Israeli designer Meir Guri has used dusty pink and multicoloured marble tiles to ensure this restaurant stands out against its shopping centre setting in Tel Aviv.
Cafeteria is located at the main entrance of the Gindi Fashion Mall, which opened March 2017 in the city centre.
The restaurant comprises an open-plan dining room with a series of bars, booths, and smaller dining tables arranged around a stepped floor plan.
An atrium-like space is filled with various plants and brass hanging pendants. Natural light enters through the large floor-to-ceiling windows that surround the retail complex, designed by Israeli firm Moore Yaski Sivan Architects (MYS).
"When I saw the site, I wanted the cafe to be seen from the street outside the mall," said Guri. "I thought it should have a different colour and texture, so it sticks out visually."
Interior walls are covered in wood panelling and painted a dusty pink colour to add warmth and texture.
The distinct shade of pale pink, which has become known as Millennial pink, is a popular choice for restaurant interiors completed over the past few years. It can also be found at The Botanist restaurant by Ste Marie in Vancouver, an opulent member's only supper club by Dimore Studio in London, and ATX Cocina with its curved timber ceiling by Michael Hsu in Austin.
"I thought using a deep shade of antique pink was the solution, so the eye could easily differentiate the cafeteria from the rest of the mall," said Guri. "I feel there is something very elegant and adult about this colour, it sends a very 'established' and powerful message."
At Cafeteria, lightbox signs with words "cafeteria" and "toilets" add a playfulness to the eclectic space.
Floors are made from second-hand marble, cut into different shapes and sizes. The mosaic floor includes colours of dark jade, orange, yellow, cream, white, grey and black.
The project's limited budget caused Guri to think resourcefully about the design. "It was really important to me that we used marble for the flooring, but the budget simply didn't allow it," he said.
"After visiting some marble factories, a solution surfaced very quickly in my head: I will buy all their leftovers and loose cuts for a fraction of the price, asked them to cut it into different triangular shapes and sizes," said Guri. "I assembled the floor randomly on site with a wonderful and very patient marble workman."
The deep, warmer tones of the floor contrast with the pink walls and royal blue upholstered benches, while golden metal and white marble accents help to tie different areas of the space together.
A reference for the interior came from late Italian designer Gio Ponti, whose work often featured bold geometries and rich materials. "I am a fan, and find his work classic but also daring," Guri said.
Photography is by Yaniv Edry.