Ice Cream Parlour

What could be better in the summer heat than an ice cream sundae? 

Enjoying it in a stylish setting, of course. 

Whenever I pick a new café or restaurant to try, I read the reviews and menu first, but it has to be a stellar review and a super exciting menu to go to the place if the interior does not live up to my expectations. I know that I am fussy, but the setting matters. Thankfully, most of the recently opened establishments boast with good design. Even ice cream parlours are beutifully created. 

The photo one the left is a place in Vienna (website: www.eis-greissler.at) I accidentally came accross on my last visit in the city. (I had known the photo beforehand, but had no idea it is located there.) I love the baby blue and white checked floor and the small details. 

I used this interior photo as a jumping-off point for my moodboard, but I went for a not-so-cool look. It means I added creamy colours, which also creates tension with the shiny stainless steel accessories (that Kitchen Aid mixer... so cool, in every colour). Instead of checked pattern I picked stripes, they are also timeless and elegant. 

I can imagine the male staff wearing those bow ties with white short-sleeve shirt and blue trousers. Probably not visible here, but the tie is decorated with ice cream cones! Similarly, female staff could wear hair band made of the same material. Actually, the girls working at Eis Grissler have blue and white checked hair bands! Good attention to the details. 

Mad Men Inspiration

It has been more than a year now that one of my favourite shows, Mad Men had its last episode aired. In my country the series did not meet with success, only the first two seasons were broadcasted, and only the first season was released on DVD. Hungary quite missed the hype and the revival of the Swinging Sixties. 

What a shame. I do not wonder, though, because my parents' generation has a bitter grudge against retro, I can always see it in my elder clients' reactions. For them the style is very much attributed to the forty years spent in the Soviet bloc, which meant  - among other things - poor design and limited access to quality goods. It was an era that people do not want back. For the younger generation retro means fun, and now it is easy to see the difference what retro really was behind the Iron Curtain. 

I like this era very much - for me it means my favourite music, huge American houses, movies set in the 60s New York, glitter, colours, style, James Bond, Arne Jacobsen and the Eamses. I could go on and on and on.

And now, after this longish introduction, let's get back to to the moodboard. Apart from Mad Men I drew inspiration from the late 60s and retro ads (like this, and this, and this). I used fonts typical of the era, and those used in Mad Men. The rug brings in the 70's white shaggy berber rugs (even though this one actually has a diamond pattern), yet the overall colour sheme is mature and sophisticated, more 60s than 70s. The cool blue hues are counterbalanced by the warm wood tones. 

The Bubble and Saucer Pendants were designed by George Nelson (in 1947), just as the Ball wall clock (in 1950) and the bench (in 1946). All of them are true Mid-Century classics. The sideboard is a two-toned piece, its colours  make it very 70s, yet it is modern due to the stainless steel parts. The wallpaper is authentic, original roll from the era. As it is very dynamic, I suggest using it on a not too big surface, between two wooden panels, like seen here on a Mad Men set, albeit between sandblasted glass panels. Used this way it will not dominate the entire room. 

The armchair is an Arne Jacobsen icon, the Egg chair in deep blue, while the sofa is a definitely retro-inspired, but new piece by BoConcept. The bowl is from the 50s, but I am not sure about the rest of the vases. It does not matter, grouped together they do have the right retro feel. 

Color Combination: Blue and Orange

Some people like colours in the room, others completely avoid them. These people usually say that you will get bored with colours soon. I disagree. You just get accustomed to it, and it can happen to any colour scheme. So do not be afraid to express you personality with colour. Just use them wisely. 

This is the second moodboard in the colour combo series. As you might know, blue and orange can be found on the opposite parts of the colour wheel and called complementary colours or opposite colours. They are very powerful together, especially when used intensively, so the key to a stylish look is the smart proportioning of colours. I would suggest playing with bright vibrant tones with muted ones, as it is easier on the eye. Bright orange sliding door could look fantastic against darker, toned down shades of blue on less extensive surfaces, like cushions or chairs for instance. You can use lots of neautrals - they will emphasize the striking colour clash. 

For this colour combination, I had the image of an airy, lofty interior on my mind, with lots of white and streamlined furniture. There are actually many possible variations, let's see a couple of them:

- Take a bright orange sofa, white furniture, blue rug and lots of neutrals. If you use this mixture as a jumping off point, I would suggest a grey armchair. Some parts of the wall could be painted blue, or you can use blue backsplash or blue dining chairs. 

- If you are unsure about the orange sofa, why don't you pick a grey one? Add an orange armchair - this one is by Arne Jacobsen, the famous Swan -, blue rug and some small blue accessories. The dining chairs could be also white, and in the photo a huge sliding door reflects the colour of the armchair. 

- If you are still undecided, you could play with the accesories only. Settle for the blue rug, and use orange in small proportions: on a piece of art, a splash of colour in the paining, etc. You can play with various tones of one colour - using faded blue rug with electrifying turquoise could have a huge impact. 

I can imagine artistic objects, graphic lines for this style, it has certainly a contemporary edge. For real persons with real character.