D’Lites, Woodbury, N.Y.

D’Lites, in Woodbury, N.Y., is not your ordinary ice cream parlor. Specializing in a wide array of soft-serve treats, the 1,400-sq.-ft. shop has a fun and fashionable look. Splashes of pink stand out against a dramatic, monochromatic background. The color scheme and clean-looking environment appeal to the eater’s higher-end target clientele.



“By blending a modern décor with a traditional edge to the architecture, the bright store exemplifies that this ice cream is different than others and for customers of all ages,” explained Doug Horst, president, Horst Design International, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. The firm gutted and transformed the space, which formerly housed a handbag shop.



The environment is set off with inviting, high-back and richly upholstered banquettes. In a clever touch, the floors appear to be black & white wooden planks. But for maintenance purposes and to withstand the intense daily traffic, they are actually made of maintenance free porcelain tiles embossed with a wooden pattern.