![Main dining room](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2023/02/19-town_jialun_xiong_dezeen_hero1-852x479.jpg)
Jialun Xiong balances contrasts at "retro-futurist" restaurant in Los Angeles
LA-based furniture designer Jialun Xiong has completed her first restaurant interior in the city for 19 Town, achieving a retro-futurist look by pairing soft hues and metallic surfaces.
Serving Chinese fusion food, the 19 Town restaurant is located in an industrial area close to Downtown LA.
![Entry with stainless steel and Formica counter](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2023/02/19-town_jialun_xiong_dezeen_2364_col_9-852x1065.jpg)
The name is a play on words from a phrase in Mandarin, signifying a venue that has food and wine according to Xiong, who is originally from Chongqing.
She used a variety of materials and her own furniture designs to give the space a sense of "lavish restraint", through the combination of minimal forms and rich details.
![Lounge area with metal seating](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2023/02/19-town_jialun_xiong_dezeen_2364_col_4-852x568.jpg)
"Crafted with rigorously minimal forms balanced by rich materials like Venetian plaster, silver, and leather, the restaurant's high-drama interiors create an elevated dining experience where connection around food takes centre stage," said a statement on behalf of Xiong.
The 4,200-square-foot (390-square-metre) restaurant is divided into five areas, which include the main dining space, a bar and lounge, and three private rooms.
![Lounge area behind glass block wall](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2023/02/19-town_jialun_xiong_dezeen_2364_col_5-852x568.jpg)
Each space is designed with its own identity, including the entry, featuring a custom brushed stainless steel and Formica reception desk.
Behind, the wall is covered in Venetian plaster and plywood cabinets offer storage, while a series of circular Vibia pendant lights hang above.
![Furniture detail](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2023/02/19-town_jialun_xiong_dezeen_2364_col_3-852x1278.jpg)
Glass block partitions define the perimeter of the main dining area, comprising a central seating area with round tables, and custom banquettes made from brushed stainless, green leather and vinyl.
"Overlooking an open kitchen, the main dining space evokes an aura of retro-futurism," said the team.
![Stainless steel banquette](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2023/02/19-town_jialun_xiong_dezeen_2364_col_6-852x1278.jpg)
The lounge is located on one side and the screened bar is situated on the other – both continuing the same design language as the central room, but with their own twist.
Xiong used multiple pieces from her Building Blocks collection to furnish these spaces, such as a silver powder-coated metal bench with off-white leather upholstered seats.
Other items also combine industrial and natural materials, creating a balance between soft and hard, shiny and matte, and heavy and light.
A variety of lighting designs with disc-shaped elements are installed throughout, adding to the retro-futurist appearance.
![Private dining room at 19 Town](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2023/02/19-town_jialun_xiong_dezeen_2364_col_2-852x1277.jpg)
The private dining spaces are decorated using a monochromatic palette and a restrained approach, with green providing a subtle injection of muted colour.
The overall result is a series of "balanced spaces where furnishings, lighting, and spatial volumes are considered together as a total composition".
![Bar located in screen porch](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2023/02/19-town_jialun_xiong_dezeen_2364_col_7-852x569.jpg)
Minimalism has become an increasingly popular style choice for Chinese restaurants, both in China and around the globe.
Others include a hotpot restaurant with thick stucco walls in Qinhuangdao, a muted monochrome space in Ontario, and an eatery featuring stainless steel, brass and polycarbonate in Manhattan.
The photography is by Ye Rin Mok.