Local Design Professional Serves up Good Taste and Classic Style for Doylestown Food Co-op

Color by Design, LLC recently announced the completion of a unique design project at the Doylestown Food Co-op. A five month project from start to finish, the Doylestown Food Co-op is located at 29 West State Street, in the heart of downtown Doylestown.

In September 2013 when the board of directors of the Doylestown Food Co-op began to think about the design of their newly acquired space, they turned to Bucks County native Franca Caserta, owner of Color by Design, LLC.  Upon entering the space for the first time, Caserta immediately had a sense of what the purpose and story of the space should be, and having grown up in Bucks County she felt she could truly capture the essence of the Co-op.

Caserta says she had a very distinct idea for the design of the Co-op. “I wanted you to walk into the space and feel like you were walking into a barn, and with the help of countless volunteers, we were able to transform that concept into a reality.” Emphasizing architecture over decor, Caserta opted to design the space with a rustic look suited to a “farmer’s market,” incorporating vintage barn-style architecture, warm copper pendant lights and bold colors. In keeping with the Co-op’s mission to provide fresh, healthy, locally grown food, Caserta chose a classic design but implemented it in a modern way, branding the Co-op’s logo and farm products and imagery into the space.

One of the significant challenges of the five month project was transforming a small, narrow, long space to make it seem wide and big. Says Caserta, “I did not want customers to feel confined, but instead be able to walk freely through the store to shop for the many local items.” She continues, “My inspiration for this project was a photo of a piece of barn wood and a rustic window I found on the internet. I truly believe you can draw inspiration from any item if you look long enough.”

Another challenge Caserta faced was working on a tight budget with predominantly donated materials and labor. Says Caserta, “All spaces deserve to be beautiful and amazing. You can do so much on a small budget if the creativity is there to help transform the design concept into reality.”

3 local artists also donated their time and talents to add a variety of creative touches to the project. Lisa Cicalese McMillen of Cica Lisa Designs painted a farm-themed mural behind the registers; Terree Yeagle of The Moment Photography donated a piece of art photography; and David Hughes of Weatherwood Design LLC transformed a design idea of Caserta’s into a display cart you see when you enter the store.”

About Franca Caserta:

Franca Caserta is an independent interior designer and architectural designer located in Bucks County, Pa.  Specializing in residential and commercial design, Caserta has put her creative touch on projects throughout the Philadelphia region since 1991.  Caserta’s design theory is to render a space for its ultimate purpose, encompassing both functionality and beauty.  Creating a space that her clients love is her passion.

Caserta draws inspiration from the architecture and natural environment of a client’s home or business.  Blending her own architecture and interior design experience, Caserta can design any home or business from the inside out to provide balance and beauty, incorporating client ideas with her own expert vision to create a space that reflects their needs and lifestyle.

Caserta’s work has been featured in Bucks County Woman Magazine and Dtown Magazine among other publications.  Caserta supports and volunteers for several community non-profit organizations including with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bucks County and Deserving Décor, which offers homeless shelter makeovers in Bucks County.

About the Doylestown Co-op:

The Doylestown Co-op is a member-owned store; open to all, providing convenient access to a wide variety of locally raised or produced foods to support our farmers and our community." For more information about the Doylestown Food Co-op visit http://www.doylestown.coop/.