Recently we were asked to create the interior for Venice Beach mainstay, Casa Linda, when the cult eatery moved to new premises.  From the original site at one end of Abbot Kinney, Casa Linda moved just 800ft up the same street, which GQ Magazine described as “the coolest street in the USA”. 

With a different space and the addition of an outdoor patio at the new site, our challenge was to elevate the original look and feel, capturing the unique home-made personality of Casa Linda, while not appearing overly “designed”.

Regarded as one of the best Mexican restaurants in LA, Casa Linda has an authentic, approachable and lively vibe. Having served its light and innovative brand of Mexican cuisine, created by Exec Chef Manuel Mares for many years, the restaurant had a huge number of die-hard existing fans. Providing continuity and brand recognition was therefore very important to making sure that loyal customers both recognized and loved the new venue.

In order to provide this continuity, a unique well-loved painting, that hung in the original restaurant, was re-painted as a floor-to-ceiling mural in the new venue, in easy view from the windows to be seen and instantly recognized by passers-by as Casa Linda.

The painting and mural is by Judy Baca, a world-renowned painter and muralist, community arts pioneer, scholar and University of California professor. She is best known as the director of the project that created one of the largest murals in the world, the Great Wall of Los Angeles.

Casa Linda’s vibrant and colorful fresco provided inspiration for the color scheme throughout the rest of the space, conveying a celebration of Mexican flavors and colors and recognizable to fans.

On a bootstrapped budget to create a homely and familiar feel, existing furniture was re-used and re-painted, with other vintage furniture bought from local second-hand stores.

The result has been incredibly well-received by old and new customers alike, with old customers having recognized the new spot as being Casa Linda by the mural, before it even opened!

Read about the project here.