Never ceasing to amaze us, Jaime Hayon’s latest interior design endeavour is Valencia restaurant Mar de Avellanas. Established in 2010, Mar de Avellanas was originally located in a narrow street next to the Valencia cathedral. But quickly becoming a firm favourite of locals, the restaurant required a larger location and a new design concept. Enter Jaime Hayón; the Spanish designer who now makes his home in Valencia and is a good friend of Claudia Peris, the restaurant owner. Peris approached Hayón to be involved in the expansion so Jaime invested into and led the creative direction of the new-look restaurant. Now located next to the Plaza del Patriarca in the old town of Valencia, Mar de Avellanas offers a comfortable bistro (Inventario) and a smart restaurant, each with a Mediterranean flavour and touches of Jaime’s imaginative and whimsical style. Colours are fresh and vibrant; brass trims and curved mirrors add glitz; and portraits, plates and figurines are eclectic. And like the Hotel Barceló Torre de Madrid there are Hayóns signature cartoon-like faces adorning the windows. “It reminds me of 1920s Berlin and Vienna, but set in the Mediterranean,” Hayón says. “This is a space I’ve always wanted: elegant, cosy and affordable. Hopefully, it’s also a space that will stand the test of time.” Expormim’s Coqueta chairs are positioned around the bistro tables and cocktail bar, and in deep rich red they are a complementary contrast to the forest green leather banquettes and hand-made tile flooring. Curves are a common element throughout the restaurant – in the tables, lamps, door handles, mirrors and arched frames – and the rounded back of the Coqueta fits perfectly. Studio Expormim designed the Coqueta as a re-edition of one of its classic 1970s dining chair designs. Made of natural, peeled and tinted rattan, it maintains the pure lines and personality of the original. If you’re visiting Valencia then be sure to make a stop at Mar de Avellanas to enjoy two Spanish delights: paella and Hayón’s interior design. Otherwise stop by our showroom in Alexandria and we’ll delight you with Hayón’s furniture for Expormim and lighting for Parachilna.