The Village at Brookwood Dining

Posted by Elana Ben-Tor | March 28, 2019

Formal Dining, before (inset) and after. Previously, both the kitchen and the servery opened directly into the formal dining space. A significant amount of area was needed to accommodate traffic patterns of residents and staff. The spatial re-organization created a more seamless guest experience. Kitchen access is now hidden. Finishes and furnishings have been updated but still retain the more traditional atmosphere desired by the community.

The formal dining is an elegant, calm space. Layers of detail in the trim, fixtures, art, and fabrics create a rich textural feel. The chef’s table is set apart from the rest of the room by several columns. The private dining area can be seen beyond the sliding doors; on low-traffic days the doors can be pulled, creating a cozy setting for guests and keeping service efficient.

Shifting the entry and restrooms created a nook just the right size for a chef’s table. Anchored by a custom-built banquette, lightweight curtains allow light and air through but give diners privacy. Stripped and re-wrapped columns retain a luxurious traditional feel with a more streamlined profile.

Café, Before (inset) and After: Previously, large decorative columns, decorative moulding, and stations for self-serve drinks and desserts created a crowded space. Tile floors and other hard surfaces caused acoustic problems for residents. The formally decorated café felt similar to the formal dining area and left residents without a casual spot to eat.

The cafe now has a casual atmosphere, helping differentiate it from the formal dining room. The colors relate to those in the main commons areas, providing visual continuity. Tables – including new round tops – are arranged to assist with flow. The new serving line at the back is used only for Sunday brunch and holiday meals. A new acoustic ceiling and decorative acoustic tiles help reduce noise problems.

Looking out towards the community table nook and, beyond, the breezeway. The nook’s draperies can close off all four sides or just selective sides. A storefront glass-paned wall separates cafe and breezeway, with a similar wall separating support areas – restrooms and point-of-sale computer – from the main café space.

The community table provides a space for small groups or families to share a meal or coffee. Acoustic draperies have sound absorptive qualities but are still semi-sheer, allowing light and air to pass through so guests at the table have privacy but don’t feel completely shut off.

The new servery is used only for high traffic times like Sunday brunch and holidays. Unlike the previous set up, this service line is an efficient way to serve many while still providing personal interaction. The new prep kitchen is directly behind this serving line.

Enclosing the covered porch formed a new breezeway gallery that is both the pathway to the formal dining room and a landing spot for people who are waiting for the rest of their party. Large windows bring in plenty of natural light.

The café is physically separated from the breezeway by a ‘storefront’ wall with glass panes that allow light to filter through. The original brick ‘exterior’ wall brings texture and references the original porch, as do the ceiling fans and slatted wood ceiling. The column at the front right marks the entrance for Sunday and holiday buffets.

Bar, Before (inset) and After. Previously, the bar and private dining areas were conjoined, creating noise issues. Moving the private dining function adjacent to the formal dining area resolved the noise issue and allows private dining to play a dual function. The move also allowed designers to expand the bar, which can now serve 20-30 people vs. 6. The bar accommodates residents of different mobilities.

A pressed ‘copper’ tile ceiling, rich colors, and custom art pieces made from vintage wine labels create a ‘hideaway’ atmosphere where residents can come watch a game, play cards, or get together with friends. The bar is set up to serve informal meals and appetizers.

SPONSORED

Submitted by: CJMW Architecture + Interior Design (Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Unchanged since its 2003 opening, dining at The Village at Brookwood (Burlington, N.C.) consisted of four venues: formal dining with wait service; separate private dining with wait service; self-service café, and a very small bar. All four were aesthetically outdated and operationally inefficient. Interested in better serving existing residents and attracting future residents, The Village reached out to CJMW to help revamp dining services.

The Village transitioned the café from self- to full wait service about a year before design began, gaining considerable experiential understanding of future needs. Drawing on expertise in senior living and boutique hotel/restaurant design, CJMW’s Interior Design Studio resolved these issues through a series of small but strategic spatial and programmatic adjustments.

Lack of flow in and through dining areas was a key challenge; budgetary concerns meant any spatial adjustments had to stay within the building footprint. Enclosing a seldom-used covered porch provided the answer to disruptive circulation patterns by defining the café area, adding impromptu waiting for formal dining, plus overflow seating and flex space for holiday service needs.
In the café, non-structural columns previously cluttering the space were removed. Touchdown spots for waitstaff were added. The family table gives residents a new type of gathering spot. Closing in the original buffet area created a prep kitchen, resolving kitchen crowding and staff traffic.

In the formal dining room, small groups can reserve the chef ’s table for special occasions. Sliding glass doors delineate a larger private dining space or close it off when not needed. In the bar, custom art and finishes create a cozy place to play cards, have a drink, or share a meal.

Project category: Remodel/renovation

Chief administrator: Mike Walsh, executive director

Firm: CJMW Architecture + Interior Design, www.cjmw.com

Design team: Kathleen Warner, project principal/ interior designer; Beth Faircloth, lead interior designer; Ashley Coe, interior designer; Rachel Taber, interior designer; Peter Epermanis, project principal/architecture (CJMW Architecture); Frank L Blum (general contractor)

Resident/client capacity: 155

Total building area (sq. ft.): 7,404

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $226

Total construction cost (excluding land): $1.7 million

Completed: May 2018