More Sneak Previews – Policy (Restaurant and Lounge)

As I mentioned last week, Policy located at 14th and T, is set to open soon. And the place looks great. I was able to chat briefly with owner Omar Miskinyar who sent me a couple of photos and some info on the restaurant. The restaurant will open up for Thursday (March 19th), Friday and Saturday and the Lounge is booked for private events but will open to the public the following Thursday. I’m pretty excited to try this place out. The lounge area upstairs has some serious potential for a good hangout.

Folowing is the  press release from the designer, CORE:

“Policy is a modern interpretation of the classic diner, created through the use of iconic features such as red vinyl booths and metal finishes. Omar Miskinyar, the owner of Policy, wanted to create a hip and inviting restaurant with an upbeat tempo and exceptional design. CORE decided to use the colors and finishes typical of a diner to engage guests and help create a lively atmosphere.

Policy is situated near the corner of 14th and U streets in Washington, DC, where the trendy neighborhoods of Logan Circle and U Street converge. Complementing the neighborhood spirit of inclusion, vitality, and interest in food and art, the design for Policy is well suited to its surroundings.

As true with each of CORE’s designs Policy is one-of-a-kind. A grouping of Max lighting fixtures by Costa hang inside the front door like suspended raindrops greeting guests. The ground floor, which is the main dining area, has channeled leather booths, black tin ceiling panels, and glass tile that create the upscale diner environment. The red booths are wrapped in black millwork and tile and have inlaid lighting fixtures creating ample dining light while maintaining the dim atmosphere that is consistent throughout the restaurant. Continues after the jump.

A glowing yellow stair hall leads guests upstairs to the lounge, where steel fabricated architectural details and vinyl booths complement the décor used in the dining room but graffiti-tagged walls, an eclectic grouping of chandeliers, a marble and glass bar, and exposed structural and mechanical systems create a more open and airy space. Raised a few feet, the wood paneled sound booth and semi private seating areas emphasize the height of the room, for a more intimate lounge experience metal shears can be partly drawn closed.

CORE included playful details, such as the oversized pink and blue frosted exclamation points that demarcate the men’s and women’s bathroom doors, to reinforce the restaurant’s playful character. CORE restaurant design principal, Peter F. Hapstak, III, AIA, IIDA, ISP, explains the design process, “We had a lot of fun designing Policy and I think it shows in the details”. He continues, “Policy is great because the design and construction process was very collaborative and, in some ways, unconventional, the process was freeing”.”