Le Coucou

Le Coucou is the creation of famed restaurateur Stephen Starr and chef Daniel Rose. Rose’s classic French cuisine is framed in the most charming of New York City settings, designed by Roman and Williams and lit by L’Observatoire International.

L’Observatoire International was responsible for lighting all interior spaces of the restaurant including dining room, bar, and open kitchen area.

The goal of the interior design was to create an inviting atmosphere that recalled the intimacy and comfort of a dinner party at home; pleasant, understated, and elegant. L’Observatoire lit the underside of the open kitchen’s decorative hood to establish the chef’s table as focal point and allow the dynamics and energy of the open kitchen spill into the the dining room. Within the kitchen, L’Observatoire employed an integrated lighting concept to conceal all fixtures for a seamless effect. L’Observatoire International collaborated with Roman and Williams to conceptualise a grand procession of custom cast iron chandeliers for the central dining area that illuminate the room with warm and soothing light distributed by hand-blown glass shades. In response to the high ceilings, L’Observatoire International drew inspiration from the architectural beauty of the Hagia Sophia monument in Istanbul, and suspended the chandeliers at different heights to bring the light level down into the restaurant and cast an intimate glow over the space. Subtle and warm, the low level lighting adds to the pleasant ambiance.