Architects Eduard Eremchuk and Katya Pyatskaya created an atmosphere of neobistro for the futuristic cafe Nothing Fancy in St. Petersburg.
Despite the futuristic look, the cafe Nothing Fancy is created for everyday life. “Our task was to create a place where you want to come every day, so we avoided bright, flashy colors and came to a more delicate combination of warm artificial leather and chrome-plated metal products”” architects Eduard Eremchuk and Katya Pyatskaya begin the story.
The cafe is located in the new building of the Yes apart-hotel. Its founders are Henri Behr (Georgiani, GastroReview), Stephen Sharma (Meow Bar, Bolshoybar) and Roman Kiselyov (ex. Goose Goose, 0.75 Please) – worked with architects for the first time, but chose them for a special vision of the space. Nothing Fancy is a place with delicious and understandable food for every day, where you can run in in the morning for a quick breakfast or in the evening for a hearty dinner. And it was important to reflect this openness and accessibility in the interior.
The 105 m2 space was originally divided into two rooms: a large one with panoramic windows was given over to a dining area, a second, smaller one was given over to a kitchen and a bathroom. “In interior design, we wanted to combine the techniques and atmosphere of a classic European bistro with brown leather, chrome details and mosaics, only to do it in a style that corresponds to the spirit of the time”” the architects say.
“We have seen how some incongruous elements are combined in Italian cafes — for example, classic wooden panels or mosaics with a cheap tablecloth with a printed grass pattern. We liked this mix, and we wanted to bring it into our space”” say Eduard and Katya.
The first thing a cafe guest pays attention to is a curved stainless steel bar counter. It reflects the space and creates a kaleidoscope, which it is impossible to pass by. The second notable element of the establishment is a large mosaic table with the restaurant logo and Alien chairs made of caramel artificial leather.
“Even in the design of our chairs, we tried to maintain a balance between a futuristic shape and warm tones. Some Alien chairs are decorated with a grass print, so they have become a key element of the space,” the architects who designed all the furniture for the project continue.
There are also two niches with seats in the hall. The first one – with tables integrated into a leather bench – is designed for a quick snack. The second is for meetings with friends and longer gatherings. It is a long bench, complemented by chairs and round tables made of stainless steel.
Another important element of the project was the graphics that the founder of Liars Collective Anton Gorbunov worked on. Logos of Nothing Fancy by its design are in different random places: they are printed on leather niches, laid out with mosaics on the table and in the toilet. And it adds personality to the space.
