Kafe Nordic — Seoul, South Korea

Located in a quiet residential area of the Korean capital is the bright yellow house-shaped Kafé Nordic. The garden-level coffee shop, by local firm Nordic Bros Design Community, has transformed the neighbourhood and drawn people from the nearby Comme Des Garçons flagship. The Scandi-yellow exterior was chosen to energise the peaceful residential area. Inside are vividly coloured furnishings in different shapes and scales by Emeco, Flötotto, Hay, Ton and Yong-Hwan Shin - plus witty lighting by Ingo Maurer and Lune du Matin. Equally rigorous is the black and white geometric patterned wallpaper, which extends down to cover portions of the wood floor. In fact the floor combines a fascinating combination of 27 patterns, the result of a collaboration between designer Patricia Urquiola and Mutina. The wall-mounted menu promises homemade sandwiches, coffee and tea.
ADDRESS
683-46 Hannam-dong
Yongsan-gu
Seoul
South Korea
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
A Mexican clifftop retreat offers both drama, and a sense of place
Casa Yuri, a clifftop retreat by Zozaya Arquitectos, creates the perfect blend of drama and cosiness on Mexico's Pacific Coast
-
Tour David Lynch's house as it hits the market
David Lynch's LA estate is for sale at $15m, and the listing pictures offer a glimpse into the late filmmaker's aesthetic and creative universe
-
A new Tadao Ando monograph unveils the creative process guiding the architect's practice
New monograph ‘Tadao Ando. Sketches, Drawings, and Architecture’ by Taschen charts decades of creative work by the Japanese modernist master
-
Seoul welcomes the world’s first MoMA Bookstore
Manhattan’s cultural heavyweight opens its first dedicated bookstore – in Seoul, in partnership with Hyundai Card
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the world
Celebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
-
Korean Air reveals sleek rebrand in first overhaul since 1984
Korean Air’s new identity sheds excess detail to create a bold, minimalist identity fit for its global ambition
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy design
There’s more magic to the movies at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s ‘flying’ roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
-
The coolest design-led coffee shops in Seoul
Seoul counts more coffee shops per capita than any other city in the world – cut straight to our ten must-visit spots
-
Oneworld unveils first-ever branded lounge in Seoul Incheon Airport
A new Oneworld futuristic lounge opens in Seoul as the airline alliance gears up for its 25th anniversary
-
Seoul is Best City of 2024
Seoul’s unique mix of culture, art and style goes global, thanks to an unstoppable new wave of dynamic creatives. Discover the Wallpaper* Design Awards’ Best City
-
JW Marriott Jeju is a sleek island beauty
JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa launches, marking the hospitality brand's first resort in South Korea’s largest Island