Completed: 2022
Location: Kirkland, WA
Builder: Blox Construction
Casework, Millwork & Specialty Fabrication: Creoworks
Neon, Menu & Signage: Western Neon
Photography: Andrew Storey, Light Catcher Imagery
For their third location in a fresh, new building in downtown Kirkland, 5 Stones Coffee commissioned Pierce Design to create a modern cafe that winks at their previous project with Pierce Design, but also had freedom to create it's own unique identity and vibe.
The space has full height south facing storefront windows and a large roll up door into the adjacent, tall residential lobby giving it a unique two-main-entry floor plan. To take advantage of this and put the coffee preparation on display, the coffee bar faces both entries, with a full kitchen preparing pastries in the space behind.
To ground the coffee bar but avoid visually bisecting the space, an inverted pyramid shape was used to create a bright white soffit which bounces light back down and into the space. The point of the soffit also acts as a focal point about which all the cafe activities revolve around and the upturned faces present a welcoming posture.
A nod to the previous cafe design effort, semi-circular references are used in the built-in furnishings, shape of the wall tile and even the acoustical wall paneling pattern giving the space a relaxed and friendly appearance and counterpoint to the sharper edges of the space.
The material palette is a mix of classic and whimsy with a monolithic Carrara marble inspired coffee bar set over an oval shaped tile base with a unique blue grout. A tactile furniture linoleum® wraps the slow bar and oak benches are backed by moody wood and cement custom acoustic panels. Custom neon signage proclaims the cafe's ethos in a bright blue glow. Tables and chairs were handcrafted both locally and in Mexico, and the tricked out and refined La Marzocco espresso machine has a hand chiseled oak wood face from a shop in Australia.
Care and attention was given to the floor plan layout of both the cafe's guests as well as the baristas to ensure efficient and intuitive flow.
"Where everyone has a seat at the Table"
