s independent style
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Head Hi presents the 5th annual Lamp Show during New York Design Week
Head Hi, the city’s favourite architecture and design bookstore, debuts 54 new lights in a Tribeca pop up exhibition at New York Design Week 2024 (until 19 May)
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
A Red Rock house balances spatial luxury and desert minimalism
This Red Rock house by Faulkner Architects, set in the open Nevada country outside Las Vegas, balances spatial luxury and desert minimalism
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A Red Rock house balances spatial luxury and desert minimalism
This Red Rock house by Faulkner Architects, set in the open Nevada country outside Las Vegas, balances spatial luxury and desert minimalism
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
John Lautner’s Sheats-Goldstein Residence shows off its estate’s entertainment wing
The Goldstein Entertainment Complex at the estate of the Sheats-Goldstein Residence reveals its newest additions by the complex’s architects of record Conner + Perry Architects
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Explore this California guesthouse of stripped-back essentials and elevated comfort
Crest ADU is a minimalist California guesthouse by Mork-Ulnes Architects, slotting into Marin County’s leafy hills with pared-down charm
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
California houses: the allure of their progressive, expressive architecture
Michael Webb’s new book, ‘California Houses: Creativity in Context’, assembles 36 contemporary homes that showcase the state’s reputation as a haven for progressive residential design
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Ray Kappe's only house outside the US brings California modernism to Berlin
A passionate owner brings Ray Kappe's brand of Californian modernism to Berlin with this new residence; the architect's only home outside the USA
By Craig Kellogg Published
-
Designer Holly Waterfield creates luxurious pied-à-terre in Renzo Piano Manhattan high-rise
A private residence by Holly Waterfield Interior Design in Renzo Piano's skyscraper 565 Broome Soho blends a sense of calm and cosiness with stunning city views
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
A guide to Frank Gehry's architecture: mesmerising, expressive and sometimes controversial
Canadian-American Frank Gehry has earned his position in the hall of fame of contemporary architects through a wealth of groundbreaking designs; here, we explore why, how, and his key projects
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Sunset Islands home ‘is a beauty’, says F1 legend Eddie Irvine
As the Formula One Miami Grand Prix kicks off, we tour Sunset Islands Residence by Strang Design, a Florida home for race legend Eddie Irvine
By Ellie Stathaki Published