2010 Hit List: Gather Restaurant by Nicole Sillapere

San Francisco designer Nicole Sillapere designed Berkeley’s Gather restaurant to reflect the eco-friendly eatery’s number one priority: sustainability.

The California coastline inspired the palette of oceanic blues, foliage greens and sandy beiges. The cabinetry, benches and architectural beams are built of wood reclaimed from old warehouses, and the banquettes are made of leather belts collected from used-clothing stores. The pendant lights are cleverly crafted from recycled wine bottles and empty bottles donated by Square One Vodka.

Even the walls tell a story of local ingenuity: Sillapere used green and blue Heath Ceramics tiles recycled from kiln shelves in the open kitchen, and she cut up and wove cardboard shipping boxes into a tapestry-like artwork above the bar.

Gather Restaurant
2200 Oxford Street, Berkeley, CA 94704
gatherrestaurant.com