At Primo’s, the new bar at the Frederick Hotel in NYC’s TriBeCa neighborhood, owner Asia Shelley serves up astringent cocktails and late night cacio e pepe in a distinctive setting featuring bespoke finishes and rare vintage furniture. The interiors come from Camilla Deterre, a model and up-and-coming designer also responsible for the interiors at Mimi in the West Village.
For Primo’s, Deterre cites eccentric 1970s Italian Radical Design and the faded glamour of the Mediterranean coast as cultural influences, which translates to wood cladding, terrazzo floors, velvet banquettes, midcentury Italian lighting, and uncommon furniture. “I find that with computer programs rendering everything that is now made, we’ve almost forgotten that we are human and are drawn to things made by humans. We feel most comfortable around those objects and in those spaces,” says Deterre. Primo’s, which has a front and back room, is the kind of bar you can rely on for a no-nonsense martini and transformative decor. “It feels good to make room for people to enjoy themselves.”
Photography by Adrien Mesko for Primo’s.
![the door leading to primo\2\17;s from the frederick hotel has glass 17](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/primos-tribeca-adrien-mesko-1-733x1099.jpg)
![the front room is painted bright white with chrome tables and chairs resembling 18](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/primos-tribeca-adrien-mesko-5-733x1099.jpg)
![curved banquettes are upholstered in cotton velvet from new york company f. sch 19](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/primos-tribeca-adrien-mesko-6-733x1098.jpg)
![olive green velvet club chairs—vintage—and a fireplace with marbl 20](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/primos-tribeca-adrien-mesko-2-733x543.jpg)
![a mural by argentinian artist conie vallese runs the length of the bar’s 21](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/primos-tribeca-adrien-mesko-3-733x515.jpg)
![the bar design takes inspiration from bemelmans bar in new york and the re 22](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/primos-tribeca-adrien-mesko-4-733x1071.jpg)
![a classic matchbook photographed on the mismatched terrazzo tile floor. 23](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/primos-tribeca-adrien-mesko-8-733x734.jpg)
For more inspired venues in NYC, see:
- French Glam on a Budget: 15 Ideas to Steal from Mimi, New York’s Sexiest Bistro
- The Guild: A Glamorous New Emporium in SoHo from Roman & Williams
- Bauhaus on the Bowery: De Maria Cafe in NYC
Have a Question or Comment About This Post?
Join the conversation