CARRY ON Bar — Retro-Futurism Inspired by 1960s Aviation
Aviation realism in design at the entrance of Carry On Airlines in Downtown Phoenix, designed by the team at PETERMAX Co.
HoReCa Furniture takes an unusually detailed look at the design of Carry On, the immersive aviation-inspired cocktail bar in Downtown Phoenix led by designer Peter Bowden. Rather than focusing primarily on the venue’s cocktails or concept, the feature examines the interior itself as a case study in hospitality design and storytelling.
The article explores how Carry On translates the romance of mid-century air travel into a contemporary bar through its curved walnut-paneled interior, custom seating, leather upholstery, brass and chrome detailing, aviation graphics, simulated aircraft windows, and carefully planned lighting. It also looks at the project’s spatial planning and the decision to evoke an aircraft cabin without reproducing the cramped conditions of an actual plane.
Technology is treated as part of the design rather than an interruption to it. Embedded LED “windows” display changing skies and destinations, while choreographed lighting shifts throughout the 90-minute experience to suggest takeoff, cruising altitude, and the changing light of a flight. Together with custom furnishings, signage, uniforms, and other aviation references, these elements create what the publication describes as a cohesive narrative rather than a collection of themed details.
The feature ultimately positions Carry On as an example of interior design functioning as the primary storytelling vehicle for a hospitality concept, arguing that its combination of atmosphere, materiality, technology, and meticulous detailing demonstrates how thematic design can strengthen both guest experience and brand identity.
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