Cooper and his business partner Sam Trude recently opened Great White Melrose as their third and largest location in the city, following outposts in Venice Beach and Larchmont Village.

On the site of a former laundromat, the 5,000-square-foot (465-square-metre) restaurant was designed by Cooper and his in-house team. Along with its casual menu by chef Juan Ferreiro, the space combines influences from coastal cultures in Australia, Mexico and Europe.Dining is available on a partially open patio facing the street, beneath a roof of slatted panels between weathered timber beams.

The pink-toned plasterwork was chosen to match the colour of co-founder Sam Cooper's childhood home.Pink fireplaces face each other across this area, which is lit with a soft glow from large woven pendants found in Pakistan.Guests arrive via a ramped cobblestone walkway that passes through a procession of pink arches, each draped in greenery and featuring sconces built into the plasterwork.The colour was chosen to match the home where Cooper grew up in Australia, adding "a sentimental touch" to the project.

The reclaimed cobblestone flooring sourced from Germany continues inside, where pink is swapped for neutral tones and a focus is placed on craft.A bar made from Portuguese limestone runs along the back of the space, with arched niches behind displaying wine bottles on wooden shelves.On the main wall hangs a large painting by Berlin-based artist Danny Gretscher that brings hints of the colours found outside into the room.Glazed doors with black metal frames concertina open to connect the indoor and outdoor areas.