International Wood Magazine

DonCafé House: Inside a Coffee Bean

Kosovo's remarkable coffee house showcases innovative use of Poplar and Beech veneer

Magazine page featuring DonCafé House interior with red undulating ceiling and an Alan McIlvain Company hardwood lumber warehouse advertisement.
Page 22 of the 2015 International Wood Magazine featuring the DonCafé House article alongside an Alan McIlvain Company advertisement listing Sapele, African Mahogany, Ipe, Tali, Teak and Appalachian hardwoods.

"Coffee, the finest organic suspension ever devised." — STAR TREK: VOYAGER

Kosovo is probably not the first place that pops into your mind when you think of trendy coffee shop décor or innovative cafe interiors. Yet Pristina, the capital and largest city in this landlocked central Balkan territory, boasts one of the most remarkable coffee houses in the world.

Other design and décor elements in the DonCafé House add to the illusion that one is inside a bag of coffee beans.

The walls of the bar are contoured and tinted to convey texturization and interior pillars are dressed in roughly textured burlap. Asymmetrical coffee bean-shaped chandeliers suspended from the ceiling also contribute to the sensory experience. The chandeliers, made from thinner Poplar plywood plates clad in Beech veneer, provide homogeneous diffused light throughout the space. Tables made from the same type of Beech veneered Poplar plywood are staggered throughout the café, as if they were coffee grains drifting randomly inside a coffee sack.

The interior separating wall is both decorative and functional. Its organic shape gives patrons a unique sense of active engagement with their coffee-infused surroundings. The separating wall section behind the bar resembles the neck or closing of a coffee sack and also functions as a display unit for DonCafé merchandise.

Frequently asked questions

How does the DonCafé House in Pristina make patrons feel like they're inside a coffee bean bag?+

The café uses contoured, tinted walls to convey texturization, interior pillars dressed in roughly textured burlap, and staggered tables that appear to drift like coffee grains inside a coffee sack. Together, these design choices immerse patrons in a coffee-infused sensory environment.

What materials were used to construct the coffee bean-shaped chandeliers at DonCafé House?+

The asymmetrical, coffee bean-shaped chandeliers are made from thinner Poplar plywood plates clad in Beech veneer. They are suspended from the ceiling and provide homogeneous diffused light throughout the space.

What are the tables at DonCafé House made of and how are they arranged?+

The tables are made from Beech veneered Poplar plywood, the same material used for the chandeliers. They are staggered throughout the café to resemble coffee grains drifting randomly inside a coffee sack.

What is the purpose of the interior separating wall at DonCafé House?+

The separating wall is both decorative and functional, with an organic shape that engages patrons with their coffee-themed surroundings. The section behind the bar resembles the neck or closing of a coffee sack and doubles as a display unit for DonCafé merchandise.

Why is DonCafé House in Kosovo notable in the world of café design?+

Although Kosovo isn't typically associated with trendy coffee shop décor, Pristina is home to DonCafé House, which is considered one of the most remarkable coffee houses in the world for its innovative interior that immerses guests in a coffee bean-themed environment.