Café Bellaria | BÜRO KLK

Centrally located in Vienna between the MuseumsQuartier, the Volkstheater and Ringstrasse, Café Bellaria has been a favourite haunt of coffee connoisseurs, gourmets and bon vivants since 1870. BÜRO KLK’s renovation of the fin de siècle building is in-keeping with the historical architecture of the area. To preserve the long-standing coffee house’s authenticity and charm, the designers left the large arched windows and the five-meter-high dome in the foyer untouched. Their concept makes reference to the café’s urban surroundings in terms of form and substance: the natural-stone counter, for example, is a nod to the basalt cladding on the “mumok” modern art museum around the corner. A contemporary light installation winds its way along the stucco-decorated ceiling and leads to the spectacular dome.

​​​The Thonet 214 (previously No. 14) bentwood chairs in a chic coral red with Viennese canework seats bring together classic coffee house tradition and the sensibility of present day. This model, which became famous as a coffee house chair, is a genuinely iconic piece and to this day is marked the beginning of modern furniture. With its clear, minimalist aesthetics, this classic piece has been used in the most diverse settings for over 160 years.

​Today, the wood for the 214 is sourced from sustainably managed forests. Thanks to its exceptional quality and timeless aesthetics, it is also extremely long-lasting and easy to repair. The accompanying Thonet bentwood classic used in Café Bellaria’s new interior design, the elegant 209, is also stained in coral red and its refined yet organic shape lends a sculptural effect to the room. The seat of this comfortable armchair has been upholstered in a copper-coloured velvet.

The monolithic counter made of glazed lava stone, which takes centre stage in the dining area, is both decorative and functional, and is complemented by black bar stools from Thonet’s 118 H range. ​This contemporary design by Sebastian Herkner reflects the familiar shape of the archetypal Thonet.