Caribbean funk and traditional Mexican architecture provided Californian studio ROY with the design cues for this cocktail lounge and eatery in San Francisco.

Sisters Emily and Hannah Collins of ROY completed Elda in San Francisco's Mission Dolores neighbourhood.

It serves Latin American and Caribbean fare, which the duo sought to fuse with designs evocative of Baja California, particularly its sandy Pacific beaches and mild desert climate.

"Bright, airy, sexy and transportive is the vibe we wanted to create with the design of Elda," Emily and Hannah told Dezeen.

"We spent hours assessing what the client loved about Mexican or Latin architecture and design details and how we could best integrate those without it coming across as kitschy or faux," they added.

The Collins sisters overhauled the 2,800-square-foot (260-square-metre) space by painting exposed brick walls and ductwork overhead white, while wood floors and other wood accents add a natural warmth.

Geometric custom-made light fixtures in shades of green and red hang from a wooden trellis above a table in the main double-height space.

Additional green accents feature in a series of low stools in soft lime green and teal, as well as a feature wall covered in turquoise Clé tiles. Leafy potted plants add to the subtle tropical decor.

"We used a warm mix of tropical wood tones, colourful handmade tiles, cementitious plaster walls inspired by Mexican adobe-style architecture and lots of natural greenery," said the designers.

A built-in booth featuring a wood base and an upholstered back coloured in taupe runs along one wall. Leather strips add a rustic touch. A long wooden bar runs along the other side of Elda.

The two areas of the eatery are separated by a half-height wall, which is also topped with wood to match the rest of the space.

At the front of the restaurant is a glazed corner nook with built-in seating, anchored by a large woven light fixture. Plenty of natural light floods into Elda is located on a corner lot and lined in windows that allow natural light to flood inside.

Upstairs is a more colourful area that contrasts with bright white space below. Called Cheeky's, it is designed like a Jamaican dance hall and features green tiled floors and a yellow lacquered ceiling.

Filling this mezzanine area are black stools and tables in yellow, teal, cobalt and peach hues.

"By pulling inspiration from all over the Caribbean, we used a fun mix of pattern, colour and humble materials to connect the room to its funky inspired roots," said the studio.

In addition to Elda, other projects in San Francisco are the Tilden Hotel by Studio Tack, Feit shoe store by Jordana Maisie, a cosy shop for Parachute and Everlane clothing store.

Photography is by Lauren Edith Andersen.