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LAYERED FUNCTIONALITY At Via Carota, menus stay in cubbies on
the backs of chairs. “This is about functionality as an honest sense,”
Williams says. “It’s important in a restaurant where there are layers
of activity and things to get done. We fit things together like a puzzle.”
THE PAST IS PRESENT Sodi and Williams collect vintage items
that evoke a sense of nostalgia. “Maybe you recognize something
that your grandmother has or that was part of your history,” says
Williams. “It is a powerful way to connect us all.”
ROOMS WITH A VIEW When Sodi and Williams design a space, they
think about “perspectives and landscapes within the restaurant.” The
result: No matter where guests may sit, when they turn and look,
there’s something beautiful in sight.
NATURAL TONES “We don’t use a color palette—there’s a purpose-
ful absence of color,” Williams says. Instead, the couple uses the
natural tones of woods, porcelains, and marbles. “But [when] the
food comes in, that’s when you see colors!”
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