Coworking company Beauty Shoppe has created a space for collaborative work with a public cafe in Cleveland, Ohio, as part of its growing number of co-working projects.
Beauty Shoppe, an agency founded in 2011 that specialises in shared workspaces, has opened this outpost as its first outside Pennsylvania.
It occupies the ground floor of the historic brick Seymour Building, which is at the heart of a $60 million (£46 million) mixed-use development for the area in the Ohio City neighbourhood. Other plans involve an apartment building, school and grocery store.
Beauty Shoppe's co-working space and adjoining Foyer cafe were created with the goal to create a space for the community to meet and gather.
"Originally constructed in 1876 and formerly home to Ohio City's beloved Kiefer's Tavern, the Seymour Building has a long tradition of bringing people together," said the company. "Beauty Shoppe brings that to the fore in the design and programming for Foyer."
"We thrive on reinvigorating historic buildings and participating in the revitalisation of urban neighbourhoods," the team added.
The 12,000-square-foot (1,115-square-metre) project involved the creation of the public cafe, lounge and work areas, alongside private work areas that include 22 offices and smaller breakout spaces, which are sized for one to six people.
A dusty maroon coffee counter forms a focal point for the communal area, with restaurant-style booth seating and a navy-coloured conference room in other areas. White walls and light wood floors keep the interiors bright and play-up the artistic details.
Beauty Shoppe collaborated with Pittsburgh-based furniture maker Zach Kruszynski of Bones and All to create custom booths and work tables. "Zach is a Cleveland native, so this project was very dear to his heart," said the company.
A combination of blush, dark and light blue, and soft green are used in the cafe. Soft pink drapery was custom made by Pittsburgh designer Leah Patgorski, and adds a cosiness to the dining area.
Local makers and businesses are represented in the space, including a contemporary painting by artist Lauren Noel, and greenery and floral arrangements by Plantscaping & Blooms.
Other pieces were sourced from Cleveland vintage store All Things For U, and Springfield Antique Show – a flea market in Columbus.
In addition to showcasing local crafts, Foyer also has a strong focus on sustainability and aims to produce no more than one bag of garbage per week. Recycled and compostable containers are used alongside ceramics, with compostable paper straws from Aardvark Straws.
The cafe also partners with Cleveland's Rust Belt Riders for compost collection, and plans are for Foyer to serve as a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) delivery location for Lettuce Heads, a farm based in Wellington, Ohio.
Co-working spaces are increasingly popular across the US, as self-employment continues to rise and working remotely becomes more common. Other recent projects in the country include Canopy in San Francisco with an outdoor patio by Yves Behar, Amir Mortazavi and Steve Mohebi and female co-working club The Wing in New York's Soho by Chiara De Rege.
Photography is by Alexandra Ribar of Beauty Shoppe.