Blue Bottle Coffee's Brand New Renovation Style! What Sensations Does the Stimulating Blue Bring?

Recently, the Blue Bottle Coffee shop in Kita-ku, Osaka, completed a renovation. Unlike other Blue Bottle stores with their warm, muted decor, this shop boldly introduces stimulating blue tones. That lets the café keep its cozy atmosphere while adding sensory stimulation through blue, and by using the brand's signature color the space is vividly defined — letting customers discover the brand's colors through different lighting and materials.

The designer behind the store noted that Chayamachi was historically famous for its distinctive Japanese tea culture, which brought people together through tea-drinking traditions. They wanted to reinterpret that sense of togetherness in a modern way and fold it into the café, so the space was designed with two distinct sections: blue tones combined with wood tones, and pure blue tones.

First Floor Design

The first floor takes warm wood tones as its main theme. Warm-toned wood surrounds the entire space, while floor-to-ceiling glass windows make full use of natural outdoor light. The stainless steel counter also serves a reflective purpose, letting the whole first floor be lit by daylight during the day.

Beyond the welcoming daylight and wood tones, the central table on the first floor features special blue glass that expresses Blue Bottle Coffee's brand identity. Through the placement and angle of this table, guests are guided toward the second floor.

The staircase connecting the two floors is adorned with a glass chandelier that extends throughout the stairwell. The chandelier features coffee-colored glass spheres, gently inviting guests upward. The second floor is a pure blue space that offers a three-dimensional experience, letting guests enjoy a cup of coffee while taking in the sensory stimulation the color blue provides.

Second Floor Experience

The second floor features sensory-stimulating blue tones. In the atrium area there is a special section flooded with blue light, surrounded by blue glass walls, blue lighting, and images and music "falling" from the ceiling. When guests sit inside, they experience a unique atmosphere that can alter their perception of time. The benches in the atrium are also made of special materials, with functions only those sitting there can experience. (We hope friends in Osaka can visit and share their experiences in the comments.)

One might wonder about the psychological effects of this blue scheme. While blue has a calming effect on the human psyche, promoting peace and tranquility, could an entirely blue space produce the opposite effect? Since blue has a contracting visual effect, a space surrounded entirely by blue might actually make people feel confined. Blue can also significantly affect appetite — making the coffee in hand seem less appealing.

Final Thoughts

What are your thoughts on this Blue Bottle Coffee's unique style?

Image credits: designboom / tomooki kengaku

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

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