Situated in a quiet Taipei alley, Dick & I is a hidden secret right in the heart of pulsing Taipei. A chameleon that defies easy categorization: it’s snack bar, café, bar, restaurant, tea room, and private venue, all rolled into one.
With the garage-style windows opened, the bar & kitchen can provide piping hot takeaway food, letting passersby have a warming bite. Open the door and a sleek open coffee bar greets you with a soulful palette of black, white, and gray. On the left, a speckled wall retains its unvarnished textures, a hallmark of the design team. Together, the spare treatment of the walls and ceiling, the graceful curves of the pure white staircase, and the charcoal bench and custom bar chairs bring an inviting sense of calm to all who enter.
Continue to the bar inside inspired by traditional lacquer, the wood-grained wall accents the space with a subtle sense of warmth and detail. Together with the tonal palettes of sienna, wood, and brown, curated vintage pieces accessorize the space and give it a touch of history. The bar is sunken to put the bartender at eye-level with the seated guests, removing a sense of hierarchy to put guests further at ease.
Follow the graceful sweep of the staircase upstairs where massive wooden tables add a touch of warmth to the minimalist palette. In the singular tearoom, two openings frame a layered view of the room’s Zen-like ambiance. Painted with a mineral paint, the earthen wall is rough-hewn and infinitely textured, expressive even without ornamentation. The staff door is transformed into a worthwhile focal point. Capped by a copper frame, the door panels have been painted like an abstract painting, turning mere door to portal, and adding a sense of theatricality to the space.