Otie Bakehouse: Bakery Interior Where Bold Design Meets Community Connection
Otie Bakehouse isn’t just a cafe; it’s a celebration of vibrant design and intentional craftsmanship, brought to life by The Good Design Group in collaboration with Allison Thompson Interiors. This community-centered bakery interior space merges playful aesthetics with functional flow, creating a bright, inviting backdrop for daily life.
Every design decision, from the bold blue accents to the dynamic Yoyo Light Suspension by Andrew Neyer, has been carefully chosen to elevate the guest experience and invite people to connect. With elements like Medley porcelain tiles that hint at terrazzo and custom-designed furnishings, Otie Bakehouse is a lively fusion of creativity and practicality, a place where form truly follows function.
Designed in collaboration by: The Good Design Group and AT Art & Interiors
Other participants: FWD Construction
Photo credits: Klassen Photography
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Could you share the origins of The Good Design Group and the philosophy that drives your work, especially when creating unique, bakery interior and community-oriented spaces like Otie Bakehouse?Â
We’re all for intentional interiors that ground creative aesthetics with technical design for surroundings that centre us. When a space is purpose-built for its users, it yields ease in everyday interactions and bettered living. We also thrive on connection and collaboration
—with our clients, with people and with other designers. Working alongside Allison Thompson Interiors on the design helped make Otie a success.
With Otie’s bold design, how did you balance the vibrant aesthetic with the functional needs of a bustling cafe bakery interior?Â
We consider the functional needs first
—how a floor plan ebbs and flows in order to cultivate connection and optimize the experience for the right kind of outcome. Then the brand aesthetic can be woven in through design choices like finishes, furnishings and distinctive focal points. (Form follows function!)
The Yoyo Light Suspension by Andrew Neyer adds a unique touch to the space. What inspired its use here, and how does it contribute to the cafe’s overall ambiance?
These lights are playful and functional, helping illuminate the space while drawing the eye to the seating area. You can see them from outside, too, inviting people walking by to come in. Otie’s branding is bright and playful, and lighting was an element that could elevate the brand concept and design simultaneously.
The Medley porcelain tile plays a key role in Otie’s design. What qualities or aesthetic elements drew you to this tile for the cafe’s interior?
We knew the pastries coming from Chef Daniel Ramon were going to be out of this world, so the interior design had to reflect the same level of uniqueness and creativity. This tile is a playful nod to terrazzo while being budget-friendly and practical for high traffic.
Otie’s interior features bright blue accents throughout, from countertops to fixtures. How did you decide on this color palette, and what impact were you aiming to create?
At the same time as we were designing Otie, we were working on a pizza restaurant (Letty) next door that would share the same kitchen and head chef. We wanted the two spaces to have an entirely different aesthetic; for Letty we opted for warm, rustic and inviting but for Otie we wanted something different
—contemporary, fun and vibrant.
From champagne oak millwork to concrete elements, Otie Bakehouse has a layered mix of materials. How did you approach combining these textures to achieve a cohesive look?
Good, balanced interiors come from layering materials, textures and elements that work in harmony together. Repeating elements help, like exposed concrete throughout and similar wood tones. We drew from biophillic design by adding plants throughout to render the space more habitable and inviting.
Can you share a bit about the collaboration process with Allison Thompson Interiors on this project? How did your two firms complement each other?
We share the design ethos of creating spaces that are as eye catching as they are practical. We easily put egos aside and worked together to enhance every design idea and decision. Having a few sets of eyes helps with problem solving and bouncing ideas off each other.
We also both work with intention and advocate for our clients, first and foremost.
Custom-designed furniture and bespoke lighting make Otie’s space feel one-of-a-kind. How did these elements enhance the cafe experience, and what was the design process like for them?
Again, just wanting to foster a distinctive design with intentional materiality that people hadn’t seen before, that would complement the unique menu offerings and be a space people would enjoy spending time in.
