Bars and Restaurants Designed to Feel Like Living Rooms

From New York to Los Angeles, a growing trend of cozy, homey restaurant spaces

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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A new wave of bars and restaurants across the U.S. are embracing a design aesthetic that makes customers feel like they're in someone's living room rather than a commercial dining establishment. Spaces like Brass restaurant and Tusk Bar in New York City, Honeysuckle in Philadelphia, and Baby Bistro in Los Angeles are intentionally designed to have a plush, intimate, and personal feel, with elements like mismatched furniture, parlor palms, and red curtains that blur the line between public and private. This trend has emerged in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, as people have craved more comfort and community in their dining experiences.

Why it matters

The living room-inspired restaurant design taps into a growing desire among diners for more intimate, immersive, and personalized dining experiences. After years of minimalist, white-walled restaurant aesthetics, customers are gravitating towards spaces that feel more like an extension of someone's home, where they can relax, converse, and feel a sense of community. This design ethos also reflects broader cultural shifts, as people sought more comfort and connection during the pandemic.

The details

Restaurants like Brass and Tusk Bar in New York City, designed by Islyn Studio, are intentionally modeled after the opulent Parisian apartments of the 1920s, with plush furnishings, parlor palms, and red curtains that blur the line between the different dining areas. Other examples include Honeysuckle in Philadelphia, which has 'comfy cognac-colored couches coaxing people to chill and chat,' and Schmuck in New York's East Village, which has a self-described 'living room space' with Togo sofas. In Los Angeles, Kissaten Corazon has a 'Grandpa's study' vibe, while Baby Bistro serves seasonal cuisine in a cozy Craftsman house. Even in San Francisco, Left Door embraces the appeal of being tucked inside a Victorian house.

  • Brass restaurant and Tusk Bar opened two years ago inside Manhattan's Evelyn Hotel.
  • Carousel in Bushwick opened in January 2024 with '70s-style conversation pits.
  • Pearl Box, which opened the same year as Brass and Tusk, became an instant SoHo darling in 2024.
  • Honeysuckle in Philadelphia opened in 2025.
  • Schmuck in New York's East Village opened in January 2025.

The players

Islyn Studio

The design firm that created the interiors for Brass restaurant and Tusk Bar, describing it as a 'love letter to the Parisian apartments of the 1920s.'

Ashley Wilkins

The founder and creative director of Islyn Studio.

Jeremiah Stone and Fabián Von Hauske Valtierra

The chefs at Brass restaurant, who are known for their work at Contra and Wildair.

Cybille St. Aude-Tate and Omar Tate

The co-owners of Honeysuckle restaurant in Philadelphia.

Moe Aljaff and Juliette Larrouy

The co-owners and bartenders of Schmuck in New York's East Village.

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What they’re saying

“We imagined it as a kind of French salon, an intimate antechamber and natural prelude to dinner at Brass. During our research, we came across the story of a Parisian apartment discovered untouched after decades, its rooms sealed in time until the passing of Madame de Florian at [age] 91.”

— Ashley Wilkins, Founder and creative director, Islyn Studio (eater.com)

“Spaces like this [Brass and Tusk] shape the experience [...] before a word is spoken or a drink is poured. They place guests inside a story, where atmosphere, texture, and light quietly guide how the evening feels and is remembered.”

— Ashley Wilkins, Founder and creative director, Islyn Studio (eater.com)

The takeaway

The growing trend of bars and restaurants designed to feel like living rooms reflects a broader shift in consumer preferences towards more intimate, personalized, and community-driven dining experiences. As the pandemic era recedes, this design aesthetic taps into a desire for spaces that feel like an extension of one's own home, where people can relax, connect, and immerse themselves in a curated atmosphere.