Okende — Broad Street

Commercial Interior Design | Hockley, Nottingham

Location: Broad Street, Hockley, Nottingham
Interior Design: Boyes Design
Bespoke Joinery & Lighting: Boyes Design
Manufacture & Installation: Boyes Design
Tiling: Tapper Tiling
Barista Island: Ash Door Furniture

For Okende's second location, the brief was to create a coffee shop that felt recognisably part of the existing brand while giving Broad Street an identity of its own.

Set within two former retail units in Nottingham's Hockley, the interior brings together natural oak, brushed stainless steel, terracotta and exposed finishes around a central barista bar that puts coffee-making at the heart of the space.

Bringing two spaces together

Originally divided into two separate retail units, the building had a natural split through the centre. Non-structural walls were opened up where possible and the barista bar positioned centrally, connecting both sides and creating a focal point within the café.

The layout guides customers naturally from arrival through ordering and collection to seating, while allowing the two sides of the coffee shop to function as one.

Coffee at the centre

The process of making coffee was always intended to be visible. Positioning the baristas at the centre of the space allows them to face the room as they work, creating a more open interaction with customers and making coffee preparation part of the experience.

Brushed stainless steel takes its cue from the coffee machines themselves and continues across the bar, lighting and smaller details throughout the interior. Natural oak and terracotta bring warmth to the harder surfaces and connect the new interior with Okende's existing identity.

Bespoke details

Bespoke joinery incorporates storage and display for coffee, baked goods, wine and retail products, keeping everything accessible and easy to browse without filling the space with freestanding furniture.

Overhead, bespoke light panels provide a softer layer of ambient lighting while also helping to absorb sound within the tall, hard-surfaced interior, combining lighting and acoustic treatment within a single element.