El Portillo, Spain
A sad-looking, traditional wood cabin (think tree trunks and a pitched roof) has been transformed into a snappy hamburger joint at the Javalambre ski station in Teruel, northern Spain.
The black exterior, ornamented with white animal graphics - care of artist, Pepa Prieto - cuts a striking figure, enveloped, all around, by a landscape of snow. Inside, taking advantage of the scarce light that occurs on cloudy winter days, the approach is white again.
Using the fewest number of elements possible, Stone Designs of Madrid has created a soft, warm environment out of an oddly shaped, chilly space.
Features such as red climbing rope in the pinewood benches create movement, while the corporate green edge of the Nordic-style tables is echoed on the green felt tiles that cover the polycarbonate cylinder lamps overhead. The effect is of a unified ensemble.
The black edge of the bar zone harks back to the exterior and creates contrast and depth, while charming touches such as the menu - written directly onto masking tape so it can be changed at whim - and the deer-horn-trophy coat hooks add to the verve of the place and help make El Portillo an inviting niche, in an imaginative and simple way.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
First look – Bottega Veneta and Flos release a special edition of the Model 600
Gino Sarfatti’s fan favourite from 1966 is born again with Bottega Veneta’s signature treatments gracing its leather base
By Hugo Macdonald Published
-
We stepped inside the Stedelijk Museum's newest addition in Amsterdam
Amsterdam's Stedelijk Museum has unveiled its latest addition, the brand-new Don Quixote Sculpture Hall by Paul Cournet of Rotterdam creative agency Cloud
By Yoko Choy Published
-
On a sloped Los Angeles site, a cascade of green 'boxes' offers inside outside living
UnStack, a house by FreelandBuck, is a cascading series of bright green volumes, with mountain views
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Mallorca’s ‘chocolate hotel’ celebrates six decades of Mediterranean panache
Sixty years after it opened, Hotel de Mar remains a celebrated example of Mediterranean vernacular architecture
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Easy and breezy: Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor is now open
We found Balearic bliss at Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor, the place to live the Mediterranean dream and connect with nature
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Inside Hotel Ur Bare: a boutique surf retreat beside the Cantabrian sea
Hotel Ur Bare lies in Zarautz, a picturesque coastal town in Spain's Basque Country, and presents 13 modern rooms accented with local flair
By Agnish Ray Published
-
Retreat to Casa Montelongo, a modern Fuertaventuran guest house filled with Canarian warmth
Courtesy of Spanish architect Néstor Pérez Batista, Casa Montelongo is the perfect contemporary shelter to enjoy Fuerteventura
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Soak up Barcelona vistas from the redesigned Grand Hotel Central's rooftop pool
Grand Hotel Central, designed by Sagrada, opens its doors in the heart of Barcelona’s old town
By Agnish Ray Published
-
Madrid bars: a local’s guide to sipping in style
Discover the best design-led Madrid bars, as sampled by local travel and culture writer Agnish Ray
By Agnish Ray Published
-
Tour the new Mondrian Ibiza, chic sophistication by the Balearic Sea
Mondrian opens in Ibiza with a bold and inventive design by Madrid-based Cuarto Interior
By Lauren Ho Published
-
It’s a Paul & Shark summer at Juvia restaurant in Formentera
Paul & Shark dresses Formentera restaurant Juvia for the summer season, with suitably nautical nods
By Sofia de la Cruz Published