THE CAFÉ OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS, UPDATED. THIS IS THE CONCEPT BEHIND CAFÉ SCHILLING: ROUND MARBLE TABLES ON METAL LEGS, WOODEN CHAIRS AND THE IDEA OF A CAFÉ DESIGNED AS A PLACE TO MEET FRIENDS, GO ON A DATE, CHAT OR INDULGE IN PERSONAL INTROSPECTION. JUST LIKE CAFÉS USED TO BE, SOLITUDE AND COMPANY ALTERNATING NATURALLY.

The Old Café Spirit
This atmosphere of personal warmth is boosted by a reading-light-style lighting scheme, creating small intimate spaces that can be used to read the paper or share a drink. Both the inside, with a décor of mostly dark tones, and the façade, where black is the dominant colour, capture the daylight thanks to huge picture windows that allow customers to clearly observe the human traffic of the area. They also serve as an indicator of the passing day. This attracts a clientele that ranges from coffee-drinking early roosters to owls who start off their nights by having a drink in a café. On a large, wooden table, reminiscent of an old kitchen, cakes and small snacks are presented to boost the homey, or at least familiar, feeling of the place. A large, red-upholstered bench that runs around several corners in the café, provides an alternative to the stiffness of wooden chairs, and supports this comfortable atmosphere. On one of the walls, the built-in wardrobes of the armoury that previously occupied the premises have been used to store and exhibit wine. Interior designers Sandra Torruella and Isabel López took advantage of the fact that the centre of the premises was occupied by the doorway to the building to create two separate atmospheres which, though the same in terms of decoration, are unique in terms of ambience. The square-shaped bar marks a busier entrance, while the back remains intimate. The windows that look onto the street give the café the appearance of a small art gallery. Various artists exhibit their work here on a regular basis, most of it made especially for this space.