Show N' Tell - Taste Chocolatier
/If you read the latest issue of Utah Style & Design magazine and found yourself getting a weird craving for chocolate around page 36, we don't blame you! It was an absolute treat to see the chocolate shop we designed for Coleman & Davis Artisan Chocolate featured within the beautiful pages of the magazine. We thought we'd share more of that project here on the blog and give you the full tour of the most delicious little shop in downtown Provo, UT. It was just over two years ago that we literally jumped at the opportunity to partner up Coleman & Davis to help them create their first new-concept store and chocolate parlor - TASTE. Although it was the idea of gourmet chocolate that had us initially intrigued, it was this beige box that really had us salivating from the mouth! Oh how we love a project that starts as a blank canvas!
BEFORE:
AFTER:
The once-was art gallery, although simple, had some incredible bones to work with. From the hand carved wood floors to the beams in the ceiling, this space had a lot going for it. Of course, it took a lot of creativity to pull it all together. Everything in the space was designed with one thing in mind...chocolate. Our clients wanted a space that made you feel like you'd been transported to a authentic chocolate shop off the streets of Paris. We pulled inspiration from the movie Chocolat, and even shopped antique stores to find some authentic pieces to incorporate into the design. Vintage chocolate molds and an antique mercantile scales were just a few of things that helped us pull the design together.
That handsome fellow is Phil Davis, the chocolate enthusiast behind Coleman & Davis Artisan Chocolates. Together with partners Morgan and Char Coleman, they run this little shop. If you've ever met the talented team, than you know that everything they do is really about quality. Luckily for us, they already owned a large collection of high-quality original artwork. We incorporated some of those pieces into the decor, which really gives the space some history, as if they were slowly collected over time and added to the walls decade after decade. And let's not forget the floors! It was almost mind-damaging to get the design and scale just right on the floors. Using a stencil, the original wood floors were hand painted to perfection. A true labor of love right there, but by far one of the most eye-catching elements of this design.
We designed these extra-large banquettes to seat large groups of people, perfect for their chocolate tastings which are truly a unique experience. The curved arms and tufted backs gives them a timeless and classic look. We hung a collage of porcelain china above each banquette, some of which were heirlooms of the owners and others we found at local antique shops. Set against the pale blue walls, it's perhaps one of our favorite little details in the design.
So do yourself a favor and go check out Taste by Coleman & Davis, and may we recommend the Iced Chocolate from their menu. It's heavenly! And hopefully you enjoy the beautiful atmosphere we helped create! It's truly a little piece of Europe right here in Utah.
Designed by Jessica Bennett & Matt Dickamore | Photos by Nicole Gerulat