Commercial Design, Hospitality DesignFlorence LOctober 10, 2022Hospitality Design, Commercial Interior Design, Interior Design, Netherlands

JULES COFFEE BAR || This Coffee Bar in the Netherlands is an Exercise in the Balance of Contrasts

Commercial Design, Hospitality DesignFlorence LOctober 10, 2022Hospitality Design, Commercial Interior Design, Interior Design, Netherlands

You could describe this intimate cafe as brightly lit with an earthy and warm colour-toned palette, but then you would be missing the essence of the design concept.

This cafe in the Netherlands was founded by street-style photographer Renwe Jules and pioneering street-style star Linda Tol. Renwe is passionate about fashion and a self-proclaimed coffee addict and became a serious barista following his love for coffee. Linda was one of the first style influencers at international fashion weeks. Now, she is the founder of the coveted eyewear brand Tol Eyewear as well as a digital creative and brand consultant for brands like Chanel and Dior.

Although the cafe is named after Jules, the interior design is informed by the elevated taste of both founders.

After a successful collaboration for TOL eyewear, Linda called upon Pepijn Smit of Amsterdam-based studio S-P-A-C-E to create the concept & design for this coffee bar. Accounting for the personal styles of the founding couple, the concept became based upon a balance in contrasts.

It’s minimal but with emotion. Windows on two sides of the cafe welcome natural light, creating gentle shadows that hug the counters and tables and slide across the hardwood flooring.

It’s smooth but warm. The wooden seating that runs the length of the wall is of a soft finish. Its sleek design feature curves to embrace and comfort visitors’ backs and tapers off toward the curated retail display in one corner of the room.

Sharp but light. The coffee bar countertop utilizes a smooth surface with a uniform colour, yet, this is paired with soft edges that blend into the textured pebble wall. When seated at the coffee bar, guests can experience both design layers. The pebble wall also highlights the owners’ love for the 70s.

And soft yet very precise. The overall colour palette, with its soft, almost milky tones, is very comforting to the eyes. However, despite a simple colour range, the design still delights with details like a cutout in the coffee bar to serve as bar seating. A closer look also reveals that the coffee bar is of a trapezoidal shape (not a simple rectangle), yet the lines still appear parallel when viewed from the front.

Together, these design details exude calming energy and make Jules Coffee Bar a relaxing and inviting social space. Jules Coffee Bar is located in the center of Haarlem, The Netherlands.