Walking down Święty Marcin Street in Poznań, it is impossible to miss Bistra Grono. The distinctive facade of the renovated tenement, the glowing neon signs and the garden invite you to visit. The establishment is owned by a group of friends, who together decided to open a place centered around wine and food. They were helped in this dream by architect Agnieszka Szalbierz of Szalbierz Design, responsible for the interior design of the bistro.
The architect opted for a warm color palette
Photo: Shinestudio Interior Maja Musznicka © Szalbierz Design
We carried out the renovation with a certificate from Poznan Organic Work according to Szalbierz Design, in which theform comes from the function, the function from the need, and the need comes straight from the heart beating for people, wine and food, which Agnieszka Szalbierz captured in our space," the owners of Gron wrote in a Facebook post.
Neon signs area distinctive feature of the interior
Photo: Shinestudio Interior Maja Musznicka © Szalbierz Design
Dobrawa Bies: Grono is a bistro located in a renovated tenement in Poznań. The small premises required a good layout. How did you approach the design work?
Agnieszka Szalbierz: I usually approach design work in the same way - I start with a conversation with investors, analyze the possibilities of the premises, analyze the dreams and goals of the investors, determine the budget and try to put it all into a framework. When doing renovations in a townhouse, there are always a lot of unknowns that I have to take into account. We never quite know what's behind a suspended ceiling or a drywall wall, for example. You have to calculate, sometimes changing materials or finishes to get the results you dream of. When working on a commercial interior, I also always have to take into account health and safety, sanitary and fire regulations.
The design began with the layout of the functional layout
Photo: Shinestudio Interior Maja Musznicka © Szalbierz Design
Dobrawa: What was the main inspiration? Did the investor set any specific requirements?
Agnieszka Szalbierz: I had a lot of freedom when coming up with this interior. We had some inspirations, some elements that the investors and I liked. But the most important requirement was that it should be "like at a friend's house around the corner", that it should be nice, cozy and want to come back. Hence, I opted for a warm color palette. I like the color white, but here we gave a warm version of it everywhere. The brick on the wall, the corrugated metal ceiling and the steel furniture are all the same RAL. The functional layout was the first planned element, and here the requirements from the beginning were that the space must accommodate a large communal table for "food sharing." It was known that there was to be space for a bar, a counter with a cooler, a wine rack and tables and seating.
functional order
Photo: Shinestudio Interior Maja Musznicka © Szalbierz Design
Dobrawa: Who was the interior designed for? Who are the guests of the Bistro?
Agnieszka Szalbierz: The guests of the Bistro are all those who love to explore: people, wine, cuisines of the world.
The wall behind the bar was made from a container
Photo: Shinestudio Interior Maja Musznicka © Szalbierz Design
Dobrawa: What kind of atmosphere did you want to achieve by choosing such materials and colors?
Agnieszka Szalbierz: I wanted it to be a pleasure to return to Grona. The interior is newly renovated, but it's actually difficult to determine the year it was created. The materials chosen are in the spirit of zero waste - for example, the wall behind the bar is a real container wall. The countertops are natural granite. The top of the communal table is wood. The white brick wall, the black brick wall and the yellow wall section are the original preserved elements of the interior - the wabi sabi philosophy. I also wanted to refer to natural earth colors, hence the browns.
The maroon washbasin was made of steel
Photo: Shinestudio Interior Maja Musznicka © Szalbierz Design
Dobrawa: What are you most proud of in this realization?
Agnieszka Szalbierz: In particular, I am proud of the furniture according to my design, for example, the author's design of the steel washbasin.
Dobrawa: Thank you for the interview.
