Design is and always will be a matter of taste. What one person finds beautiful, another would never want in their home. But when a design is guided by stories, the way you look at it changes. It’s no longer about ‘pretty’ or ‘ugly’ - the story becomes the lead character!

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For the new location of BAKKIE040, STUDIO &lotte designed an interior in which exactly that takes center stage: stories. Sustainability wasn’t the primary goal, but a natural outcome of meaningful choices.

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In this design, reuse isn’t just about materials, but mainly about the history they carry. The coffee tables are carefully selected second-hand pieces, each with its own scratches and marks. The stairs are made from old floorboards, and the Chesterfield sofa once belonged to an elderly lady. Every item has a past, and together they create a new story. More than half of the furniture at BAKKIE040 is reused or recycled. Even the wooden slats around the bar have been given a second life as sustainable leftover wood from Helmond. As a result, a place has emerged where aesthetics and meaning strengthen one another: a modern interior with a heart full of stories.

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​Because the stories of the people and the interior of BAKKIE040 are sometimes hidden, Lotte wanted to highlight them in an art installation. The installation consists of canvases shaped like little houses, a playful nod to Springplank, which sometimes quite literally offers people a new home. On the canvases, you can see what BAKKIE040 stands for, where the furniture and flooring come from, and which parts of the interior are recycled or reused. This way, every visitor can discover the story for themselves.

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BAKKIE040 is an initiative by Springplank. Springplank supports people who have temporarily lost their home and helps them regain control of their lives step by step. BAKKIE040 is a coffee bar where (former) homeless individuals are trained to become baristas, creating a place where growth, connection and meeting others are central.

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The stories of BAKKIE040 made me reflect. How many stories are sitting on my shelves at home without me even noticing? Perhaps you and I carry more stories with us than we realize at first glance. And that awareness makes me appreciate the value hidden in everything with a past, because it’s those stories that give a space true meaning.

Curious to see what the interior of BAKKIE040 looks like? Take a look at &lotte’s website.

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