ARCH CAFÉ / STONES AND WALLS

A new aesthetic definition needed to be given to the concept of all day café eatery in the suburbs of Athens. Arch was born in a building shell with neoclassical characteristics; large scale arched openings on all sides, high level ceiling and decorative gypsum profiles on every angle. Small interior space and large exterior had to be equipped with the necessities of a contemporary brunch-café-cocktail bar.

  

Sunlight was the key factor for the design proposal. Textured tiles, styled plaster, fumed mirrors and natural grained wood were given cohesion and life thanks to the natural light that enters the interior through the classy arches.

The interior was designed with an impressive bar occupying most of the area. The rest is equipped with high tables and a yellow leather couch combined with low wooden tables and high-end design armchairs.

 

The floor and the bar front are coated with rhombus-shaped tiles in shades of grey and touches of yellow that create an optical illusion of axonometric cubes stacked one on top of the other. The bar top is from blonde wood, as are all table tops made from as well. Dark brown thin metallic beams compose the table base frames and the bar bottle display. This construction on the bar’s back wall is the main decorative attraction of the space. It consists of rectangular frames in random repetition composing a full height and wide bottle case that passes over the large openings half-covered by mirrors. Mirrors cover many surfaces in order to expand visually the halls width and hide volumes such as the kitchen elevator.

 

In addition, the interior wall surfaces have been divided in three layers colored in different shades of grey styled plaster that repeats the floor’s tone on the bottom and darkens gradually going up to the ceiling, which is painted the darkest shade of grey.

Finally large metal framed rectangular luminaires hanged over the bar top and smaller mounted on the walls create a welcoming atmosphere through the warmth emitted by light bulbs of extraordinary elegant design.

The exterior convertible space is framed by linear couches on its two lateral sides and the rest space under the shade of two trees is filled with various combinations of chairs, stools and armchairs around wooden tables.

 

Overall sunlight is the protagonist… 

 

– Designer:  Afroditi Bonatsou, Head Interior Architect

– Design Company: Stones and Walls

– Photographer: Nikolaos Paterakis

– Name of Venue:  Arch

– City and country: Kifisia – Athens, Greece

– Location: urban

– Type of venue: café – eatery

– Date of opening: December 2013

 

– Interior style: industrial – classic

– Used materials: textured tiles, decorative plaster, wood, metal

– Dominant colors: grey, yellow