Bidgood + Co Infuses Victoria, British Columbia Coffee Shop With Pops of Color
When the Hey Happy coffee shop in the historic Market Square neighborhood in Victoria, British Columbia, expanded its interior space, owners Brad Holmes and Rob Kettner knew exactly which local designer to call. A past collaborator, and frequent patron of the café, Kyla Bidgood, founder and principal of Bidgood + Co. Interiors, happily signed on—excited to upgrade the long and narrow space in the heritage building downtown. Working off of the café’s original industrial features and signature color scheme, Bidgood sought out to capture Hey Happy’s uplifting and casual essence.
Bidgood’s starting point came when she, Holmes and Kettner decided to expand the space to include a commercial kitchen, hidden behind the back wall, and more seating to become a full-service joint. To work in the elements from the old space and create a coherent, updated look, Bidgood added cantilevered seating that is mirrored perfectly on both sides of the demising wall that separates the two dining areas, appearing as though the bench goes through to the other side.
Design elements, such as chipboards and galvanized metal on the service counter, were original details in the space that Bidgood “didn’t want to repeat, but didn’t want to ignore.” For her modernist take, Bidgood added corrugated metal to the bases of the tables, pickup wall, and service counter, in addition to chrome-forward light fixtures.
Given the coffee shop’s cheerful name, Bidgood wanted to ensure the finished space looked and felt friendly, leading her to add curves and rounded shapes throughout for a softening touch. The bold color palette also speaks to the overall ambiance. As Bidgood explains, the bright blue and citrus yellow of Hey Happy’s already established color scheme, “don’t translate well off the screen.” To circumvent this challenge, she opted to use what she calls “cartoon, pop-art colors” to compliment the brand’s graphic design, industrial essence, and happiness motif, creating an inviting atmosphere in the historic space.
