Photo Credit: Carly Abbott of Social Stylate
When brand designer and marketing strategist Lauren Golt first considered designing her own space, she wanted it to be “something sexy, gender neutral, and artsy.” After pitching her vision to restaurant owner David Dietz, she single-handedly developed what is currently Bar Reverie, a stylish wine bar restaurant located in Greenville, Delaware. Today, Bar Reverie stands out as a unique dining experience thanks to Golt’s creativity and keen attention to detail.
As creative director, Golt’s day-to-day work centers around managing the bar’s interior design and artistic direction. For a glimpse into the creative genius behind Bar Reverie, here’s what a regular day looks like for Lauren Golt.
Morning: Setting the Stage
As morning customers enter Bar Reverie to try one of their featured specialties (like a Café au lait or a croissant), what first strikes them is the unusual color palette of the restaurant: black-and-white walls with a pop of bright green. Golt says the peculiar green color is a tribute to the old-school Ralph Lauren cologne bottle.
That combination of travel-inspired cuisine and American iconography is a defining factor of Golt’s vision — creating a pleasant environment where you can get a cup of coffee, sit down with your laptop, and be inspired by the restaurant’s creative scenery and stylish presentation. As customers walk up to the bar, they’re treated to an extensive selection of house-made pastries presented on a variety of cake stands in different shapes and sizes — all hand-selected by Golt.
Golt curated the bar’s design to fit a broad range of influences. A projector plays black-and-white movies while customers dine. A print of the classic Andy Warhol piece “After The Party 183” hangs on the wall. Vintage French chess prints spread above a wine cabinet. These pieces, among many others, add to the bar’s vintage aesthetic.
Midday: The Symphony of Management
At lunchtime, Bar Reverie serves a menu that reflects the chef’s love of travel, presenting creative spins on both local and European classics — from grilled cheese to steak frites. Golt states that this blend of influences gives the menu a distinct best-of-both-worlds quality.
But the menu is just one example of Golt’s commitment to excellence. Aiming to provide total comfort to her guests, Golt tested hundreds of barstools until she found the one most comfortable for people of all sizes. She also imported purse stools from Denmark to give guests a chic place to leave their belongings.
For Golt, no detail is too small. She spent months looking for napkin rings that perfectly complemented the bar’s green leather shade. She also designs personalized cards for guests celebrating special events like birthdays or anniversaries to give each occasion its own, personal touch.
As a result, when you stop in for a midday treat at Bar Reverie, you can expect a highly curated, authentic dining experience.
Afternoon: Creative Pulse
Bar Reverie’s happy hour is from 3:00 to 6:00 in the afternoon and is the most low-key part of the day, offering customers the chance to take a closer look at the bar’s artful layout. Guests can also try some of the house’s special cocktails — expertly crafted by resident mixologists who spend weeks refining each recipe to perfection.
It’s during these quieter hours that Golt takes the opportunity to look forward to the next iteration of her design. She’s constantly looking for ways to up her own game, to regularly improve the aesthetic of Bar Reverie. Her goal is for the vibe to feel “masculine and feminine — approachable, yet artsy.”
A key example she points to is a mural of a night sky painted over the bathroom hallway ceiling. Golt compared the desired effect to Alice in Wonderland, where “you walk through a hallway and then go through a door to a whole new world.”
This quieter time is also when Golt takes every opportunity to mingle with dining room guests. Although she has an endless vision for the creative future of Bar Reverie, her greatest inspiration is her guests. When she’s not meeting her patrons and telling the unique story of Bar Reverie, she’s meeting with General Manager Tom Austin to plan wine dinners, movie nights, and other exciting events.
Evening: The Magic Hour
The evening sees Bar Reverie at peak activity, and it’s when the restaurant is flooded with guests looking to try a varied set of dishes and a highly curated wine list. Thanks to Golt’s efforts in making each seating area a fun and unique experience, guests can freely choose between the communal dining room, chairs by the fireplaces on the patio, or the semi-private tasting bar for a more exclusive experience.
But the magic of the evening hour did not come without its challenges. Golt notes that the road to opening was hard-fought, between having to work with a small space, working on a tight budget, and looking for commercial-grade quality items and decor. On this last point, she adds, “A lot of what I originally wanted wouldn’t have lasted due to the wear and tear of restaurant life.”
However, these challenges became opportunities for creativity, and her unique dining experience was quickly embraced by the public. “We’ve received an incredible response,” Golt says. “Everyone loves the vibe and is thrilled to have it in the area.”
Reflection: The Quiet After the Storm
After another successful evening, Bar Reverie closes its doors, lying dormant in well-earned slumber before yet another busy day.
In addition to her role at Bar Reverie and the management of her creative marketing agency, Social Stylate, Golt keeps an eye out for new business ventures to which she can bring her unique creative spark. “My design philosophy centers on authenticity, staying true to myself and my vision, and trusting my instincts,” she says.
It’s this philosophy that has made Bar Reverie a modern cornerstone of the Delaware dining community, as well as a must-visit for those looking to see the creative genius in action.
