February 21, 2018

Ryusuke Nanki Looks to Tea for the Palette of a Tokyo Salon

How you take your tea changes not only how it tastes, but how it looks. For Milk Black Lemon, a tea salon in Tokyo, Ryusuke Nanki looked to these variations for the project’s palette. “I find beauty in the colors of teas,” Nanki says. “I decided to use those hues for materials and furniture.” Shades of cream and brown were inspired by tea taken with milk and tea taken black. Light yellow refers to tea taken with lemon. Other design choices are even more direct nods to the beverage. Some cushions were dyed brown with tea leaves, tea trees are sprinkled throughout, and iced-tea glasses became sconces, complete with fruit.

Chairs in the lounge area are rattan and painted steel. Photography by Junpei Kato.
Nanki also directed Milk Black Lemon’s menu. Photography by Junpei Kato.
Herringbone floors are oak. Photography by Junpei Kato.
Textured wallpaper is a reference to the red of the company’s tea boxes. Photography by Junpei Kato.
Potted tea trees are sprinkled throughout. Photography by Junpei Kato.
Custom glass sconces hold resin fruit. Photography by Junpei Kato.

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