Alma Cafe, N1 London
“The Freshest Brunch & Lunch”
Our second unit for the Alma Cafe which was founded in 2016 with its aim is to redefine healthy breakfasts/lunches by saying goodbye to boring salads and hello to locally produced, organic and fun meals that any health conscious customer could enjoy .
Nefarious was tasked with redesigning their newest branch based in Kingscross, from concept to completion. This project compared to our previous NCR location architecturally was in complete contrast being a new build, predominantly glass facade and large high ceilings we chose to keep the brands whimsical personality but approach the design in a loft/industrial style. In this forever developing location Alma will become a destination for a catch-up with friends or lunch date with the family.
Above: We wanted to create a counter with the usual Alma necessities such as the scrabble board menu, glass pastry display and tiled terracotta counter front for continuity. However to match the industrial nature of the space we decided to do a feature stainless steel counter top with skirting to match which is not only a loft style feature but also practical. Another feature are the baquettes which feature a velvet upholstered cushion, arm detail and cafe curtain which not only helps soften the view of the space externally but is also great for noise absorption.
Below: We wanted the focal point of the cafe to be the concrete columns which are throughout the space rather than conceal them. Here you can see we tiled the lower section to create a refined yet raw look with the organic surface of the tile painted in neutral above to make the tile the star of the show. We also wanted to have low hanging lighting due to the ceiling height that didn’t distract from the feeling of the space so we chose opal globe pendants with chrome fittings to match the other metals within the space.
Above: We love the details within a space even down to the table tops we specified. Here you can see the bespoke tops we got made in “Altrock” which not only adds texture and colour to the space but has a great green back story. We also loved the counter detail showing the organic terracotta colour tiles ‘sandwiched’ between the stainless steel against the neutral mottled floor tile.
Below: With the facade of the building we had specific restrains for signage locations & sizes. We decided to choose a green blade sign to match the interior wall colour which vertically stacked illuminated Alma logo for those winter days where it gets dark at 4pm. This green can also be seen in the external furniture we specified with matching dining chair and table.
Photography: Amy Heycock