Atelier de Tartelettes | MEGRE INTERIORS

A dazzling pastry shop inspired by golden bases of the French tartelettes and white whipped cream it sells, Atelier de Tartelettes is a 58 sq meter gem in the trendy Patriki district of Moscow from MEGRE INTERIORS. Designed to evoke emotion, it is an instagrammable spot praised for its distinct look. 

The Client has a passion for France and Paris and was inspired by Parisian pastry shops, fashion boutiques and an esthetic approach to culinary creations that the French are famous for. So Atelier de Tartelettes was born. In the core of the concept is the single product, wrapped in a modern, refined and elegant interior of a boutique.

Though the space did not allow for layout flexibility, MEGRE INTERIORS transformed the flow and function. The division into two rooms, driven by the load-bearing walls, dictated the functional separation of the shop and the dining area. The designers chose an unusual approach - pushing the dining area into the back room that has no windows. 

And though the Client was first concerned about this approach, it is what made Atelier de Tartelettes successful. Pulling the preparation and sale of tartelettes, the brewing of coffee, the bustle of the shop to the front window pulls guests off the street into the space. It is impossible to walk by without salivating. 

The dining room, on the other hand, became a quiet hidden nook, where lack of windows was compensated by brass-toned large scale mirrors, carefully designed lighting and flora inspired plaster walls that create a unique atmosphere. 

The interior is minimalist, but one could never call it cold. Dominated by the cream and gold hues that draw direct inspiration from the cream and the golden crust of tartellettes. Marble counters conceal the Modbar Espresso coffee machine and all other equipment, so nothing distracts guests from watching the hypnotizing act of dessert-making. Everything here is product-centered - tartelettes, Mariage Freres teas and coffee, nothing else. Manipulating the perception of space, its size and airiness, Yuna Megre’s team cleverly incorporated brass-toned mirrors into the ceiling and walls. The space is designed to evoke emotion among its patrons is an instagrammable sweet spot for all who enter.

Today Atelier de Tartelettes is named one of the best pastry-shops in Moscow, with guests praising it for its distinct look. Thousands of instagram posts, publications, fashion photoshoots and even 2 movies used this space as a backdrop. And the desserts are divine. But as the Client put it “we value this project for the unparalleled ergonomics and functionality that are hidden under the hood of this tiny establishment”. When space is scarce, it is essential to plan for every single item it holds, for every single movement humans make in it. It cannot just look good, it has to work well. And Atelier de Tartelettes is a great example of that.