Helen Reed designed the interior of Shagbark, Walter Bundy's restaurant at Libbie Mill-Midtown (Photo by Adam Goldsmith courtesy Helen Reed)
Over the course of 30 years in Richmond, Helen Reed has become one of the city’s premiere designers in the restaurant world, launching her own firm in 1998. From the modern, crisp lines of Richmond Restaurant Group’s The Daily Kitchen & Bar to the stylish Polynesian vibes of the recently opened Perch from chef-owner Mike Ledesma, Reed has made her mark with a knack for color, unwavering attention to detail and an ability to maintain a close relationship with clients.
Richmond magazine: When did you know you wanted to be a designer?
Photo courtesy Helen Reed
Helen Reed: I always knew I wanted to design. I wanted to do coastal homes and stuff like that. I worked my way through school and paid for my education, and that’s when I fell in love with restaurants, working in front of house, back of house, managing and bartending.
RM: How did your experience in restaurants translate to design?
Reed: As I started to design, I understood what had to get done to set them [restaurants] up for success. I understand FOH talk as much as BOH, and it’s really a part of who I am. I understand how to work the floor, where people are turning and twisting and the movements.
RM: What do you enjoy most about design work?
Reed: Right before opening, when it’s all coming together and how my clients start to look at everything differently when they see it happening. I love working with people enthusiastic about food service and hospitality.
RM: Where do you draw design inspiration?
Reed: Traveling. Especially the last two years, I’ve started to travel a lot more, and my partner and I love to dine out. When we go to a city, I seek out all the cool restaurants. I’m going to Santa Fe, and I’ve already laid out where I want to go.
RM: How often do you paint?
Reed: I try to paint once a week, and I’m actually getting ready to have my stuff in a gallery and a few pieces in Perch.
RM: Is there wine or music involved with painting?
Reed: I paint two ways — with music and wine, and other times I’ll meditate and paint. I’m engulfed in the whole spiritual side of painting.
RM: Any vices?
Reed: I get up very early and meditate from one minute to an hour, and I write for 10 to 30 minutes, then I start my day. Anywhere from 5 to 7 a.m.; I usually get to the office pretty early. On the weekends I kayak or like to be outside.
RM: Do you pay attention to trends in the design world?
Reed: Yes, trends and then food, too. I watch what they are and how they come across the country — whether they hit San Francisco, Atlanta, South Carolina, and when they get to RVA. I watch to see when they fade and start. I also do research online and get a lot of information from industry events.
