Occasionally, Highline gets to work with local businesses in town to bring their vision to life. With this particular project, we assisted Bellingham restaurant Carnal in creating the space for their eatery to flourish. Fortunately, we were able to leave much of the old building intact during the remodel of the restaurant. The original building is over 100 years old, with beautiful brick walls. Detailed drywall work meets the rough brick surface, creating a rugged look within the restaurant’s interior. In the remodel, we left the concrete floors as they were, and simply sealed them to protect their integrity.

                One of the highlights of this particular restaurant remodel lies in the custom metal bar top done by Architectural Elements. The raw metal matches the design of the chairs and works well within the modern aesthetic of the space. In order to open the space for a working restaurant, we gutted most of the interior and built a new bar, kitchen, and restroom area. The custom concrete fireplace hearth immediately draws attention with its fire-blackened bricks and commanding presence. We installed all of the kitchen HVAC and equipment, making sure to be space-efficient with our remodel design. With attention to detail, everything fits seamlessly and provides a wonderful area for cooking, preparing, and serving. ‘Floating’ shelves allow a beautiful place to display spices and ingredients for cooking, while remaining utilitarian and useful.

                The custom open fire cooking area is the main inspiration for all of Carnal’s food. If you check out their menu and instagram, you’ll be able to find examples of cooking over an open fire and subsequently, what makes them unique!

                Comrade, their sister restaurant, is part of the same building but is located on the other side. More brightly colored than her counterpart, Comrade’s focus was on sufficient prep space to prepare large numbers of take-out orders. Their menu is centered around lunch while Carnal  caters more toward dinner. A large custom-built countertop area and storage containers create a wonderful place to cook and process take-out orders, while the colorful waiting room provides a welcoming space for customers to wait. If you look closely, you’ll be able to see detailed and beautiful artwork through the restaurant. These particular pieces were created by one of Carnal’s chefs using natural materials and food dye processes. Through and through, this restaurant remodel was driven by a love for food and creation, combined with a need for an efficient place to work.