What is this unholy design scheme?

August 29, 2010 6:36 AM

Is there a name for this style of interior design, or is it just general weirdness?

A local bar that I was fond of dropping into has had a major remodelling during the summer while I was away; much to my dismay. My question is: is the new look a formal school of design?

It's attributes include:

Surrealist portraits, bare wooden floors noticeably flecked and worn, old-fashioned tables, at each of which no two chairs are of the same style. For example, a four place table now might have an armchair, a pouffe, an office chair and a country settle, where before it would have had four chairs of identical material and colour.

The brushed-steel sign has been replaced with one reminiscent of a 1920s movie theatre, and the ceiling duct-work has been exposed and painted. Similar eclecticism has been employed with the light fittings and mirrors- I won't go on forever about it.

I've searched several major design catalogues t haven't found anything remotely resembling this..well..atrocity.

posted by malusmoriendumest to clothing, beauty, & fashion (9 answers total)

Shabby chic? Faux speakeasy?
posted by zadcat at 6:38 AM on August 29, 2010

Monica's apartment?
posted by headnsouth at 6:54 AM on August 29, 2010 [1 favorite]

Monica's apartment?

Wow, that's actually fairly close. But I think they're going for something more post-modern or surrealist- it's nominally a student bar in the evenings.
posted by malusmoriendumest at 6:59 AM on August 29, 2010

It kind of sounds like a bad interpretation of a Dutch brown café.
posted by neushoorn at 6:59 AM on August 29, 2010

Bohemian chic... By which I mean "ends up looking like most houses, but on purpose".
posted by anaelith at 7:11 AM on August 29, 2010 [1 favorite]

We used to jokingly call this Late-century I'm-throwing-this-thing-out-do-you-want-it?
posted by jquinby at 7:11 AM on August 29, 2010 [1 favorite]

With bars, you don't really see "formal schools of design". Unless maybe it's an ultra-posh hotel bar in a major city. You might see "recognizable approaches to casual interiors", but that's about it. This bar is probably going for retro-homey, or something like that.

There's a bar not unlike that in the East Village which I occasionally hang out in. The seating options are uniform, for the most part, but it kind of has this je ne sais quoi of randomness. Old fashioned brocade side chairs for most of the seating, light fixtures circa The Jetsons, and Tibetan motifs thrown in for good measure. None of which goes with the bar's name, Drop Off Service (the previous tenant was a laundry). Wha-huh?
posted by Sara C. at 7:11 AM on August 29, 2010

Cheers for the suggestions- I think Sara C. may be right in that it's not a deliberate scheme. The waitress slyly confided to me that it was "Apocalyptic Retro Seventies", but I think that's just her trying to mess with me ^.^
posted by malusmoriendumest at 7:18 AM on August 29, 2010

Eclectic interior decorating?
posted by MonkeyToes at 8:51 AM on August 29, 2010