Mirrored hemispheres on the ceiling invite guests to spy one another.
The graphics and the urban forest wallpaper behind Pleasant Bar’s dining tables were made by Dizel & Sate
Fibre-optic lighting in the restrooms.
Words Merel Kokhuis for FRAME
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Electric Dreams turned a small space in the heart of Stockholm into a venue where people can eat, drink, dance and flirt.
Nature – and forests, in particular – appear in a variety of guises in all Electric Dreams interiors to date. The Pleasant Bar is no exception. Nonetheless, those who study the latest design are sure to spot an increasing interest in the urban scene. ‘That obsession with the woods is just about over,’ says Electric Dreams co-founder Catharina Frankander. ‘We’re developing a fascination for the city. It’s already apparent in the Pleasant Bar, but you’ll be seeing more and more of it in future projects.’ In any case, the designers were obliged to grant a major role to nature in their design for the Pleasant Bar. The owner, who lived in Tobago for years, wanted references to the beautiful flora and fauna of that island to appear in the bar. To meet his request, Frankander and co-founder Joel Degermark asked the graphic designers at Swedish firm Dizel&Sate to create a collage that would incorporate both nature and the city. Several images used in the collage – including a llama wearing a scarf – were contributed by Frankander and Degermark. The final result covers an entire wall behind the establishment’s five small dining tables. In addition to this mini restaurant, Pleasant consists of a bar and an area for dancing. Quite a lot to fit into a mere 65 m2.
Consequently, it took some cool calculating to accommodate all three functions – let alone a kitchen, toilets and storage space. Electric Dreams pulled down several walls and arranged the space as logically as possible, moving the toilets to the rear and merging the leftover space with the main area for optimal efficiency. Amassed on the ceiling above the bar and dance floor are mirrored hemispheres that give bashful guests the opportunity to take a long, undisturbed look at potential soul mates. Nice idea, but not very helpful when it comes to making eye contact.
Although Degermark and Frankander meticulously planned and realized the interior right down to the smallest detail, the bar staff has left its stamp on the interior as well. For example, wooden tables outside on the terrace – which could almost be described as ‘classic’ – bear no relation at all to the interior design. And what about those cushions on the black-leather banquettes behind the dining tables? Could they be the legacy of the previous owner, who ran an Persian eatery on these premises? In any case, a rude surprise for the designers, who respond rather lackadaisically. ‘Completing an interior is something like giving a plant as a gift,’ says Degermark. ‘At the moment you hand the plant to its new owner, it’s healthy and in great condition, but the recipient can easily ruin it with too much water or sunlight. We always hope – and believe – that the recipient will care for the plant with love.’
