atelier du pont: très honoré restaurant

french firm atelier du pont has completed ‘très honoré’ a restaurant located in paris, france. entitled ‘metamorphoses’ the design is a mixture of fifties nordic and neo-art houveau, hall of mirrors and hunting lodge. it shakes up the traditional parisian brasserie under the leadership of agnès comar, interior designer, and anne-cécile comar, architect. this new eden distils fresh forest undergrowth aromas and conceals all the surprises of a fantasy garden, the mysteries of a cabin, the exuberance of a botanical lounge and — for night owls — the swirling charms of a ‘fumoir’.

at ground-floor level, the botanical lounge contrasts with the bustling neighborhood outside. inside the atmosphere is bucolic. the ceiling is covered in bark which hushes conversation to a gentle hum; the lighting is lustrous, the seats are low with an array of patchwork colors. a fifties mirror made up of a myriad of small, interlinked frames diffracts the space. as in every fairytale, this adventure ends up in a forest clearing. light floods down from a pretty glass roof and, at night, is spread by huge a chandelier, sending reddish sparkling shards around the room.

fantasy garden (silkscreen-print mirror fresco)photography by serge grazia

the fantasy garden is arranged around a silkscreen-print mirror fresco. this backdrop was created by the artist kat menschik, an illustrator in germany, who contributed a touch of her own to this fantasmagorical world. it depicts a strangely bucolic variation of the pietà – an evanescent figure with red hair presiding over an oversized ram and weird, sharp-beaked birds.with her eyes lowered, perhaps even closed, she seems to be floating in a strange sleep. her face is framed with large-petaled flowers, either poppies or water lilies.

cabins

the restaurant’s decor appears to diffract endlessly in the silkscreen-printed mirror. vision or hallucination, intoxicating or hazy, the reflections bounce off each other dematerializing the space. as you enter the space one can choose to eat inside cabins woven from light-coloured wood. these bell-shaped structures look like gazebos or traditional huts and make an excellent setting for a romantic dinner. the space is warm and cocoon-like with a table and high chairs, nothing more.

couple cabin

on the first floor, pouffes form the low seating, while large cushions provide some comfort out on the balcony with a view of the cabins. the droplet-shaped light fittings underscore the feel of the place. items sprout and grow, and tongues are loosened. a space that conjures up the forest undergrowth with king-size boletus mushrooms, cushions with organic patterns, wood, leather, natural colours and the thick moss-like carpet. the decorations also draw on the world of the hunting lodge with a new take on trophies in tapestry from frédérique morel, tortoise lamps and eagle’s wings. the furniture was specially designed and is currently in production.

upper level