Whether you’re enjoying the afternoon alone with a great book or catching up with friends over coffee, you will find comfort within the elegant interior of La Petite.

Situated in the oasis city of Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, La Petite is an intimate neighbourhood café offering great food and fresh coffee. After operating for several years, the brand decided that it was time to reinvent its space, brand, and offerings to better align with its unique setting. Inspired by Al Ain’s landscape and desert topography, the transformation began with first, a redeveloped purpose and brand identity from renowned branding agency Hint Creative. A new and refreshed menu followed with the help of chef consultant, Ashley Wentling. And finally, a reinvented space with a fluid transition between the indoors and outdoors by design studio, Bones.

The intent was to create a comfortable and inviting space that redefines the coffee bar’s volume as a monolithic sculpture with the ability to serve multiple functions. The shallow orientation allows the large, blush-coloured coffee bar to shine, reminiscent of a museum gallery display lined with thoughtfully curated artefacts for guests to marvel as they wait for their order - but instead, the artefacts are replaced with high-end coffee equipment and bespoke decors.

The height of the bar is depressed from a customer’s standpoint - a space-saving design that allows guests to enjoy the bar as a coffee table while sitting on one of the many round upholstered chairs. A full view of the actions behind the coffee bar can be observed here, making this an ideal seating area for individual café goers looking to strike up a conversation with the friendly staff behind the bar.

From a barista’s position, the bar is at working height, allowing a fluid dynamic and a good range of view as they prepare guests’ orders.

The desert’s charm can be found within La Petite’s earth-toned inner and outer spaces, creating a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. The shallow indoor volume shelters guests from the sun and heat of the desert without losing view of the natural beauty of the surrounding. The design team also placed a strong emphasis on the selection and tonality of the materials and treatment of surfaces to emulate the region’s abundant desert sand. As a result, guests can find comfort and familiarity in a space that possesses a strong sense of belonging deeply rooted in the location’s origin.

Mineral plasters in coarse and smooth finishes, soft linens, and clay table lamps are complemented with the use of untreated aluminum Rivet tables and black steel Triangular Chairs from Frama. 

Oversized, bi-fold glass doors accentuate the connection between the indoor and outdoor cafe space and provide an easy way to close off the cafe interior during off-hours. Directional light fixtures in the shop and garden mimic soft, theatrical lighting to create a beautiful and illuminated setting that can be continuously enjoyed even when the sun goes down.

The Bone design team not only created a café that is true to its roots, but also a modern and approachable all-day destination that can be enjoyed any time of the day. As you admire the splendid interior of La Petite, don’t forget to try their equally fantastic menu items designed to complement the magic of the desert oasis.

ABOUT BONE STUDIO

Bone is a nomadic studio, blurring the threshold between form and function. 

They begin by rejecting all conventional design stereotypes, freely exploring, yet methodically studying every theoretical and tangible aspect of design. The approach breaks away from the expected and perceived function, as Bone designs novel spaces that can functionally and aesthetically serve different purposes — reinterpreting the way common spaces are defined.

The name, Bone, represents the structure, base and framework of space - the seen and the unseen — what lies underneath and prior. “To the bone” — represents the extreme attention to detail and craftsmanship.

Project Details

Location: Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

Project Name: La Petite

Design Studio: Bone Studio

Creative Agency: Hint Creative

Indoor Area: 85 sqm 

Outdoor Area: 100 sqm

Completion Date: March 2019

Contractor: Fusion

Photography: Oculis Project

Custom Mineral Plaster Finishes: Optimum Gulf

Interior Architectural Lighting: PSLab

Exterior Lighting: Flos

Table lamps: In Common With

Door System: Oryx

Furniture: Gervasoni