The stylish came out to celebrate "Cocktail Chic" last week at Barbara Lockhart’s Colors on Bedford, An American Bistro in Beverly Hills. The cocktail party and social hour was a fete for the November issue of Los Angeles Magazine, who sponsored the event.
Beverly Hills socialites and trendsetters sipped on cocktails from Pinky Vodka and tasted an array of delicious hors d’oeuvres from the Colors on Bedford kitchen as they chatted and took in the sights from the restaurant’s outdoor patio. Located on the corner of Bedford and Wilshire in the heart of the Beverly Hills shopping district, it was definitely the place to see and be seen that evening. The inside of the restaurant was packed with media, film and business moguls enjoying the laid-back evening.
Colors on Bedford opened in 2005 and has since become one of the trendiest restaurants in Beverly Hills. In an area where dining out is more about being seen than eating quality cuisine, Colors set out to change that. Owned by International Award-winning architectural interior designer Barbara Lockhart, the restaurant blends an elegant ambiance, a happening bar and stunning new-American cuisine to create the perfect evening out. Having designed numerous award-winning restaurants such as the original Le Dome on Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood, the New Chasen’s Restaurant in Beverly Hills, and the View Restaurant in Washington, D.C., Ms. Lockhart had the clout to spice things up in the beige and brick community of Beverly Hills. Incorporating vibrant turquoise and red into the exterior, Colors definitely lives up to its name and stands out as a bright beacon on Bedford.
Lockhart’s numerous design awards paid off, because the unique colors of her restaurant will never be duplicated, a least in Beverly Hills. After presenting her unique color palette, the Beverly Hills Architectural Committee gave Lockhart a positive endorsement and assured her that not one else would be permitted to copy her. They said "We wouldn’t allow this to anyone else because you’ve won the Beverly Hills Architectural achievement award; we have confidence that you can pull this off", remembers Lockhart. After the palette was approved, the name was an easy choice: color "enlightens one’s sense of well being and lifts your spirits", she says.
The vibrant colors on the outside give way to romantic sophistication on the inside. The upholstered canvas ceiling and carpeting on the floors create a quiet atmosphere for great conversation, while the dimmed lights fashion a relaxing and romantic environment. The restaurant itself is the art form, with the walls wrapped in a Rothcoesque mural, mirrors, and a changing array of museum-quality paintings projected on the front lobby wall. Personal touches also add to the design, generating an inviting ambiance of comfort, personality, and intimacy. A wood-burning oven, a rarity in Los Angeles, is located in the main dining room for everyone to admire. For those wanting a more private experience, a curved staircase by the bar leads to a private room upstairs, aptly dubbed Barbara’s attic. It is available to reserve for small private parties or business meetings.
The entire concept comes together to blend a wondrous sense of design with tantalizing, wholesome American food and meticulous service at moderate prices. Barbara Lockhart’s Colors on Bedford, An American Bistro is the perfect place to celebrate with style.
Barbara Lockhart’s Colors on Bedford, An American Bistro
369 N. Bedford Drive
Beverly Hills, CA
310-205-0171
Open 11:30am to 11 pm daily
Photography by Marcelino Miguel Media
