Photography by Vincent van den Brink
Guided by a mandate to be authentic but not traditional, Japanese references are filtered through a contemporary and coastal lens, avoiding the predictable visual shorthand often associated with pan-Asian resto interiors. Rather than recreating a stylized Tokyo streetscape, the design draws from material atmosphere and cultural overlap, blending the calm restraint of a Japanese teahouse with the rugged textures of Halifax’s maritime vernacular. An unexpected cinematic influence in the form of Studio Ghibli is also present, but appears less as decoration than as spatial mood, informing the softly surreal character of custom furnishings and sculptural communal tables. Burnt wood surfaces inspired by shou sugi ban merge with cedar shake cladding, seen in the vaulted ceilings that transition from charred to raw wood, and copper-clad surfaces around the open kitchen introduce warmth and reflection. Down a hallway past that kitchen leads to De La Dori, a 1990s hip-hop-inspired cocktail bar, glowing with neon, mirrors, graffiti, and vintage speakers.
As appeared in the July/August 2026 Best of Canada Awards issue of Canadian Interiors magazine.
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