October 06, 2026 | 3 min 30 sec
Buttercup: Tile That Defines a Chicago Café's Personality
Walk into Buttercup for a morning espresso, and you'd hardly recognize the same space over an evening amaro.
Buttercup is a 40-seat café and cocktail bar in Chicago's SoLo neighborhood. By day, the space runs on espresso and matcha. By night, it shifts into a cocktail destination built around amaro. The concept changes throughout day, but the design stays constant, anchored by tile choices that give the space a distinct personality that evolves with the mood.
A Floor That Sets the Tone
Immediately capturing guests’ attention, the floor at Buttercup is naturally attributed to one of the main focal points of the project. Sovran™ Triangle in a 24x48 satin finish creates a bold, patterned surface that catches the eye immediately and becomes a focal point of the entire atmosphere. The marble look tile brings movement and visual interest into the space, setting a playful, personality-filled tone before a guest even orders.
Large-format tile like this does more than cover a surface. At Buttercup, the floor works as a statement tile choice in its own way, establishing the mood of the space and giving it a distinct sense of place within the crowded Chicago dining scene.
Large-format tile like this does more than cover a surface. At Buttercup, the floor works as a statement tile choice in its own way, establishing the mood of the space and giving it a distinct sense of place within the crowded Chicago dining scene.
Beyond the Statement Floor
In the bathroom, Artcrafted™ wall tile in Aloe carries that same approach into a smaller space. The 3x12 tile brings a glossy, dimensional finish in a soft green tone, layering color and texture to create a dramatic partnership between the floor tile and wall paint.
Behind the bar, Volume 1.0™ tile takes a quieter role. Its concrete-inspired texture grounds the space without pulling focus from the design moments around it, reflecting the same attention to detail found throughout the project.
Behind the bar, Volume 1.0™ tile takes a quieter role. Its concrete-inspired texture grounds the space without pulling focus from the design moments around it, reflecting the same attention to detail found throughout the project.
From the floor to the bar, each tile choice at Buttercup shows how tile can carry personality in different applications throughout the same project. Scale and finish can shift from room to room, while the overall design tone stays cohesive.
Make a Space Memorable with Tile
Buttercup's duality, a bright café by morning and a moody cocktail bar by night, could have meant two competing looks under one roof. Instead, the tile stayed constant, giving both versions of the space clear, recognizable design language.
That's the kind of versatility Daltile tile brings to transitional spaces, whether it's a restaurant shifting from lunch to dinner service or a retail space adapting to different uses throughout the day. The right tile doesn't merely decorate a room. It gives a space an identity strong enough to change without losing itself.
Make a Statement™. Browse our selection of Daltile tile series designed to elevate every space.
That's the kind of versatility Daltile tile brings to transitional spaces, whether it's a restaurant shifting from lunch to dinner service or a retail space adapting to different uses throughout the day. The right tile doesn't merely decorate a room. It gives a space an identity strong enough to change without losing itself.
Make a Statement™. Browse our selection of Daltile tile series designed to elevate every space.