Tigg Coll pairs orange with blue in Cona coffee bar and nail salon

Contrasting shades of coral orange and baby blue create a vibrant identity for this coffee bar and nail salon in central London, designed by architecture studio Tigg Coll.

Cona combined these colours with curved details that include arched doorways, fluted surfaces, round tables and spherical light fittings.

The aim, according to Tigg Coll director Rachel Coll, was to create a sense of joy and wonder.

"We developed a design that arouses curiosity, attracts trade and sparks joy," she said.

"Yes, it's Instagrammable, but it's much more than that – it's an intelligent, characterful design that reflects the brand while creating a memorable experience for everyone who encounters it," Coll added.

Cona is located on Goodge Street, in a retail unit that was previously a dry cleaner's. Combining a coffee shop with a nail bar was a move aimed at making the business stand out from its competitors.

The two uses also work well together – salon customers can enjoy a coffee while waiting for an appointment.

The challenge for Tigg Coll was to develop an appropriate interior design for both functions. The design team did this by creating a series of colour-blocked zones.

"The initial idea for the colour palette came from the client, who wanted a vibrant coral orange to form the basis of the new branding and for a distinctive shop front," Coll told Dezeen.

"We developed this into a simple palette, with the contrasting blue to articulate distinct zones as you move through the space."

"Darker and lighter pastel tones of each of the main colours are used throughout, with brass highlights to line the door openings, light fittings and bathroom fittings," she added.

The coffee counter takes up the first of the three zones, including a service hatch built into the shop front.

Tiles cover the lower section of the walls, chosen because they feature a geometric pattern reminiscent of manicured fingernails.

These tiles continue into the second zone, where the primary colour switches from orange to blue. Here, details include banquette seating and dark red stools.

The third and final zone is the nail salon, where the colour palette returns to orange. The terazzo flooring becomes warmer in tone, while the wall tiling is swapped for pigmented microcement.

An arched wall niche creates display space for nail polishes, while curvy orange task chairs provide seating.

"Colour delineates spaces while creating an immersive and sensory experience," said Coll.

"The coral facade and counter invite customers into the calming pastel hues of the cafe and waiting area before entering the brightly toned salon at the back of the space."

Coll and partner David Tigg founded their London-based studio in 2008 and have become known for student housing projects including Chapter Old Street and Nido Spitalfields.

The duo recently unveiled their new office, in a converted former mission church in west London.

The photography is by Peter Landers.

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