Global architecture firm Streetsense approached the design of Bar Spero, a Spanish seafood restaurant in Washington, D.C., by looking toward its chef, Johnny Spero. His playful character lands in contrast to his cuisine’s seriousness. The duality resulted in an interior that on one hand is clean and warm and on the other is boisterous and intriguing.

The designers started with the neutral base and color scheme, using angled chevron flooring from Havwoods, toffee leather, moments of calming blue touches via velvet booths and drapes. Around the bar, hand-painted glazes on custom Red Rock Tileworks’s hex tiles clad the bar, creating a clean, crisp feel.

It sets a quieter backdrop for the 6,500-square-foot interior’s pièce de résistance: the LED-created sculptures that evoke an abstract mountain range. They soar over the dining booths, helping define each seating area while embracing the interior’s 20-feet high ceilings. It’s a fun touch that prepares visitors for the burst of color and play in the neon-hued bathrooms where tinted mirrors take the shape of Pit Viper sunglasses.

The interior’s conviviality is an ode to Basque nightlife without falling into the trappings of overly sensorial that it takes away from the real reason to go to Bar Spero: good food. Streetsense’s approach layers both sides of the chef as well as the menu’s concept to great effect—the restaurant has already been named Eater’s top 24 new restaurants for 2023.