Over the past years, Barcelona has seen a boom in specialist bookshops where the décor and experience elevates the pleasure of reading. This bookshop in the Eixample district is a must-visit for book lovers and fans of beautiful interior design.
Finestres is a bookshop in Barcelona that puts romance and excitement back into buying a book. Located just off Rambla Catalunya on c/ Diputación (where the famous Monvinic restaurant previously stood) the space was designed by Barcelona design studio Quintana Partners. The approach to the décor has been to create an interior that feels like a private club or a living room, albeit a very large one. A place to browse and discover the joy of new ideas and stories, poetry, travel etc..
Spread out over 600 sq.m. Finestres bookstore is divided into several distinct areas. A change of level helps differentiate the front and back with an outdoor terrace and café at the very rear acting as a light well that beckons visitors on entering. A shallow set-back acts as a porch and contains a metal sign with the bookshop logo at the entrance. With a bookshop it’s all about the shelves and the way the books are presented. At Finestres sections of cherry wood framed bookshelves at the front part of the bookshop are combined with others in orange and earthy colours. The information desk and paying counter are also in cherry wood. A more neutral white open shelving system at the rear of the space has integrated strip lighting and marks a less formal décor.
Other materials and finishes reflect a domestic ambience; distressed timber in wide plank flooring lends warmth. The walls of the lower section have a grid pattern fabric covering which have a quilted upholstered texture. Lighting is recessed behind floating ceiling panels. Eclectic, mismatched furniture with a 1950s vibe is used to present book recommendations. Club Diogénes, a lounge section near the back, can be separated by a curtain for book presentations and is furnished with lush velvet-upholstered sofas and armchairs that invite sitting back and loosing oneself in a book. This layout includes 10 reading stations dotted around the space, with helpful staff on hand to help with any enquiries.
While the inside décor presents a timeless, classic approach, the outdoor terrace is much more contemporary in design. A corten water feature adds a soothing soundtrack, a long and shared table with chairs in pop colours provides a space for having lunch or coffee while taking a break in Barcelona. There’s a luxurious garden wall with abundant plants and a guillotine style glass window connecting the servery of the café Bar Wilson to the terrace.
Since Covid, many of us rediscovered the pleasure of reading. Ordering a book online can never match the sensation of the bookshop, a typology that has delivered some of the most beautiful interiors since books became popular. Finestres, the most beautiful bookshop in Barcelona, is one of them.
Finestres
C/ Diputación 249, 0807
Interior design: Quintana Partners
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