We blended playfulness and surrealism with a contemporary edge for emerging dessert parlour, Dyce.
Mission.
Whilst the brief called for an ‘Instagramable’ interior, Formroom pushed to develop the surreal café design[a] concept even further, incorporating elements that invite playful interaction in movement but also appeal to video-sharing platforms like TikTok or Snapchat.
The bustling hub of James St, Marylebone provides the design blueprint and first permanent space for the Dyce brand.
Approach.
Evolving upon the three brand pillars, Approachable, Unexpected and Immersive, Formroom created a memorable aesthetic with a fusion of youthfulness and Salvador Dali-inspired surrealism. The space illustrates a conceptual take on the dessert ingredients, including melting ice cream and bubble tea. A moment of childlike escapism balanced with a contemporary edge.
Dyce’s colour palette expands on a pink theme but with unexpected but complimentary colour contrasts. The bold shapes, textures, and pastel-coloured interior ignite customer curiosity while catering to the demand for shareable moments.
Our addition of curvaceous two-tiered seating is inspired by the smooth dripping nature of soft-serve ice cream. Bespoke upholstered cocoon seating sits parallel, nestled within a field of soft pastel bubbles and surrounded in a warm neon glow. Above, the brand signage is accented by LED trimming and set against a pastel pink backdrop.
Dessert visual cues continue throughout the space with curved floor artwork to mimic the ripples of ice cream, unexpected wayfinding and subtly nod to the surrealist aesthetic. The use of corrugated metal panels treated with iridescence vinyl continues the juxtaposition of a playful and rustic edge to the counter.
The striking ceiling installation combines suspended concave and convex iridescent mirrors, representing bubbles from Dyce’s core product offering. Subtle accents of black trimming give the soft colour palette a defined finish. An extension of this comes through the mirror wall, bordering a large convex mirror encircled with the brand phrase ‘Don’t Burst My Bubble.’ A unique ‘fish-eye’ effect and light-enhancing feature. The distorted visuals reflect the interior space and cater to a younger, social-media-engaged demographic.
Results.
A unique, surreal location brimming with shareable moments which are photogenic from the ceiling to the floor.
“Dyce is a place where people can escape the real world and enjoy a moment of joy away from the everyday”
Zahra Khan, founder of Dyce
