Cupping Room at Palace Museum

The interior design concept is to serve both aesthetic and cultural purposes. The designer deftly blends elements of traditional Chinese architecture, ancient Chinese philosophy and culture with a distinct modern classy vibe into the design of the space.

Upon entering the cafe, guests are welcomed by a gigantic black tile wall. Just as the classic double-eave hip roofs of the Forbidden City, it has fluent lines in harmonic structures and emphasizes bilateral symmetry to signify balance. Black tiles are used because the ancient Chinese associated black with water and water is essential for coffee making. The designer wants to infuse the five elements (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth) of Chinese philosophy into the cafe to serve as a purpose of representing Chinese culture. Apart from the black tile wall, the five elements could be spotted in the interior, such as plants, wooden coffee tables and chairs, and metal coffee bag tube-shaped display on the wall. Linen fabric is selected to ensure comfortableness and give more textures to the interior. The museum display case inspired cake shelf and long table can display Cupping Room’s products and let the guests feel like they are also in the coffee museum. The warm gray terrazzo floor elicits a casual playfulness in the space. Above the door, antique mirrors are selected to heightened the space and accent the traditional vintage vibe of the cafe. A series of one-of-a-kind leather chairs / stools embodies Cupping Room’s brand’s color tone and gives a sense of luxury to the space.

Design: M.R. Studio
Photography: Steven Ko