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Rachel Morgan

Case Study: Replacing Tapas Gitana's Old Wooden Partitions

Tapas Gitana in Northfield, IL reached out to SelectSpace for some new partitions to replace the wooden ones they had been using for the past few seasons. They had three issues in particular with the wooden partitions and we worked with them to make sure all three were solved. SelectSpace also was able to design some customized components to fulfill the owner's vision!

Restaurant with old wooden partitions
 

1. The first issue was how the old wooden partitions were “ugly” and “heavy-looking”. The space didn't feel open and airy since the partitions blocked most of the view both inside and out. They also weren't just "heavy-looking"... the partitions were actually heavy enough to push the paving bricks they were resting on deep into the ground!

Closeups of old wooden partitions showing how they are ugly and heavy-looking
 

2. The second issue was that the painted wood was really difficult to maintain. The system was left up throughout the year (it wasn't designed to be easily disassembled and definitely not to be re-assembled afterwards) and the wood/finish just wasn't able to handle the elements. Repainting it wasn't easy and there was a significant amount of chipping, peeling, dirt, and decay.

Closeups of old wooden partitions showing the damaged and worn paint and wood
 

3. The third issue was how quickly the wood attracted pests. Multiple ant colonies had made their nests in the decaying wood along with some enterprising beetles and spiders!

Closeup of old wooden partitions showing two ants' nests
 

SelectSpace to the rescue!

The SelectSpace partition system has been designed to both look good and have a high level of visual transparency to help reduce the sense of heaviness and obstruction.

Restaurant with new SelectSpace partitions

Our low-maintenance aluminum and stainless steel ensures no rusting or corroding and the exterior-rated powder coating is easy to clean! Plus because it's lightweight and easy to assemble/disassemble, SelectSpace can be taken apart for cleaning (both the partitions and the ground!) and off-season storage.

Comparison of old wooden partitions to new SelectSpace partitions
 

Keeping the overhead string lights was very important to Tapas Gitana, so SelectSpace made custom extra-tall light pole stands to replace the unfinished 4" x 4"s. These light pole stands were anchored to the nearby trees for stability.

SelectSpace partitions with custom tall light poles

After their initial SelectSpace system was set up, Tapas Gitana decided to add hanging planters. However, they wanted custom single-sided versions instead of the standard double-sided Hanging Planter. We ensured their SelectSpace partition system was stable enough to support single-sided hanging planters and then manufactured them a custom set of hanging planters!

SelectSpace partitions with custom hanging planters
 

Do you have any special requirements for your patio? At SelectSpace we manufacture everything in-house at our two Chicago locations and have the capabilities to design and produce custom components. Contact us and one of our designers will be happy to discuss your needs and find a solution!

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