Former Barber Shop in Grand Central Recast as Nordic Restaurant Agern
“The space chose us,” Heartwork Design principal Christina Meyer Bengtsson says of she and her husband, chef Claus Meyer, when they encountered a 2,900-square-foot former barber shop inside Grand Central Station. With a total gut by Richard H. Lewis Architect and fellow Danish firm Ulrik Nordentoft Studio collaborating, it’s now home to Agern, a tastefully outfitted restaurant with an aesthetic that nods to its Nordic cuisine and the city’s historic architecture. The art deco of the Chrysler Building sparked the chevron-patterned celadon and cream tiles. The Verner Panton pendant in the banquette nook was snagged on eBay, while the pale curving millwork looks straight out of Alvar Aalto’s studio. And although the dining chairs have a mid-century air, they’re totally 21st-century, by Interior Design Hall of Fame member Patricia Urquiola.