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What's in Season?

It's spring all year round at the midtown branch of Haru, by CMS Design

Sheila Kim -- Interior Design, 9/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

What's in a name? Everything, in architect Chris Smith's opinion. So when his firm, CMS Design, was approached by the Benihana Restaurant Group to design a midtown branch of its Haru sushi chain, the restaurant's name provided his point of departure. "Haru translates to springtime, " Smith says, explaining how all aspects of the decor—from materials to color palette—were inspired by the mildest of seasons.

Allusions to spring bloom throughout the 5,300-square-foot space. Verdant hues predominate: faux leather seating the color of fresh-cut lilies, green-stained ash dining tables, and a long communal table topped with dark green Connemara marble. Laminate floor tiles feature an oversize grass motif. Lining expanses of windows, shades in a recycled cotton-plastic weave display a weblike pattern. "They allow sunlight to filter through for a beautiful dappled effect," says Smith. The same material was laminated for use on the backs of the main dining zone's banquettes. (Rather than inflating the banquette cushions themselves, Smith stuffed them with air-filled plastic pillows.)

Twenty-two tanks are filled with the catch of the day: robotic fish imported from Japan. "We installed down-lights above the tanks so they'd function as lighting fixtures. I've always liked the glowing effect of light through water," says Smith. He also selected seamless Corian Bas-Relief molded in a fluid, rippling texture for the front of the 50-foot-long sushi and cocktail bar opposite the entry. "According to feng shui principles, an element of water at the entrance is good luck," he explains. The monolithic bar front is lit only along the edges so as not to overheat the entire surface—inappropriate, of course, for serving sushi. Behind the bar, a hand-painted mural features an abstracted rendition of modernized Japanese characters. The writing spells out "winter, spring, summer, and fall," not necessarily in order of importance.