Renee’s Place

When owner Renee Wang called us to see her restaurant, Renee’s Place , it had many of the typical Chinese restaurant trappings: brass railings, glass block, bright lighting, and candy pink walls. Her food was atypical however. For more than a decade she has sourced organic, local ingredients and chosen humanely raised sustainable meat from Prather Ranch. She wanted her space to reflect the thoughtfulness of her food, and be serene and inviting. Construction by Aasand Construction took  4 weeks.

We began by removing her old aluminum storefront and installing a new custom wood storefront with operable clerestory windows. Diners are greeted by a modern composition of water, bamboo, and her existing Chinese antique statues. We raised the ceiling in the front of the dining room to let in more natural light, and we installed a series of tropical fan-shaped ceiling fans. We kept her existing low walls, but clad them in sustainable bamboo tambour. For intimacy, we painted the ceiling a rich camel brown.  We also installed a stained mossy green wood wainscot  and hung mismatched custom Vietnamese silk lanterns.

“A simple dining room makes serene surroundings that are a perfect atmosphere for a quiet dinner and some great Chinese food. Muted walls, soft carpet and a peaceful fountain in the entryway add to the effect. “

— Michael Bauer, Robin Davis, San Francisco Chronicle 

Project Description

“Fresh. Organic. Bliss.” - Yelper 4.10.15

When owner Renee Wang called us to see her restaurant, Renee’s Place , it had many of the typical Chinese restaurant trappings: brass railings, glass block, bright lighting, and candy pink walls. Her food was atypical however. For more than a decade she has sourced organic, local ingredients and chosen humanely raised sustainable meat from Prather Ranch. She wanted her space to reflect the thoughtfulness of her food, and be serene and inviting. Construction by Aasand Construction took  4 weeks.

We began by removing her old aluminum storefront and installing a new custom wood storefront with operable clerestory windows. Diners are greeted by a modern composition of water, bamboo, and her existing Chinese antique statues. We raised the ceiling in the front of the dining room to let in more natural light, and we installed a series of tropical fan-shaped ceiling fans. We kept her existing low walls, but clad them in sustainable bamboo tambour. For intimacy, we painted the ceiling a rich camel brown.  We also installed a stained mossy green wood wainscot  and hung mismatched custom Vietnamese silk lanterns.

“A simple dining room makes serene surroundings that are a perfect atmosphere for a quiet dinner and some great Chinese food. Muted walls, soft carpet and a peaceful fountain in the entryway add to the effect. “

— Michael Bauer, Robin Davis, San Francisco Chronicle 

Project Details

LOCATION
ADDRESS: 1477 Solano Avenue Albany, CA 94706
TEAM
CLIENT: Renee Wang
ARTIST: Lisa Carroll
PHOTOGRAPHER: Pat Mazzera
PRESS
East Bay Express
The room, chic and romantically lit with silk lanterns, deserves a Prada-clad clientele.
SF Gate
For me, the winning points are the soothing decor and the attentive service.