Archie Bolden founder Tara Dennis is making waves on Atlanta’s design landscape!
Tara Dennis is the Australia born design powerhouse behind the new Middle Eastern eatery Delbar in Buckhead and a host of other homes and businesses around Atlanta. After designing interiors for clients Down Under, she moved to the Peach State nearly seven years ago and in short order developed a cadre of stateside clients. Here, she shares some of her favorite places for inspiration and top features of Delbar’s 6,000- square-foot Buckhead location.
Is the Buckhead location the first Delbar you’ve done?
We started working with Fares Kargar, Delbar’s chef-owner, just after COVID, and at the time he just wanted some consulting. We assisted pretty heavily on the Alpharetta location. Fares loves design and architecture, and was insistent that he could do it himself. Towards the end of that project he texted me and said, “Never let me do it this way ever again. I need you guys fully on it from the beginning.”
What’s special about the design?
There were a lot of discussions about how it would be different from the Iman Park and Alpharetta locations. Buckhead is a sophisticated place. Across the road are the luxury fashion houses, and we’ve got RH next door. So naturally, it was an elevated design, and that meant things were more refined. You can see that in the decorative objects. We’ve got a big, curved entrance that sets the tone, and the bar is a really big focal point when you walk in. We’ve got built-in arches throughout. The patio was so much fun to design, with a fountain, chandeliers and plants everywhere.
If you’re heading to Delbar for a date night, what’s your favorite spot from a design perspective?
There are two ways of looking at it. When you walk in, in front of the bar, is a lounge area. I love that because it has an in-the-middle-ofthe- energy vibe. You can still get the same food offerings as at the tables, but to me it’s a bit sexier. Alternatively, there’s great seating and banquettes down the opposite end of the space, which feels a bit more formal.
For someone who knows your work, do you think it would be obvious that you’re involved in this project?
Our main focus at Archie Bolden is excellent customer service. That means the client has ended up with a design they love. We’ve heard what they want, understood the requirements, the budget, the functions, and we’ve delivered something that fits. It’s not our intention to make a mark on the space as ours. It has to be 100% their brand or their personality. That being said, there are definitely threads through our projects of the way we design. We aren’t overly decorative, but we like to have little details here and there. If you follow our work, you would walk in and go, “Oh, Archie did this,” because it’s got a similar energy, and it’s not overdone.
Where have you traveled recently that provided inspiration for your work?
I am completely in love with Colombia. The people, culture and design are incredible. I love going to Bogota. It’s surrounded by mountains that are right there in your face. You’ve got the cool, crisp air and this really natural, healthy environment. Surprisingly, the architecture is predominantly brick but contemporary. It reminds me so much of Melbourne, Australia, which is actually quite European.
You’re known for your signature personal style: monochromatic clothes and long, hot pink nails. How did that look come about?
I’m a total creature of habit, and I love the whole uniform idea. Most people make a million decisions in a day, so I like to reduce my decisions and keep doing something on repeat. On my nails, I’ve had the pink since 2016. It’s called Brink of Pink by Wavegel. The longer I’ve spent in Atlanta, the longer the nails have gotten. I can’t live without them.
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