To give the Founding Farmers restaurant in Tysons Corner, Virginia, real maker authenticity, GrizForm Architects had some barn builders come from Vermont to lay out a frame and hoist it up over the bar. Quirky touches abound: twigs and moss embedded in resin, the silhouette of a tree laser-cut from a sheet of steel, and a diorama of how marshmallows are made recessed into the bar counter.

Basket-like domes serve as pendant shades, while dining furniture has a Shaker-like simplicity. The varied patterns and colors of the tile floor imitate a handmade area rug. Side booths feel like a well-appointed diner.