- Rich amber hues
- Off whites / faded beiges
- Shining gold and deep brown accents
Examples of home furnishings of this style include:
- Gilded candle-lit chandeliers
- Detailed oriental rugs
- Draping fabrics
- Dark wooden tables and pedestals
- Gilded picture frames
- Calligraphy / stationery sets
- Perfume bottles / vanities
The ambiance can be characterized by:
- Warm, dim lighting concentrated on tables and rugs
- Light conversation and acoustic music
- Scents of coffee and smoke in the air
By incorporating warm lighting, antique fabrics, and gold accents, our redesign elevated the aesthetics of the space while contributing to a friendlier environment. Moreover, by considering the temperature and smell, we helped enhance the homeliness of the experience.
As the first room the guests enter, the lobby set the precedent for the entire audience experience. It was essential that the space felt, looked, and smelled welcoming, warm, and quaint. In the context of She Loves Me, the lobby also functioned as a space for conversation, whether verbal or written. Attendees were able to gather in the lobby to discuss the show, reconnect with neighbors, or meet new friends. Furthermore, attendees used the lobby to write letters –– a hallmark of the plot and message of the show.
The existing lobby design felt cold and sterile –– far from the intimate, warm spaces of She Loves Me or of quaint Hungarian interior design. With solid grey concrete floors, a red tiled desk, black pillars and beams, muted yellow walls, and bright overhead lighting, the interior design appeared more corporate than antique. Furthermore, with the air conditioner running, the lobby felt especially cold amid the autumn weather. And without a distinct smell, the space lacked the olfactory component that helps make homes feel more like a haven than a building.
Our lobby design created a more welcoming space. By incorporating warm lighting, rustic fabrics, gold accents, and other sensory components, our redesign elevated the aesthetics of the space while again contributing to a friendlier environment. The redesign of the lobby incorporated the following visual elements: brown oriental rugs, dark wooden writing desk, round standing tables with tablecloths, gilded furnishings, tall artificial candles, and warm upward light sources.
The hallway led the audience directly to the theatre. Walking through this space provided an experience that set the stage for the show itself. Whether for a family taking a heartfelt photograph or for a couple enjoying a warm drink, the hallway became a space for intimacy. The hallway also offered a glimpse into the history of Long Wharf Theatre on its 60th anniversary, celebrating the theatre’s past in a manner that was clear and accessible to members of the audience.
The existing hallway design again felt cold, literally and metaphorically. The pale walls and tiled floor recalled those of a doctor’s office, while the bright overhead lights made the space feel unwelcoming. The low AC and lack of music exaggerated the cold atmosphere.
The cafe served as another space for camaraderie and conversation. With warm drinks, pleasant smells, and live music by local jazz bands, this space played a critical role in enhancing the audience experience. Couples could share a drink, children could grab a snack, and families could sit down at a table together. As for the lobby and hallway, the cafe promoted intimacy and reflection through a combination of aesthetics, sounds, smells, and temperatures.
Though the existing cafe design felt less cold than the lobby and hallway, we still thought it could feel more inviting and intimate. The existing brick backsplash and warm lighting helped enliven the space, though the concrete floors, white granite counters, and industrial beams detracted from the homely aura we were developing.
Our cafe design both created a more welcoming space and augmented the existing aesthetic elements. Guests were welcome to sit down at the tables, listen to the live jazz, or stand and chat. By incorporating warm dim candles, brown fabrics, and gold accents, our redesign elevated the aesthetics of the space while contributing to a friendlier environment.
As part of the audience experience, we designed a wayfinding template to be used throughout the venue. These signs were integral for guiding guests to important locations around the building. Our design remained relatively simplistic with a solid color background, white text set in Archivo (the font family used in the Long Wharf Theatre visual identity), and arrows in either direction. We selected the brown background to complement the browns and golds present throughout the rest of the experience. Moreover, to point audience members in the right direction, we used the same style of arrows that Long Wharf Theatre uses in their visual identity.
With a limited budget, we decided to focus on lighting (rather than physical alterations, such as curtains) in order to significantly alter the mood of the space. While we had originally planned to purchase opaque brown curtains to hang throughout the space, we decided that a lighting solution would be more cost-effective.
We found that setting the lights to a rich amber color significantly changed the mood of the space. Especially during the nighttime, when natural lighting was at a minimum, the space took on a distinctly cozy aesthetic.
Long Wharf Theatre, though currently a diverse and inclusive institution, has not always been as culturally and racially heterogeneous. Much of the theatre's history has been dominated by majority-White communities. On the other hand, She Loves Me, as both a theatrical performance and a public event, largely focuses on communities of color. The show's cast features mostly BIPOC, and the targeted audience of the performance was the majority-Black community in Hamden, CT around the venue.
Originally, we had thought that creating a Long Wharf Theatre Photo Album, featuring archival images from the theatre's opening in 1965 to now, would be an effective addition to the audience experience. However, while we were reviewing photos through the years, we noticed that a majority of the photo archive featured only White individuals. We recognized that displaying a photo album with mostly White people to a majority-BIPOC audience –– much of which had not attended a formal theatrical performance before –– may feel exclusive.
To ensure an inclusive yet honest album, we selected photos that demonstrated a gradual increase in diversity since the theatre’s founding. Long Wharf Theatre then arranged the photos in chronological order, showing how the theatre has become more inclusive over the years.