Bernadette was envisioned as a modern-day French bistro—personal, layered, and rooted in storytelling—set within a newly constructed condominium building in the heart of Salem, Massachusetts. With no historic bones to build upon, the 3,200 SF shell space presented both a challenge and an opportunity: to craft an environment that felt timeless and transportive, while addressing the constraints of a $1.1 million construction budget.

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The design intent was to create a space that embodied elegance and warmth, but with an approachable sensibility suited to its Salem location—a city equally defined by its local community and heavy tourist foot traffic. The inspiration stemmed from the French phrase raison d’être (“reason for being”) and the name Bernadette itself, which evokes strength and femininity (“brave as a bear”). The interior needed to capture both—a place that feels strong yet soft, tailored yet unpretentious.