1NUL8 Le Bistro by Lotte Faassen x Studio de Blieck
Bringing together warm materials, French ease, and soft curves, 1NUL8 Le Bistro offers a quiet moment of sophistication in the heart of the city.
The interior, designed in close collaboration between Lotte Faassen and Studio De Blieck, reshapes the typical bistro into a layered, contemporary dining experience: elegant but relaxed, intimate yet fluid.
Tasked with transforming a compact site into a multifunctional dining environment, the design team approached the spatial layout as a gentle transition from one experience to the next. Guests enter through the bar area, which sets a social tone before naturally flowing into high tables and then lower banquette seating. This deliberate shift in elevation, supported by curved edges and uninterrupted sightlines, fosters a sense of continuity throughout the bistro. Integrated wine coolers at the bar double as practical storage and visual anchors, reinforcing the setting's adaptability for everything from casual aperitifs to multi-course dinners.
The interiors were designed to evolve with the pace of the day. Mornings are met with soft daylight that fills the open layout, while evenings are subtly transformed by dimmed lighting and warmer tones. A carefully chosen material palette, including timber, textured upholstery, and muted hues, helps soften transitions and articulate the changing moods of the space. Across different service patterns, the bistro maintains a sense of ease and fluidity, inviting guests to linger.
Intimacy was achieved not through partitions, but through form. Every curve, whether in the piping of the custom banquettes or the soft lines of the bar, draws diners into their own corner without feeling disconnected from the room. The result is a natural zoning of the space. High tables near the entry allow for a casual, buzzing energy, while the back of the bistro embraces more secluded, cocooned seating for long, unhurried meals.
Personalised detail plays a central role in defining the atmosphere. Nearly every element in the bistro has been custom-crafted, from the curved timber panelling at the entrance to the elegant outdoor marquise. The design language is cohesive yet unobtrusive, mirrored even in the smaller gestures, such as the curve of the menu cards, echoing the inlaid patterns on the floor at the entry. These subtle repetitions tie the visual narrative together, adding to the interior's understated identity.
1NUL8 Le Bistro offers more than a well-composed interior; it presents a dining experience shaped by tempo, tactility, and collaboration. It's a place that balances functionality with feeling, where thoughtful transitions and refined details come together in a modern ode to bistro culture.
