Piece Of The Pie

Annie Block -- Interior Design, 6/1/2006 12:00:00 AM

You can take the designer out of the Rocky Mountains, but you can't take the Rocky Mountains out of the designer. Make partner Ian Colburn's pizzeria, Slice, the Perfect Food, pays homage to his Colorado upbringing. "The general sentiment there is to respect nature," he says. "My choice of materials refers back to that—and to what's healthy."

Colburn's initial concept for the 330 square feet was to clad the floor and all the walls in bamboo. But behind the old plasterboard, he discovered original brick that required only minor repairs. With the bamboo used for the floor and just one wall, Colburn had enough left over for a bench. "It was a nice reuse of material," he says.

The notion of reuse reappears in the prep-baking area. Floor and walls are covered in black subway tile that's new, but the stainless-steel oven and shelves are all in their second life, purchased used from kitchen suppliers. "It's not always necessary to have a new product," the designer insists.

What's necessary at Slice is ingredients that are organic, all-natural, or free of dairy, wheat, or gluten. Think whole-wheat crust topped with hummus, soy mozzarella, and plum tomatoes. "It's alternative pizza for the health nut," owner Miki Agrawal says. Sounds very Colorado. Fitting, then, that a Boulder branch is in the works.

Clockwise from top left: At Slice, the stainless-steel pizza oven and shelving are secondhand; the prep counter incorporates two leftover slabs of Carrara marble. The awning combines an existing frame with new canvas. Bamboo appears as wall covering, floor planks, and a 15-foot-long built-in bench; the table bases, the counter brackets, and the lintel in the alcove are all custom pieces in reclaimed steel.

TILE: NEMO TILE COMPANY. OVEN: BARI RESTAURANT PIZZERIA EQUIPMENT. CHAIRS: POTTERY BARN. FRAMES: AMERICAN FRAME.BULBS, CORDS, CHALKBOARD PAINT:THROUGH HOME DEPOT. COUNTER MATERIAL: ABC STONE TRADING CORPORATION. WALL, FLOOR, BENCH MATERIAL: WARNER BAMBOO FLOORS. CEILING GYPSUM BOARD, PLASTER: NATIONAL GYPSUM COMPANY. PAINT: BENJAMIN MOORE CO. STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: GEIGER ENGINEERS. ARCHITECT OF RECORD: PIERCE ALLEN. GENERAL CONTRACTOR: ABSTRACT CONSTRUCTION.