occinteriordesign

Javier’s at Crystal Cove

By: Erika De La Parra

 Galina Nitaeva

 

As we drove south on Pacific Coast Highway on our way to Javier’s restaurant on Crystal Cove, we were in awe of the beautiful costal setting that this popular, high-end Mexican restaurant is situated on.  In addition to an exquisite menu, the atmosphere and ambiance is well worth the drive.  Thanks to the kind managers at the Crystal Cove location, Susie Sosa and Adan Serratos, we were able to tour the restaurant one Saturday morning to inspect materials, furniture and décor up-close and personal. 

Javier’s at Crystal Cove is the second restaurant that opened about 5 years ago as part of a holistic development of a newly branded expansion.  Javier Sousa, owner, and his family have been in the restaurant business for over 30 years.  About six years ago, with a new venture partner, he joined forces with designer Dodd Mitchell of Dodd Mitchell Designs (DMD) to create an elevated brand of Javier’s restaurants.  As we write this blog, the doors to the newly inaugurated Las Vegas location inside Aria Hotel and Casino have just opened. 

As we walked through the arch entrance, the first thing one notices are the big, round black metal pendants.  To the right and left are lounge areas with an open-flame fireplace.  The use of light is a big component of the design at Javier’s, and its no surprise since Dodd Mitchell has received several awards for his use of lighting.   At Javier’s this includes big candles, backlighting, filigree metal pendants and big fire burning pipes that represent pipe organs used inside churches – an area of intrigue for Mitchell.

 

We know this because we had the opportunity to speak to Mitchell himself over the phone to ask him about his design inspiration and use of materials.  Mitchell let us know first that Mother Nature is his primary inspiration and being able to use natural materials is important to him.  Secondly, he continues to use many of his “camera tricks” that he learned during his years as a stage and film art director to create theatrical spaces that play with human curiosity.

 

And curios we were; wanting to know all about the materials chosen starting with the stingray leather wall covering used for one of the fireplaces.  Surprisingly, this product is very strong, fire resistant and easy to clean.  But the texture and luster of the leather is truly what makes it irresistible to the touch. 

[Lighting_Image.001]

 

Another breathtaking wall covering feature is the Rainbow color, black chip and mother-of-pearl mosaic tile used on all walls of the private room.  This natural product is easy to wipe-down with no gaps.  The way light reflects around the room one feels like you are inside a jeweled box with diamonds all over.

[Picture of Mother-of-Pearl Walls:  Image.002]

The Spanish-Moorish décor that defines Javier’s “makes you want to reach for your passport” as described by Forbes Travel Guide correspondent Cindy Pearlman. In part its due to the materials used that include dark leather drapery, traditional Mexican furniture, chunky wood beams and banquettes, large black slate tiles and hardwood floor that were specially cut into short tile-size.  All these materials are original and seem to be faring well, although Serratos told us that they have needed to replace several of the hardwood planks due to wear-and-tear and possibly due to weathering from being close to the ocean, so weekly maintenance is required to keep floors clean and buffed.  Yet, Mitchell let us know that they did not let the issue of weathering deter his vision, so several of the material have been treated with a semi-gloss sealants and fire-retardant treatments. 

 [Floors: Image.003]

 

 

As for the ceiling inside the dining area, they are covered with wood sticks to allow dapple lighting to stream through from the MR-16 lights, to give the impression of being outdoors while being indoors.  When you are looking at the ceiling, one cannot miss the enormous ceiling fans that do work, on occasion. 

 

 

 

[Ceiling: Image.004]

The walls throughout the building were either stucco with a thick swirl coarse finish or smooth concrete wall that matched the floors, primarily in the outdoor areas.  Both materials are fire resistant and the concrete is easy to maintain.  The stucco walls originally had a glittering treatment that made them sparkle at night with the light, but it has lost some of that with the years, according to Serratos.  

With so many hard surfaces throughout the space, acoustics was a topic we discussed with Mitchell and he said that there was no attempt to bring down the noise factor (although he confessed that he personally dislikes it a lot).  The reason is that the owner prefer to keep the energy levels high, which seems to suite the “on the go” clientele of Newport Beach.  Normally, Mitchell said he would have added waffle foam underneath the tables and above the ceiling to keep the noise emission down.

The energy is kept high as well with one of most interesting pieces in the place:  the huge metal sculpture that covers the entire back wall of the bar called the “Tequila Tree.”  When asked about it, Mitchell said the concept for this sculpture grew from two points of inspiration:  One, he does not like to use shelves; and two, it’s a tribute to one of his favorite children’s book The Giving Tree. 

[Tequila Tree: Image.005] 

And Javier’s will continue to keep on giving...delicious Mexican cuisine, beautiful ocean vistas, and an enchanting space for people to enjoy good times with family and friends.  Staying true to Mitchell’s priority when referring to his designs, “my job is to make people feel better.”

Written by Erika De La Parra and Galina Nitaeva on October 31, 2013
Photographs by Erika De La Parra and Galina Nitaeva

BLOG REFERENCES:

INTERVIEWS

Designer Dodd Mitchell; phone interview on November 1, 2013
On-Site Tour by Manager Adan Serratos on October

ARTICLES AND BLOGS

“What is the interior design of Javier’s?” by Cindy Pearlman, www.forbestravelguide.com
“Elevating Mexican Cuisine” by Larry Thomas, July 09, 2013,www.coastmagazine.com/articles/javiersosa
“Cover Story:  Meet Dodd Mitchell”, www.doddmitchell.com/press/articles/04.01.08_Boutique_Design

MATERIALS RESOURCES (Similar or exact products as those mentioned in the blog):

Black Slate Tiles:

Otile, www.otile.com

Stucco:

Central Virginia Stucco, www.centralvirginiastucco.com

Concrete:

http://concretekelowna.ca/blog-kelowna-concrete/concrete-resurfacing-6-hot-decorative-ideas-to-create-a-new-look-on-a-budget-2/

Stingray Leather:

Tom Barrington Exotic Leather Accessories, www.tombarrington.com

Rojo Leather, www.rojeleather.com

Black Mother-of-Pearl Mosaic Tiles:

Foshan Connfly Decoration Materials Co., Limited, www.connflymosaic.cn