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.
A pinewood table and benches
Details such as red climbing rope in the pinewood benches add charm
The black exterior is decorated with white animal graphics by artist Pepa Prieto
The black edge of the bar zone harks back to the exterior and creates contrast and depth within the warm but sparse interior
The corporate green edge of the Nordic-style tables is echoed on the green felt tiles that cover the lamps overhead
Coats can be hung from the deer-horn-trophy hooks
Close encounter with a deer-horn-trophy coat hook
The polycarbonate cylinder lamps up close
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
Piaget’s new Sixtie watches recall a glamorous history at Watches and Wonders 2025
Piaget draws on historical codes with the trapeze-shaped Sixtie watch collection, revealed at Watches and Wonders 2025
By Hannah Silver Published
-
A contemporary Swiss chalet combines tradition and modernity, all with a breathtaking view
A modern take on the classic chalet in Switzerland, designed by Montalba Architects, mixes local craft with classic midcentury pieces in a refined design inside and out
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Cartier dials up the glamour at Watches and Wonders 2025
Cartier revamps much-loved watch collections, from Privé and Panthère to Tank and Tressage, upping the sparkle at the watch fair in Geneva
By Thor Svaboe Published
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy design
There’s more magic to the movies at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s ‘flying’ roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
‘I explored Benidorm with an open mind’: the famous Spanish seaside town is captured in a new photo book
From neon lights to pink sunburns, photographer Rob Ball turns his lens on Benidorm to see what remains of a ‘pan-European holiday utopia’
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Brach Madrid: a hotel of love and passion
Brach Madrid, part of Evok Collection, is a charming city-centre bolthole designed by Philippe Starck
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
2025 getaways: where Wallpaper* editors will be travelling to this year
From the Japanese art islands of Naoshima and Teshima to the Malaysian tropical paradise of Langkawi, here’s where Wallpaper* editors plan to travel to in 2025
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
The most whimsical hotel Christmas trees around the world
We round up the best hotel Christmas tree collaborations of the year, from an abstract take in Madrid to a heritage-rooted installation in Amsterdam
By Tianna Williams Published
-
The world’s most enticing new hotel openings
Explore the best new hotels in the world, from the revival of a grande dame in Madrid to the restoration of a gothic beauty in Prague
By Nicola Leigh Stewart Last updated
-
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