Colorova: A Look Inside Paris’ Most Colorful Cafe

The first thing you see as you step off the street and walk into Colorova, located just south of Saint Germain, is the black, white and red diamond wallpaper on the adjacent wall. As the name suggests, this place is all about color, from the rainbow-colored crocheted chairs to the colorful pastries and cakes that are so artful, they look almost too good to eat.

Paris is known for its beauty, but not necessarily for color; this unique space created by French chef, Guillaume Gil, places design, and especially color (hence the name) on the same level of importance as the food served. Gil wanted to create a space where he felt at home, after all, he comes here every day. He says, “The colors are very important to me; I wanted to have a business that didn’t look like any other. The typical tea salon in Paris is decorated with cold colors that are very similar to the tea salons that you might find in Austria, for example. I wanted something eye-poppingly colorful and young. If I go into a tea salon as a client I want to feel a part of the space, and that’s what I’ve tried to do here.”

He shopped around for inspiration, visiting various stores, showrooms and numerous second hand markets, which, luckily, Paris is famous for. He finally settled on colorful crocheted chairs from a store in Paris, windows he found while on holiday in Thailand, vibrant seats made from Tunisian carpets. The interior is completed by unique display counters – which Gil had specially designed by a cabinet-maker – that beautifully exhibit the artisanal cakes.

There are books and magazines dotted about on shelves, reading lamps that add an intimate and more personal touch, artworks, and even the addition of a cool mint SMEG fridge. The result is a space where you feel instantly at home and so cozy that you’ll want to move in.

Founded: 2012 by Guillaume Gil

Headquarters: Paris, France

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Orlova2013

Specialty: Colorful cakes, brunch and lunch.

Price range: ($) Mid-Range

Location: 47 Rue de l’Abbé Grégoire, 75006 Paris, France