Margherita | Laura Gonzalez

« In pizza we trust »… A mantra as a slogan, publicised on the façade of the former Pub St Germain, announces the cosmopolitan spirit of this contemporary brasserie signed Laura Gonzalez. The 900 square-metre space which covers three floors, solemnly renamed Margherita, has successfully been converted by the interior designer, hand-in-hand with Thierry Bourdoncle, the owner, into a cosy, multi-facetted and friendly restaurant. The renovation was considerable, fed by the international travel and culture of the pair. For this project, Laura Gonzalez took an interest in the smallest details, from the choice of menu, the tableware picked up at garage sales and on Ebay, and the name of the establishment, through to making antipasti jars and bespoke furniture. A modern-day trattoria consisting of a succession of spaces where everyone, regardless of the time, company or occasion, can come together to meet. The ground floor opens onto a large bar made of wood with dining tables and, on a lower level, a more casual dining hall flanked with a pizza bar with a view onto the little terrace in the Cour du Commerce. On the first floor, where the cosier atmosphere features more wood, Laura has installed a second cocktail bar and a pizza counter. Another flight of steps and the signage, created in collaboration with The Office agency, displays: KIDS’ Kingdom. «I think this is my favourite space…» states the young mum. Designed as a living area with two lounges – industrial coffee table and club armchairs versus solid wood coffee table and velvet sofas –, one dining room for 8 people and a games area with blackboard, it gives young parents who enjoy brunches and dinners with their friends a real alternative. The warmth is emphasised by the choice of wall coverings – panelling, bricks and Ressource roman plaster –, which accentuate the room’s cosy atmosphere and the «home sweet home» decoration: children’s drawings framed on the walls, figurines of super heroes sensibly lined up, kilims on the floor, Caravane mirrors with multi-coloured braids and Scoubidou lamps picked up from Ventilo. Lastly, Laura Gonzalez has created two retreat areas on the ground floor and first floor: a wooden alcove with a large marble table and kilim benches, and a private dining room in Little Italy style with brick walls, a high table, leather stools and an olive oil library. At Margherita, warmth is expressed in the cuisine and the decoration. Removed of its artifices, the once intimidating area has been restored to its natural state. «We simply respected the identity of the place», explains the interior architect. Now, the wooden and rough concrete floors of this former stationery shop respond to walls covered in noble materials by exceptional craftsmen: 18th-century bricks, panelling, varnished wood cladding, old patinas, etc. The decoration features the recipe which has made Laura Gonzalez so successful: a mix & match of antique and bespoke furniture, enhanced by a few exceptional items, notably the Ochre and BTC lamps, not forgetting the essential touch of greenery designed by Arôm Paris.