The interior designer behind Prague’s latest vegan Asian eatery is architect Kryštof Blažek at studio minio. The restaurant, Vegan Life, is located in Karlín, Prague’s hottest neighbourhood on the foodie map. Accessible from street level, the restaurant is located on the ground floor of a recently renovated block of flats. Five barrel vaults break up the space of the front room, whose vertical windows and main entrance feature semicircular relieving arches. The back room – a covered section of the original courtyard – has a new ceiling.

The interior of the vegan restaurant is airy and light, with bleached solid oak and pine furniture and whitened, slightly roughened spruce panelling installed at a 15° angle to a height of 900 mm. The cafeteria counter is also lined with spruce panels, but here they are arranged into a chevron pattern. The walls and vaults are covered only with stucco and have been left unpainted; one wall features glossy white 10 × 30 cm tiles accented with turquoise grout, while three walls are glazed with just a touch of antique rose.

Light colours, wood and a cosy interior – these characteristics lay at the heart of the client’s specifications. The space is broken up further by various types of seating. Long bar tables run along the front windows, and in addition to classic tables for two the space features several atypical group tables designed by studio minio. Solid wood three-meter benches have been installed along the walls of the back room. A large circle – a semicircular mirror attached to a dark green semicircular chalkboard – is featured as a wall accent.

Breaking up the space through the use of different types of lighting was also important. The front room is lit by several dozen copper lights, which hang in single rows along the centres of the barrel vaults; meanwhile, fifty Chinese lanterns sway over the back room. Brass swing arm lamps and fan-like lamps mounted to the walls offer additional light. The lighting can be dimmed as needed to evoke a relaxing, quiet and calm atmosphere. Guests at Vegan Life always deserve the fresh, pleasant and cosy interior designed by studio minio.

Design: Kryštof Blažek / studio minio
Photogaphy: Jan Kudìj