Of all the things one expects to find in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province—pandas, teahouses, fiery food—pastel-hued interiors inspired by director Wes Anderson probably aren’t up there. But a new café, opened by a 19-year-old woman who fell in love with The Grand Budapest Hotel, has changed that.
“There was just something about that movie,” says Zhong Jingwen, who opened The Budapest Café last November. “I loved the soft, quirky, feminine visuals. I wanted to create a space where people would come and want to take pictures, where they would feel like they’re in a movie.” Zhong brought in Melbourne-based design firm Biasol to create a café that’s inspired by—but doesn’t simply mimic—the aesthetics of the 2014 movie. Look for staircases and arches similar to what you’d find at the namesake fictional hotel, coasters adorned with hotel keys, neon signs that reference the film, and a twee palette of greens and pinks.
“The big thing with Wes Anderson is that attention to detail,” says Jean-Pierre Biasol, the design company’s founder. “You can’t have any part of the space that’s dull, and we wanted to have a sense of storytelling in all the design, from the coasters to the coffee cups and the business cards.”
If Anderson’s current film, Isle of Dogs, has you craving quirkiness, you don’t necessarily need to brush up on your Mandarin. In Ontario, you can stay at Mr. Anderson’s House, an Airbnb rental run by a fan who themed each room after one of the filmmaker’s movies. And in Milan, you can drink at 1950s-inspired Bar Luce, designed by the director himself. And you can follow @accidentallywesanderson, an Instagram account that showcases symmetrical pastel scenes from around the world—perfect inspiration for the director’s next flick.
