The roaring 20s. Few decades have left such a powerful collective imagination in Western society. Those wild times styled by Fitzgerald where jazz was king at packed clubs seeking out any loophole around the Dry Law in the United States. Years where Europe exported new revolutionary artistic styles that questioned all forms of expression. Days of major milestones where Chaplin gifted us laughter that ceased ringing during the Great Depression and dark days of the Second World War.
The memory though of the period’s intrinsic artistic style has remained in film and literature, with its force still resonating today while also hanging in museums: Art Déco. Its flavour, ambience and textures are still an inspiration for artists and designers now. A good example of this is Bámbola Bar in Valladolid (Spain), which has used this near century-old universe as an inspiration, in tune with a trend enjoying a renaissance in Europe.
The project was developed by Guillermo Ortega and Ruth Santos at Doos Interiorismo and mixes materials and textures: copper, bronze, tin, gold, velvet, mouldings and quartz. The studio has included lamps and sofas by renowned brands such as Tom Dixon, Almerich Lighting and Sancal, while also including its own designs in the backlit back bar with geometric shapes based around circles and hexagons.
Doos Interiorismo is characterised by its innovative approach to work, use of 3D technology, design quality, attention to detail, exclusivity, tailoring, trustworthiness and by its commitment to turnkey projects. Inspired by the words of sculptor Jorge de Oteiza, its motto is ‘El espacio se piensa’ [‘Space is thought’]. The studio has worked in countries such as Spain, Germany, Belgium and Portugal.
A garden in the bathroom
One of the most surprising spaces in the bar is the bathroom, where a horizontal ceiling garden has been installed. Two overtly geometric mirrors in gilded tones add a touch of distinction to the dark hues of the room. Highlights in the main area of the premises include the aged glass ceiling, plant decoration, peacock feathers (to naturalise the ambience) and a worn mirror that provides a sense of height and space.
Navy blue and black are major elements in the colour palette, which are enhanced by the Unique MarquinaTM quartz by COMPAC used for the bar and tables throughout the premises. Technological quartz is ideal for this type of surface thanks to its high resistance and the possibility it offers for moulding, as it always provides a natural grain design. The blues on the walls contrast with the gold used for the lights, décor and supporting elements, and with the warm hues of the furniture textiles and wood. Meticulous design also applies to the menus and signage, both perfectly blending into the Art Deco concept that is currently seeing an upswing in Europe in similar spaces.
As Doos Interiorismo explains, ‘when this project came to us, it was a challenge to translate all those trends we were seeing outside Valladolid, and which were enthusing us, to such a mythical spot in the city as La Uni’, referencing the previous premises where the new space now sits. ‘Now that it is finished, if we had to define this space we would sum it up as the best materials, a commitment to quality and design, functionality and elegance’, they underline.
