The Understudy

The Understudy is half theatre bookstore, half specialty coffee shop. We set out to combine the luxurious but lived-in textures of an old European library with the comfort of a cozy backstage green room. Textures and patterns are thoughtfully mismatched, as if pieces were gradually added over time. Antiques and found treasures from old bookstores and theaters are layered over tidy rows of books.  In the café, the bold patterning of the marble and perfectly-imperfect clay tiles were inspired by the Old World cafes of Vienna and Budapest. The sleek curves of the custom millwork and the jumble of live plants keep the space grounded in the modern. 

It was important to the owners, husband-and-husband duo Adam Crawford and Danny Fender, that we have lots of seating options for all the different needs The Understudy will serve - from actors running lines to writers working on their plays to neighbors chatting over coffee. We gave them a mix of reupholstered antique armchairs, a velvet Chesterfield sofa, sunny counter seating, and channel-tufted banquettes (with plenty of compact metal trays just large enough for a cup of tea and a book).

Photos by Heather Talbert