Step into Chicago’s avec restaurant and marvel at the simple, minimalist interior.

Let your eyes absorb the floor-to-ceiling wood paneling. When you ask, they’ll tell you the walls are cedar, the floor hickory and the seats red oak.

Now take in pop of color that radiates from the green accent wall at the rear. Appreciate the stainless steel bar that runs 48 polished feet from one end of the space to the other.

This is a wine bar, with architecture reflecting the wine-making process. The 1,500-square–foot bar and dining area is inspired by the Danish Modern style, finding ornamentation in the structure and materials.

The interior is so striking that designer Thomas Schlesser earned a 2005 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurant Design for his work on Avec.