Our New Cafe and Gelateria Shop Design Has a European Flair

Cafe and gelateria shop design: Mindful Design Consulting
All photos: Mindful Design Consulting

The soon-to-open 10-22 Cafe and Gelateria in Oceanside, CA, offered us an excellent opportunity to recreate the cozy look of an European gelateria coffee shop. The relatively small space, with a long narrow hallway in the back, lent itself beautifully to this vision. Elevating some traditional design elements to modern status, we created an intimate space with a warm familiar atmosphere, pinpointed by the presence of wood, brick and plants.

The light entering through the front window allowed us to play with different wood tones without compromising on the brightness of the interior. We helped light bounce around by using light brick, white wall paint and white tile around the front counter. This made it possible  to create the cozy intimate ambiance we were after by using dark-gray tones and dark-blue accents.

Dark wooden beams cross the entire length of the ceiling and become the defining element of the space. Together with the large brick wall, they give an old-building vibe to the interior, subtly emphasized by the combination of rustic and industrial light fixtures. We balanced this look with tables and a bench of precise geometric shapes, and with modern stools and chairs. This brought the gelateria shop design into the present and created a pleasant contrast of mood and ambiance.

To make the space look larger and to create continuity from one area to another, we applied wainscoting to the entire length of the opposite wall. This dresses up the wall and gives it extra texture, depth and color. Its gray tones tie in with the accent wall and the color of the counter base, while its uniform height mitigate the height differences between the ceilings of the hallway and the main area.

Open shelves behind the counter and long wooden plant shelves emphasize the old-world look of the store. The generous amount of plants creates a welcoming homelike feel, while the blue chairs and pillows give the eye the color it needs in this mostly neutral interior. The white hexagonal floor tiles, mirrored by those of an accent back wall, the sharp lines of the counter and the track lighting that illuminate key areas are as many modern touches that counterbalance the use of traditional design elements.

The name of the 10-22 Cafe and Gelateria shop is far from being generic or subjective. It refers to the temperature of the perfect gelato, as opposed to the colder temperature at which ice cream is served. This significant detail is captured on a large gray plaque proudly displayed against the white brick wall, and in full view of the customers entering the shop, waiting for their treat or sitting at one of the tables.

If you are thinking to open a new business or are in the process of rebranding and remodeling your existing business, contact us to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting. Click HERE to price your project design.

Also, take a look at the “Branding By Interior” e-book, the only book written on this subject at this time. It brings insight into how you can turn your business into a market-dominating competitor by using human cognitive responses.