This commercial project is a cafe designed as a third space: A warm, engaging room where specialty coffee and music lovers can gather, settle in and stay awhile. It began as a 1,300-square-foot white shell in a new multi-use building on Lincoln Blvd. in Venice, CA, with the building itself still under construction. The goal was a space that feels like it has always belonged in the neighborhood. 

To get there, the design pairs Mid-Century restraint with maximalist moments. A curved soffit wrapped in deep oxblood tile anchors the room, dropping over the bar to frame the service area and give the cafe a clear center of gravity. Its rounded corners return at the ordering counter, clad in the same tile, so the two pieces read as one gesture. Framed artwork, a globe pendant and a perforated menu sign suspended from the ceiling complete the picture, adding a layered, collected character that makes the space feel personal rather than polished for its own sake.