TRIA celebrates grand opening of Dryft Wellesley

Wellesley, MA TRIA completed the design of Dryft Wellesley. The seafood restaurant opened in July 2024.

“TRIA’s intent with our design was to reimagine this hospitality destination in Wellesley, creating a restaurant that evoked the modern coastal charm of its sister restaurant Dryft Revere, to an inland location,” said Aline Trindade, senior associate and director of interiors at TRIA. 

“We are extremely proud to unveil this dining space for Wellesley and beyond to enjoy.”

TRIA’s design team rebranded and revitalized an existing restaurant for the owner of Dryft, providing interior design, branding and wayfinding, and visualization for the restaurant. The team approached the project with a holistic design process that ensured all aspects of the space would come together cohesively. This included conducting an in-depth analysis of the restaurant’s existing layout and customer experience flow, identifying key areas for improvement and opportunities to elevate the brand.

A key design focus was maximizing seating flexibility and creating a stronger visual connection between the bar and the main dining area, which had previously been separated by screens and pony walls. By reconfiguring the bar to a sleek, linear design, the team opened sightlines and enhanced the spatial flow, making the restaurant feel more integrated and inviting.

With a design that blends modern aesthetics and subtle nautical elements, Dryft Wellesley incorporates a seaside color palette, using earthy tones and rich leather and wood for a contemporary, elegant ambiance. A hand-painted mural by Boston-based artist Michael Johnn serves as the dining room’s focal point and aligns the environment with the restaurant’s seafood-forward menu. The outdoor seating area was also revitalized with an exterior pergola, new landscaping, and lighting.

“TRIA has expertly transformed the spirit of Dryft Revere into something uniquely suited for Wellesley,” said Michael Aldi, owner of Dryft. “TRIA’s design balances sophistication and warmth, creating a space our guests have fallen in love with. The seamless collaboration with TRIA’s attention to detail have made this vision a reality, and the fantastic customer feedback speaks to their incredible work.”