James Harb and Patrick Naggar have created an ideal setting for welcoming Manhattan's café society. Daniel Boulud chose James Harb and Patrick Naggar to bring his dream French café to life in the guise of a warm and welcoming restaurant on Manhattan's Upper East Side. James Harb, a New York based architect renowned for his prize-winning retail spaces, united his talents with those of Patrick Naggar, a Parisian artist, architect and furniture designer, to bring about the metamorphosis of the former Restaurant Daniel space into the cosmopolitan and chic yet relaxed Café Boulud. The dining room’s rich, wood paneled surfaces and plush upholstery in muted neutral tones pay homage to the elegant modernism of a 1930's Parisian rendez-vous, creating a sleek backdrop for the palate of flavors on Café Boulud’s eclectic menu. Enter the restaurant through a grand pair of nine-foot mahogany framed glass doors leading to a limestone vestibule whose gently diffused light offers a moment of serene contemplation before introducing you to the dining room and bar that lie beyond. Immediately inside a set of communal tables awaits you. The sleek marble tops with bar stools to perch on make for an inviting pre-dinner cocktails spot. The communal tables also provide a welcoming corner for walk-ins or guests seeking a more casual alternative to the dining room. A decorative wine cave separates the communal form a cozy semi-private dining nook. This banquette lined alcove is the perfect place for discreet diners who prefer to see rather than be seen. The dining room is infused with a warm glow, emanating from James Harb’s custom designed polished nickel sconces and pendant lamps with rice paper shades. The space is decorated in subdued earth tones: banquettes in shades of cocoa, walls upholstered in sandy hues, ivory colored curtains, and custom wool carpeting inspired by traditional Tibetan design woven in shades of hazelnut, sage and caramel. Mirrored and wainscoted columns punctuate this free-flowing space. Patrick Naggar's custom designed chairs with curved and tapered solid mahogany frames offer hints of retro Parisian elegance. Their seats, covered in burnt coral leather, add a whimsical and unexpected splash of color. On the table top, custom designed pieces created in harmony with Café Boulud's furnishings include crisp white Italian tone on tone linens woven by Rivolta Carmignano, Limoges porcelain created for us by Bernardaud, fine Bavarian glassware by Spiegelau and flatware from the Lyonnais silversmith Orfé. At Café Boulud, James Harb and Patrick Naggar have created an ideal setting for welcoming Manhattan’s café society in Daniel Boulud's singularly gracious style. It is the ideal canvas upon which to serve his unusual menu.