ARIDO Award: Pantry King West – Ceiling
Written by: Dyonne Fashina, ARIDO
Inspired by the brand’s legacy of residential pantry aesthetics, the ceiling at Pantry King Street West centers on transforming a humble, familiar motif while reimagining the traditional basketweave tile pattern in bold, three-dimensional millwork which is visible from the street through the restaurant’s expansive front glazing.
Category: CRAFT
Interior Designer: Dyonne Fashina, ARIDO
Design Firm: Denizens of Design Inc.
Photographer: Scott Norsworthy and Gil Tamin
The goal was to craft a custom, site-specific feature that would anchor the space—both visually and symbolically—while exemplifying restraint, craftsmanship, and sustainability; evolving the brand’s signature basketweave tile motif into a more meaningful and memorable architectural language.
Instead of removing the existing ceiling structure, the design team embraced its limitations and potential. Decorative beams were retained and clad in oak to match the new custom cross beams, into which curved millwork panels were woven—some convex, others concave—to create a sense of tension and movement.
Crafted with precision and finished in warm oak, the ceiling’s tactility invites the eye upward, supporting a space that is both dynamic and rooted. It is now a model for how the brand can evolve signature motifs into expressive architectural statements, with minimal waste and maximum impact.
The result is a sculptural element that embodies the client’s evolution, drawing attention from the street and connecting guests to the core values of warmth, honesty, and care.
