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Sip and soak in nature: The colourful transformation of Kākāriki Coffee

11 Dec 2023

In the heart of Wellington's CBD, you’ll find a lush green retreat where you can escape off the busy sidewalk and relax with a coffee in hand. Kākāriki Coffee showcases the transformative power of design, passion and a well-chosen palette of Resene paint colours.

Designed by the dynamic team at Pynenburg & Collins Architects, led by Senior Associate Lien Bui, this café is more than just a place to grab a cup of coffee - it's a green oasis, a retreat from the urban jungle and a testament to the collaborative efforts of architects, designers and its visionary owner, Thobias Joby.

Kākāriki Coffee emerged from the ashes of a dated restaurant space and is now alive with colour and energy. Walls and ceiling painted in Resene House White, panelling in Resene Ciderhouse, railing in Resene Half Sour Dough and murals in Resene Sea Fog, Resene Palm Green, Resene Ciderhouse, Resene Spring Green, Resene Midnight Moss and Resene Robin Egg Blue.

With a modest start-up budget, Thobias, a former barista at Mojo with a fervent passion for hospitality, decided to venture out on his own. The project took a mere two months from concept sketches to the café's grand opening. Despite the constraints of time and budget, the design team successfully transformed the early 2000s grey and red design into a contemporary haven, marking Kākāriki Coffee as a standout establishment in Wellington.

Walls and ceiling painted in Resene House White, panelling in Resene Ciderhouse and railing in Resene Half Sour Dough.

The team at Pynenburg & Collins Architects went beyond the traditional client-architect relationship, crafting an all-encompassing environmental design package. The architects not only curated the café's logo and branding in collaboration with Justine Derrick Creative but also delved into the finer details, from creating bespoke murals to choosing menu names and organising the opening night.

The collaborative spirit extended to the mural painting process, with Olivia Hamilton and Kezia Fairbrother lending their artistic touch to six vibrant murals that define the café's identity.

The murals began with a draft sketch that would soon turn into lush windows to another world.

The heart of Kākāriki Coffee lies in its lush haven concept, achieved through a carefully curated Resene colour scheme. Drawing inspiration from native flora and fauna, the design team sought to bring the outside in, creating an immersive experience for patrons. The forest scenes depicted in the hand-painted murals act as windows to another world, away from the bustling inner city.

Walls and ceiling painted in Resene House White and mural in Resene Sea Fog, Resene Ciderhouse, Resene Palm Green, Resene Spring Green, Resene Midnight Moss and Resene Robin Egg Blue.

Resene Ciderhouse, a rich, dusky green, emerged as the statement colour, anchoring the café's identity and tying the branding seamlessly into the built environment. Resene Greenback added a punch of vibrancy to the internal doors, creating a delightful variation of green.

To counterbalance existing dark surfaces within budget constraints, Resene House White brightened the space, allowing the bespoke murals to stand out. Resene Half Sour Dough served as a transition colour, softening the contrast between the panelling and walls, while harmonising with warm tones in the plywood joinery.

Walls and ceiling painted in Resene House White, panelling in Resene Ciderhouse, railing in Resene Half Sour Dough and murals in Resene Sea Fog, Resene Palm Green, Resene Ciderhouse, Resene Spring Green, Resene Midnight Moss and Resene Robin Egg Blue.

The project faced challenges of a tight timeframe and conservative budget, requiring innovative material choices and detailing. The design team demonstrated remarkable ingenuity, preserving existing materials to stay within budget while achieving a high-end finish.

In a high-traffic zone, where the hand-painted murals risked exposure to coffee spills, the team opted to apply a protective topcoat of Resene SpaceCote Clear, ensuring the protection of the vibrant artwork. The result is a fresh, welcoming and successful café space that reflects the passion of its owner and the collaborative efforts of the design team.

Owner Thobias Joby next to the counter scallop panelling is painted in Resene Half Sour Dough, with walls and ceiling in Resene House White.

Winning a Resene Total Colour Commercial Interior Public + Dining Award, the judges commented: “This humble café steps out of its comfort zone, exploring the use of related hues from blocks of colour on walls to works of art. Murals painted in tone-on-tone colours bring the great outdoors inside for all to enjoy. The combination of nature-inspired art, soothing hues and movement with colour makes this an undeniably pretty place to dine.”