Greenwood American Kitchen and Bar’s design in Highwood, Illinois, is a modern fusion of recouped and new construction that creates a subtle sophisticated gateway to the local community. Designed to house a restaurant in the ground level, and office space in the second level; this former storage facility building has added a layer of history to its walls.

The project is an architectural dialogue between urban and suburban, history and future, public and private, exposed and hidden, indoor and outdoor. The design and selection of finishes, treatments and furnishings displays this unique atmosphere. By keeping the bones of the original structure, garage door openings became design opportunities to connect indoor and outdoor spaces, and an exposed concrete block wall - baked with a patchwork of rich imperfections and layers of paint - became a statement element in Greenwood’s design. Like a prize fighter, the bumps and bruises are part of the story and the beauty. The furniture selected included Mollie chairs by Allermuir.