One of our favorite projects of 2023 was building out the Rehoboth Baking Co Bakery and Restaurant. The Rehoboth Baking Co got its start in a two car garage kitchen, with only one employee, the owner Paul. The business was thriving and could not be sustained in its current situation. The demand for the delicious food, with its real and pure ingredients, was too much for the current space to take. So Paul needed to expand. We were so lucky to be a part of this special project and help give Paul and his business the place they deserve. We were excited to get to be as creative as we wanted to and think outside the box on the design of the space. There were many parts of this special project that we love, and we wanted to share a few of our favorites and how they came to be.
For the overall design concept of the new space we wanted to be true to the agricultural roots of the location in Rehoboth MA. Rehoboth is a right to farm community and we wanted to bring that vibe into the space. We aimed to use many different textures and materials to create a warm and special mixed material design in order to really make the space unique and special.
One key design feature we wanted to add to help with the agricultural feel was to have a real grain silo. Originally we tried to buy an actual silo, and unfortunately had the delivery fall through. After some problem solving, we decided to just build it ourselves. This ended up working out even better. After reworking our plan and playing around with some different designs and materials, we were able to achieve what we wanted with the silo design. This ended up being a blessing in disguise because by creating our own we could build it to fit the current space, instead of trying to alter an existing design and it really flows nicely.
We chose the mixed material design to help this space feel warm and inviting. In the space you will see a mix of colors, textures, different woods and even copper and steel. The goal of the mixed materials is to add layers to the space, giving a feeling of comfort and to keep it interesting. We really wanted to stay away from a plain monochromatic space because it can feel a little sterile and flat. In this space we wanted to invoke feelings of warmth, love, and inspiration, all things that made the Rehoboth Baking Co what it is, as soon as you walk in.
One way we executed the mixed materials design was to repurpose different things and include antiques within the space. For example, the giant benches that span the restaurant are repurposed church pews that we cut and joined together to make seating against the wall. In the space you will also find old butcher blocks that are over a hundred years old that are so worn down they are completely curved from years of use and antique shutters that are all handmade and hand cut. We even included the original metal sign in the new space to make sure Rehoboth Baking Co.’s history was included as well. Things like that make a place special. For us, being able to make pretty much everything in the space or repurpose antiques was very rewarding as it's truly a handmade space with tons of history. Everywhere you look in the space, you'll see something cool and interesting and while you are eating you will want to make sure you see it all.
We love doing projects that let us get creative and have a client that is just as creative and is a driving force in the design and vision for the space. Being able to approach a project from an artistic point of view first is always fun and rewarding and we love to be able to do a lot of design build work on site. It's a nice change of pace and allows us to think differently, keep certain skills sharp, and learn new ones. Most importantly it gives us the chance to have fun, be creative, and passionate. The experience was very memorable and being able to visit a space like this anytime and seeing the people love it and interacting with it is always going to be rewarding and motivating.
Check out our Rehoboth Baking Co Gallery for more photos from this awesome project.