Until now, I have been exclusively residential in my design projects with a goal of someday working on a commercial space. So you can imagine my excitement when I was asked to get on board with the owners of Marathon Music Works to help transform the historical building into a new music & events venue for Nashville. Getting to combine my two passions, design and music, is truly a dream come true for me and I'm thrilled to have gotten the chance to contribute to Nashville in this way. Let's take a peek!
Nashville is known for their musicians. But smart and affordable design is what I am known for, so let's see how this old warehouse building has been transformed into a cool place for musicians and music lovers. What better way to give back to the commuinty than to add another playground for them. Locally owned and operated, Marathon Music Works is located in Marathon Village just minutes from downtown.
Not only is it a phenomenal mid-sized music venue that Nashville needs, but Marathon also is now cool enough to host all sorts of events!
Here are some mid-demolition pics of the space:
Originally built in the early 1900’s as an automobile engine factory the building features rich character and charm - these elements were preserved to enhance the uniquness of the space.
In designing the venue, I started with their logo. I wanted their brand to be represented throughout the entire space. Black, white, and a hint of Belle Meade Green were the key ingredients to refurbishing this warehouse into its already natural state of beauty with adding a twist of posh modernity.
(taken during the week of opening so things were still being put in place)
High gloss black paint was used for the bars to bring a polished look and balance to the rustic exposed brick and other building elements. We went with a custom poured concrete counter top that is perfect for a neutral, durable element.
I converted these great iron baskets into pendants for over the bars, by turning them upside down. Perfect scale, material, & look for the venue. We used an edison bulb and hung them by black boating rope - I love them. Thanks Jeff for making these work!
The power of repetition is a strong and effective statement when designing a space. It brings a sense of unity & cohesiveness, so I repeated the custom pendants on each bar.
All of the walls were also painted high gloss black for a clean, polished, and modernized look. It works well and juxtaposes the raw natural elements of the building
Over one of the bars, hangs two massive mirrors that Telisha, one of the owners, & I personally antiqued (nothing like a DIY project to save on budget)! These mirrors are HEAVY, and I'm pretty sure I was hated when the boys were hanging them - but they look great! It was process to say the least . . .
They are hung by industrial chain from the ceiling rafters and tilted at an angle for a cool effect. Thank you Greg and the boys from Consolidated Builders for making this happen for us - you know you love those mirrors.
In keeping with the logo- we used the classic combination of black and white throughout the space and in the restrooms.
In the bathrooms, I used restaurant stainless steel tables with stainless drop-in sinks. Very durable and easy on our budget.
Again black and white is a killer contrast that is so dramatic.
In one set of restrooms, I was challenged with existing fluorescent lights. I KNOW . . . there is nothing more horrible to me than flourescent lighting. To fix this issue we used a blue gel/filter to give off a cool light and vibe.
And it totally works!
At the entrance of the venue I had a custom iron chandelier made 3X the size of the bar pendants to again create a sense of cohesiveness. The bigger the better, especially when dealing with such a large scaled space.
