Omar Aqeel brings “sensory fantasy” to New York bar Only Love Strangers

Cobalt blue surfaces line this bar and restaurant on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, designed as a “retro-futurist oasis” by Brooklyn-based studio Omar Aqeel.

At the corner of East Houston and Allen Streets is Only Love Strangers, a two-story cocktail lounge, restaurant and live music venue that draws influences from 1960s and 1970s surrealism.

For the interior, Studio Omar Aqeel mixed references from Stanley Kubrick’s film “2001: A Space Odyssey” and Eileen Gray’s Villa E-1027 to the sculptures of Alexander Calder.

“A page of sensual fantasy – especially for discerning creatives – Only Love Strangers boasts a unique aesthetic that inspires endless discovery,” the team said.

Guests entering the 585 square meter space are greeted at a cantilevered hostess stand made of brushed aluminum.

Straight ahead, through an arched opening, is a bar area clad from floor to ceiling in cobalt blue tiles with blue grout.

A brushed aluminum bar counter has rounded ends that are reflected in the light fixture above, and industrial-style bar stools seat seven people.

The benches are upholstered with the “Black and White Optik” fabric by Verner Panton from 1969 and offer space for eight additional guests.

In the main dining room to the left of the entrance, the walls are clad in earthy lime plaster, which contrasts with the light blue cushions of the built-in seats.

“Here, a voyeuristic exit allows guests to peek into the subterranean lounge, while vaulted dining alcoves with blue crescent-shaped booths provide a more intimate dining atmosphere,” the team said.

The private dining room for up to 10 guests is decorated with a wall-filling, hand-painted mural inspired by the abstract grid of the Bauhaus.

This space, with its own entrance, includes ant chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, a vintage dining table by Makio Hasuike for Seccose and the Maru pendant lamp by Ingo Maurer.

Cobalt blue also reappears in the lounge on the lower floor, where almost all surfaces are in this bold shade.

This area also features aluminum accents and a variety of playful lights that give the cool-toned room a warm glow.

Throughout Only Love Strangers you will find pieces by New York-based artists and designers, including Max Simon, Blue Green Works, Yuyu Shiratori, Nico Anon, Superabundance, Gregory Beson, Adriana Gallo, Ash Allen and Lucas Willing Studios.

The lounge also offers a live music program in the evenings with local jazz talent.

The lively Lower East Side is full of bars and restaurants, such as the Italian restaurant Una Pizza Napoletana, which has an Art Deco meets Industrial interior.

Boutiques that have recently opened in the area include BoND’s menswear store Le Père and Rafael de Cárdenas’ streetwear shop Awake NY.

The photographs are by Ori Harpaz.