“Flashy” Restaurant Interior Puts a New Twist on an Old Design

Via interiordesign.net
Restaurant interior designer: Llamazares Pomés Arquitectura
All photos: José Hevia

One of the entries to the Restaurant & Bar Design Award 2021 competition is a throwback to the popular Flash Flash restaurant in Barcelona, designed by Federico Correa and Alfonso Milá in 1971. Keeping the “Flash” girl theme but putting a new a twist on the original black-and-white chromatic scheme, the Croma by Flash restaurant in Barcelona flaunts an interior design in its own right. 

While the original wall graphics based on Leopoldo Pomés’ flash-girl images were catching enough, the new design adds both striking and subtle accents to this successful theme. A combination of black and yellow tones evokes the colors of the Kodak film roll boxes of yesteryear, adding to the thematic treatment and preserving the retro feel. The soft hues of gray soften the original black-and-white design and adds another photography-related element to the mix: The different tones of grays is what gives black-and-white photos their contours and substance. 

The most stunning feature of the restaurant interior is the combination of lights and mirrors that create the seven roof lights. This architectural trick mitigates the height of the exposed ceiling while taking full advantage of it. Mimicking the soft orange glow that one might find in photography developing rooms, the roof lights become the focus point of the entire design.

Since light is the most important element in the art of photography, how to manipulate it in this environment has been given substantial thought. Most surfaces are covered with a glossy finish that helps light bounce around, multiplies the colors and imagery through beautiful reflections and gives the space a luxurious feel.

The scalloped upholstery creates a sumptuous feeling of comfort while preserving the retro vibe of the restaurant interior. Carefully placed wall sconces add a 3-D effect to the two-dimmensional wall graphics. 

In the restroom, richly colored laminate is reminiscent of the vibrant fashion trends of the ’70s.

Encased into the facade, metal rings echo the shape of camera lenses, creating an interesting visual effect: The passers-by do not know if they are the ones that are watched or the ones doing the watching.

The flash-girl upper border of the facade gives one a taste of what to expect inside. Even from the outside, the potential customers feel they are becoming the center of attention. 

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