Pushing open the door of this ice cream shop named “Caesarea”, the first thing that wafts through is the sweet fragrance wrapped in the air conditioning. Only then do you see the refreshing atmosphere everywhere – the white brick walls have a touch of texture, the light grey blinds seem to have been moved from a small town in Southern Europe, and even the iron lamps hung from the ceiling with thick ropes are loose and airy, exuding a sense of laziness that doesn’t need to be rushed.

Overall layout

Judging from the layout, the operation area of this store almost occupies the center of the line of sight when entering the store, and the cabinets are the “skeleton” of this area. Standing at the door, you can see a whole row of continuous cabinets: the front side is an open ice cream display cabinet, the back side against the wall is an embedded storage device, and next to it is a beverage refrigeration cabinet embedded.

This “display in front and storage at the back” layout is actually very smart: customers come in through the door and can slowly choose their flavors along the display cabinets without having to squeeze into a corner. The shop assistant stands behind the cabinet, reaching out to get the ball digger and paper cups, and turning around to retrieve the ingredients from the storage cabinet. The entire flow is smooth, and there is no need to rush around in a rush.

Ice cream main display cabinet

The glass frame is in a light natural wood color, which perfectly echoes the wooden lines along the wall edges and the wooden beams on the ceiling. The lower part of the cabinet body is a vertical striped wood veneer, which is exactly the same as the facade of the operation counter, even the direction of the texture is the same – this “sense of unity” is easy to be overlooked, but it is precisely these details that make the entire store look not “scattered”.

The cabinet surface is made of anti-fog glass. In summer, the cold air from the ice cream won’t cause the glass to condense. Standing two meters away, you can clearly see the flavors in each compartment. Inside the cabinet, there is warm white light. When it shines on the ice cream, it makes the color softer and more inviting, without turning the green of the matcha into a “fluorescent green”. The height of the cabinet is just at the waist level of an average adult. The staff don’t need to bend over too much when digging balls, and they don’t get tired even when operating continuously.

Display storage

The upper layer is a small drawer with labels, where a ball digger, a spoon and a straw are placed respectively. There’s no need to rummage through them. The lower layer is the cabinet door, where paper cups, tissues, packing bags and sealed ingredients are placed (arranged according to the frequency of use, with the commonly used ones on the outermost layer). Moreover, the cabinet door is designed with a rebound function. When the clerk holds something in their hand, they can push it open with their elbow without having to free their hand to twist the handle. This kind of “usable without thinking” detail is truly based on daily use.

Bar counter

The design of the bar counter doesn’t break away from the light retro framework of the store at all. At first glance, it blends seamlessly with the surrounding cabinets and walls. The countertop is made of light grey stone, with fine white pebble textures on the surface. It is neither as cold as marble nor as dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant as solid wood countertops. After all, the sweet liquid from melted ice cream and water stains from spilled beverages can be wiped clean with a simple wipe, eliminating the need for repeated maintenance.

High-legged tables and chairs

The high stool is of a style with a rattan backrest and solid wood thin legs. The texture of the rattan has a slightly natural roughness, which complements the street scene outside the window. The backrest is slightly inclined backward, and when you lean on it, your back fits perfectly, so you won’t feel sore in your waist after sitting for a while. The seat surface is made of light beige fabric cushion, which is soft and comfortable to sit on. It won’t stick to your legs in summer and won’t feel cold in winter.

The high table that goes with it is a small round one, with a diameter of only 60 centimeters. Even if two people sit side by side, they won’t feel crowded. Put a cup of ice cream, a bottle of drink and a magazine on it, and the space is just enough. The tabletop is made of the same terrazzo material as the bar counter, which is dirt-resistant and easy to maintain. The table legs are slender metal brackets painted matte white, which do not look bulky. Instead, it makes the area by the window more transparent and does not block the light coming in through the blinds.