Entry to Oddball requires an open mind. The experimental cocktail bar in New York’s Alphabet City features a concoction of smoked sunchokes, honeycrisp apple, pecan spirit, and sencha tea, and that’s the less out-there option. For savory lovers, the bar slings long drinks like roasted corn tea, kombu, and cocoa vodka. Or flirt with chance with the Blind Box Punch where bartenders roll the dice (actually though) to determine the spirits. For a menu concept rooted in the beauty of contrasts, the space equally serves up surprising pairings. New York–based design agency House Under Magic approached the design with a little bit of Star Trek: The Original Series, Memphis Group, and ’60s diners in mind.
The mixology results in the retro-furturistic vision the early aughts promised but better. Oddball’s compact 1,100-square-foot-space conveys its ’60s and ’70s inflections and bold references through soft primary colors, playful geometry, and concise material palette. Burl wood and volcanic stone feel right at home with American diners of yore, while brushed aluminum lends a contemporary twist.
The team sought to maximize seating, removing the DJ zone from the space’s last life as Hi-Note. Booths and tabletops line the walls, letting color and material divvy the space: stone flooring demarcates seating while the wire-brushed acadia flooring creates a walkway down the length of the space. The plan is kept open, maintaining this sightline. Dividers help make this possible; House Under Magic used painted MDF panels with circular punch outs to divide the booths from the bar while keeping a sense of transparency. The geometry crucially continues the retro inflection.
Behind it, the bar makes itself known, clad in Zia Tile’s citron ceramics and a glossy top. More MDF is used behind the bar, stacked to create shelving where a saber of light runs through.
House Under Magic, working on a quick timeline, made key pieces in their shop, including the blue and red banquettes, soffits, bar storage, shelves, and divider frame.
The precise elements convey Oddball’s spirit: a well-guided journey off the beaten path. Come for the design’s refined playfulness. Stay for the sinfully flaky doughboys.