A Nest-Like Ceiling Distinguishes This Ukrainian Café

While materiality can create a striking visual effect, it is also something that can be felt. At DROP coffee shop in Kovel, Ukraine, where wood, stone, and a woven nest-like ceiling made from tree roots come together, the mood is truly immersive.

“We wanted to create a space that would resonate with what surrounds it—with our land, its materials, and its spirit,” says designer Oleksandr Makhno. “Everything we used—wood, stone—comes from our environment; they have their character, their history.”

Oleksandr Makhno Crafts An Immersive Coffee Shop Inspired By Nature

The idea was to use as many natural, living materials as possible, Makhno notes. “Because in this space, everything matters—the texture, the way it breathes, even the scent.” Natural stone, used as bases of the built-in benches, is mixed with a high-quality micro-cement finish on floors and one wall that mimics the natural patterns of stone. Referencing coffee machines, glossy metal offers a contemporary accent to the all-pervasive wood, which was salvaged from a local home. “It’s not just a material, it’s a piece of history that started to breathe again,” Makhno says. From the wall panels, to the custom designed furniture, the material evokes warmth and warm memories. “We’ve preserved something valuable from the past and have woven it into the contemporary space.”

Along with nature and the local context, the smell of coffee becomes an integral part of the design. “We wanted the aroma of coffee to permeate all the open elements, filling them with the wood, the stone, the air—so that the space would not only be visible, but also felt on the level of taste, scent, and mood,” says Makhno. “We wanted the colors, textures, and smells to convey the atmosphere, depth, and feeling.”

Natural Materials Define The Design Of DROP Coffee 

The centerpiece of the highly textured, aromatic café is the trio of sculptural lights above the metal counter. Each individually sculpted from wood, the curious shapes are inspired by the moment a coffee drop falls. “Frozen in space, conveying both dynamism and softness,” Makhno says. The name DROP also sets the tone. From the light fixtures, “to the idea of a ‘precise moment’ we want to capture,” Makno adds, “when both the space and the drink create a holistic experience.”