The joy of making everything a cafe
& the roll-top sugar bowls I love hiding things in
Sometime over the last couple of years, all the best cafés started to look like homes. I find myself snapping photos and sourcing furniture inspiration inside latte spots, asking who makes the lights in tea shops, and looking under mugs to find the ceramicists that I want to fill my own cabinets with.
At this year’s Salone del Mobile Milano, everything was a cafe.
I keep coming back to Marimekko’s whimsical floral installation alongside a Finnish-inspired aperitivo bar showcasing bright tablecloths in a casual Italian bistro backdrop. It was sweet and youthful in a refreshing way, serious production without serious feeling.
I liked that Bitossi Home was a fresh bakery with lots of bread and olive oil throughout. The premiere of La DoubleJ’s new headquarters revealed a first-floor dining area that looked like a chic dining hall or casual bistro. Alessi also went heavy on the bread and even heavier on the butter. Marni went all in with the full espresso counter experience, branded espresso cups, and martinis served.
You can’t have a fashion or design event without food these days. I learned this lesson years ago at Care of Chan, but the sentiment has only grown as branded butter and over-the-top grazing tables are the new norm. When executed properly, it’s a masterful way to engage attendees directly in the product and a full sensory experience. I also like that it often gets people off their phones and encourages moments of tactile connection.
I loved seeing that Marni’s sweet little cafe featured metal roll-top sugar bowls, similar to the ones I’ve been using as catchalls in my home for years.
I first spotted them behind the bar at a local Brooklyn brewery. They were lined up, holding sliced lemons and limes and stacked olives. I watched as the bartender gracefully lifted the lid and grabbed a lemon wedge for my iced tea, and I thought: That’s a creative way to hide things. I could do that… with my keys, matchbooks in the bathroom, laundry quarters, and other change… and after some searching, I realized it would be a relatively cheap experiment for my apartment. Less than $15 a bowl, these spheres are sleek, simple, and cost less than most catch-all dishes I’ve had. I’ve since found a use for them in every single room.
So yes, a sugar bowl can be a keyholder, and a messy tablescape might be the ultimate artform. Everything wants to be a café, and I understand why. They’re the ultimate salon, the perfect place. They’re for smoking a cigarette and drinking a cappuccino along some European canal midday on a Wednesday. It’s the dream, no? If a tiny sugar bowl or a bright tablecloth gets me closer to that dream, I’m willing to give it a try.