Collective

Work Restaurants

Nili

A coffee shop from the chef behind Miss Ada, where branding and function share every inch.

Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn · 2020 · Coffee shop and bakery counter

Walnut and marble counter at Nili with bread shelves and a ladder to upper storage

A coffee concept from the chef of Brooklyn's Miss Ada. With space very limited, branding details had to comply perfectly with functionality.

01 The assignment

Fit a full coffee and pastry programme into a very small corner space, keep service fast, and make it feel like a neighbourhood room rather than a kiosk.

02 The design response

A critical focus was bringing warmth and sophistication to a fast-casual environment. Walnut millwork, a marble counter, open bread shelving and a pastry case do the work of both display and storage, while the brand's illustrated mark appears at every touchpoint.

03 How it operates

The counter is planned around the order-to-pickup flow, with the espresso machine, brew station and pastry case each visible from the queue.

04 Materials and custom elements

Walnut millwork, honed marble counters, open oak shelving, ceramic cups and warm-white lighting.

Walnut and marble counter at Nili with bread shelves and a ladder to upper storage
Espresso machine on the marble counter at Nili with the street beyond
Open walnut shelving holding loaves of bread at Nili
Glass pastry case with croissants on the marble counter at Nili
Branded paper cup on the walnut counter at Nili with the bar in the background
Round Nili signs projecting from the shopfront on a Carroll Gardens corner
Ceramic cups lined up on the counter at Nili in morning light

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