papillon bistro by minas kosmidis brings a parisian touch into athenian suburbs

papillon is an all-day bar & restaurant which embodies the bistro culture of paris in the athenian suburbs and echoes a nostalgic era. minas kosmidis has taken over the responsibility of designing the interior space, drawing inspiration from the history of bistros around the world and during different historical periods, while at the same time keeping a design direction tailored to today’s standards. the final concept has been conceived with an aim to combine the culture of paris and the energy of new york, through a thorough study among similar restaurants on both sides of the atlantic.

the niche space enveloped by large decorative tiles conveys an elite victorian look

the restaurant consists of two main sub-spaces. the first one hosts the bar, which is located on the left side of the entrance. the tables have been organized on a free layout, in parallel to the long side of the hall. the hand-painted artworks that were placed on the upper part of the walls reflect the energy and the movement of the urban scenery. the external noise gets gradually filtered by the vibrant entrance space.

the main bar welcomes you with its cozy and elegant charm

the second hall along with the deli bar placed in the background echo an atmosphere similar to the 19th century’s european food markets. the glass pitched roof on the top of the room lets an abundance of natural light to enter the area and, along with the pendant lights and plants, resemble the botanical glasshouses’ aesthetics. the marble-top tables and thonet prague chairs combined with brass details, walnut wood and velvet textiles provide a sense of luxury. the niche space enveloped by large decorative tiles conveys an elite victorian look. the combination of the materials, colors and furniture has been a unique composition that transports the user both in a sense of time and place from the belle époque to the jazz age.

the tall space with the coffered ceilings and the custom light fixtures echo the belle époque era

the hand-painted artworks reflect the energy and the movement of the urban scenery

the glass pitched roof along with the pendant lights and plants refer to the botanical glasshouses of 19th century Europe

the floral wallpapers are combined with vivid fabrics and exotic plants

the marble-top tables and thonet prague chairs transport the user both in a sense of time and place

the deli bar behind the dining area resembles the 19th-century european food markets

an abundance of natural light transfuses a sense of freshness into the space

the use of walnut wood combined with brass details and velvet textiles provide a sense of luxury

project info:

name: papillon café – bar restaurant

architect: minas kosmidis [architecture in concept]

location: n. psychiko, attica

area: 150 sqm

completion time: december 2017

photography: ioanna roufopoulou 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: maria erman | designboom