This coffee-shop-meets-nail bar in the heart of central London by TiggColl architects uses a vibrant palette of coral orange and contrasting blues, to arouse curiosity, attract trade, and create an immersive brand experience. The bold and bright palette multi-layered materials and soft recurring curves infuse the design with a sense of play, from the shopfront through to the café, and the nail salon space beyond.
A bright coral fluted façade treatment coupled with an undulating awning give CONA a distinctive presence at street level. A curved shopfront window is complemented by an intricately designed coral counter for serving coffee, which folds open to create an active street frontage and draw in passersby.
TiggColl uses colour blocking to delineate CONA’s dual functionality. The café and waiting area are imbued with calming pastel hues of coral and blue and feature a cooler terrazzo flooring, leading through to warmer and more brightly coloured coral tones in the salon. A series of arched openings are echoed in the oval-shaped tiles reminiscent of classic manicures which line the café walls. Pigmented micro-cement panels line the lower half of the salon walls mirroring the tiling in the café space.
The fun, fluted façade treatment from the exterior continues through to the interior, wrapping around the nail station and accompanying elements. Light and furniture fittings are highlighted in brass.
Rachel Coll, founding director of TiggColl, said: “It’s not just Instagrammable. We wanted to create an intelligent, characterful design that reflects the brand while creating a memorable experience for everyone who encounters it.”
TiggColl carried out the full refurbishment and fit out of the space, previously a dry cleaners, for a private client. CONA sits just off Tottenham Court Road.
