Restaurants are really fun projects to work on — for one, there’s always a delicious meal waiting for you at the end of a years-long endeavor. For two… you might get the chance to work alongside your architect friends again when it comes time to build additional locations!
Over the last two years, we’ve been delighted to work in partnership with Heidi Lightner Architects to supply a variety of unique masonry for etta restaurants’ gradual expansion nationwide. In wanting the dining experience at etta feel homey and classy at the same time, we sampled a variety of rustic bricks before settling on a custom limewashed product from McNear Brick & Block with colored mortar from Spec Mix.
Additionally, given that the low-key Italian eatery is famous for its woodfired hearth, we knew we had to come up with a sufficiently impressive firebrick, too! Sandkuhl Clay Works provided this special material, which was tinted black with high-temperature brick stain.
In addition to providing some gorgeous interior design inspo, let this project subtly remind you to choose fireplace brick products with care. Regular masonry is not capable of withstanding the extreme heating and cooling cycles of a wood burning fire, and can easily crack or explode. Fire brick has refractory properties and low porosity, making it ideal for these high-heat applications (and there are plenty of color possibilities, to boot).
Stay tuned for pics of new locations — Scottsdale, AZ coming soon!
LOCATIONS:
River North – 700 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654
Bucktown – 1840 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Culver City, CA – 8801 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
ARCHITECT: Heidi Lightner Architects
MASON:TSI commercial floor covering
PRODUCTS SUPPLIED: McNear Brick & Block, Spec Mix, Sandkuhl Clay Works
