Where Community and Craft Flourish: Joanna Varettas on the Interior Story of Seed & Bloom

Seed & Bloom in Abu Dhabi is the kind of space that welcomes you to breathe, immerse yourself in its calm, and feel at peace. More than just a café, Seed & Bloom is a community hub—an inviting place where people can gather, learn, and share in an environment that feels as natural as the conversations it sparks.  

Every detail of the interior was made to reflect growth, community, and craft. In fact, the design isn’t simply about bringing in nature for its own sake but about celebrating the process of making things by hand and the people behind it. The team drew inspiration from local flora and craftsmanship: how materials can be transformed at the hands of craftsmen in the same way a simple dough is transformed by a baker.  
 
At the heart of this design story is Joanna Varettas, Senior Associate and Designer at TGP International. With over 14 years of experience on award-winning, lifestyle-driven hospitality projects across the world, Joanna is no stranger to bringing spaces to life. Her passion lies in solving conceptual challenges, with a keen focus on context and the human experience.  
 
In the conversation below, she takes us behind the scenes of Seed & Bloom’s creation—sharing the vision, challenges, and the small but meaningful details that make this café so special. 

1. What was the original vision for Seed & Bloom, and how did it evolve throughout the project? 

From the start, we knew Seed & Bloom wasn’t just about designing a café—it was about creating a space that feels like an extension of the community. We wanted people to feel at ease, as if they were stepping into a place that belonged to them, where they could learn something new or simply enjoy a moment of calm. The concept of “Seed to Bloom” was our foundation, both metaphorically and visually.  

We really embraced contrast, tactility, and a local botanical-inspired palette to illustrate the transformation of materials through craft, creating an engaging space for the community. In essence, the design itself became an expression of process at the hands of the artisan (and the baker) – showing how something raw can blossom into something special through care and skill.

The idea of transformation and growth guided our design thinking—from the materials we selected and the techniques we applied to them, to the flexible event area we built for community workshops, and even the day-to-night adaptability of the café. We introduced dayparting elements so the space could smoothly transform from a bright daytime bakery into a cosy evening restaurant, ensuring it was dynamic at all hours. Over time, as we collaborated with the founder and the team, we refined the details to make sure the design was functional and adaptable to different uses, experiences and needs.  

2. Seed & Bloom has such a strong connection to its surroundings. How did you bring that local influence into the design? 

A big part of the design came from respecting both the local environment and the people who would visit the space. We wanted to create a setting that felt effortlessly connected to Abu Dhabi’s natural landscape​.  

One of our inspirations was the desert hyacinth—a plant that thrives in this region despite the harsh climate. It inspired our colour palette from the start​. You’ll notice soft, layered yellow tones throughout the café, combined with organic, warm textures contrasted against harder, refined materials – this is a nod to the desert hyacinth’s delicate blooms emerging from a tough environment.   

Beyond these natural influences, we wanted Seed & Bloom to reflect its community through local products. We showcased local retailers and makers as part of the experience. For example, the retail shelves are filled with goods from homegrown businesses – we partnered with local suppliers like Mazaraa Farm Shop and The Unwrapped Store to feature items that are grown, baked, or crafted right here in the UAE​. 
 
By championing local artisans and producers, the café becomes a celebration of what the community offers, and it helps guests feel that authentic local touch as soon as they walk in. It was important that the design not only looked like it belonged in Abu Dhabi, but that it actively supported and highlighted the people of Abu Dhabi.  

3. Seed & Bloom has a noticeably eco-minded approach. How did that influence the design decisions? 

From the start, we made conscious choices and eco-minded decisions that aligned with the café’s overall values of care, craft, and community. We focused on selecting materials that were healthier, lower impact, and added meaningful texture to the space.

We incorporated mycelium wall and ceiling panels—a biodegradable material grown from mushroom mycelia—which naturally absorbs sound while reducing waste. We used clay plasters, natural floral panels, and recycled paper tabletops to bring warmth and tactility, while keeping the material footprint light.

We also designed for longevity. The community flex space was created to be adaptable—able to host workshops, talks, and activations as the needs of the neighbourhood evolve. By designing with adaptability in mind, the space remains functional and relevant over time for a growing residential community.  

4. The café is designed for more than just dining—it’s a space for learning, creativity, and social connection. How did you reflect that in the design?

One of the most exciting aspects of Seed & Bloom is its diverse range of activations. It’s not just a place to grab a coffee and go—it’s a space that actively encourages curiosity and creativity​. We designed the layout to be open and inviting, so guests can naturally explore different areas of the café.  
 
A highlight of the space is the visible bakery kitchen. As you sip your coffee, you can see the bakers at work kneading dough and crafting pastries behind the counter. This open bakery isn’t hidden in the back; it’s intentionally put on display as an honest celebration of craft, meant to spark interest in the process of baking and connect patrons to the art behind their food.  

The sight and aroma of fresh bread being made becomes part of the ambience. We also incorporated a dedicated community room – a flex area that can function as additional seating or be closed off for workshops and events. On any given week, this space might host a ceramic class, a focaccia-making workshop, a flower arranging session, a book club meeting, or a community talk​.  

The design of this room is such that when it’s not in use for an event, it still feels like a comfortable part of the café; and when it is in use, it can operate as a semi-private workshop area without disturbing the rest of the guests. We even planned the general seating and lighting to encourage organic interactions, whether you’re chatting with your own group or striking up a conversation with a neighbour at the large community table. We wanted to cater to different styles and paces of gathering as well.  
 
For someone on the go, there’s a quick grab-and-go counter and spots for a brief coffee stop. For those who want to linger, there are cosy banquettes and a warm, open dining area that invites you to stay longer. There’s a clear view into the bakery and the multi-use community room from most of the café, which was intentional – it creates transparency and piques curiosity. A person might come in for a quick morning coffee, see a bread-making class going on, and decide to return another time for that experience. By designing these zones to be visible and accessible, we encourage guests to return and engage with the space in new ways each time​.  

5. What were some of the biggest challenges during the design process, and how did you overcome them? 

One key challenge was ensuring the space remained engaging and intimate from day to night. We knew the café needed to feel bright and active during daytime service, yet cosy and atmospheric in the evenings.  
 
Our solution was to incorporate dayparting into the design – essentially planning for the venue to transform over the course of a day. For example, we designed a custom mycelium menu board panel that functions in two ways. In the morning and afternoon, this panel displays the coffee and breakfast menu for the bustling café crowd. Come evening, the panel slides along a track to cleverly conceal the daytime bakery offer and reveal a setup for nighttime: it exposes shelves of mocktail glassware and bar equipment, instantly signalling a change in mood and function​.

We also specified a flexible design for the main display counter; during the day it proudly presents freshly baked pastries and bread, and by night it’s reconfigured to showcase items like charcuterie and small plates for the dinner service​.

Lighting was another big factor. We worked carefully on a lighting strategy that helps the café transition organically. During the day, there’s plenty of natural daylight and brighter tones. In the evening, we rely on a layered and controllable lighting system: with lots of concealed low-level integrated lighting at mid and floor levels that we can dim or warm up at night​. These lights bring intimacy, warmth, and depth as the sun goes down, ensuring the corners that felt airy at noon feel inviting after dusk.  
 
This kind of built-in transformability was crucial in overcoming the challenge of making one space successfully serve multiple purposes.

6.  Is there a particular design detail that people might not notice but holds special meaning?

Absolutely. One subtle detail is the colour palette itself. Many of the soft yellow and earthy tones you see throughout the café were inspired by the desert hyacinth, a local desert flower​. This isn’t immediately obvious to guests, but it adds a layer of storytelling to the space.  

The desert hyacinth is a remarkable plant because it survives by drawing nutrients from other plants around it – it relies on a host plant to bloom​. That natural idea of interdependence resonated with us because Seed & Bloom is all about community support and growth.  

Just as the desert hyacinth thrives through a network of other plants, our café thrives by being interconnected with its community.  

It’s a story most people won’t be aware of, but we hope they feel the warmth and optimism it represents. Another detail I love is how we used the same materials in different textures and finishes to symbolise transformation. For example, we applied a plaster on the walls in a gradient of textures – at the base of the walls it’s smooth, and as it’s applied up the walls towards the ceiling, it becomes rough and textured​. Likewise, we took a material like stainless steel and treated it in two distinct ways on the counter: both linished, as well as heat treated to create a matte, variegated effect​.  
 
These variations are subtle, but they visually communicate the idea that materials (just like ingredients in the bakery) can be transformed. We wanted to draw a parallel to the bakery visible on-site – the way simple dough becomes crusty bread in the hands of a baker is akin to how a basic material can turn into something beautiful and intriguing when worked, and how space transforms when in use and engaged with. 

We also wove in botanical motifs in natural floral panels and hand pressed local flora artwork panels. It’s these layered details – from the colours inspired by a desert bloom to textures that tell a story of craft, to motifs that bring the local flora in – that give the space its soul. Even if patrons don’t consciously notice every detail, we believe they contribute to a feeling of comfort, meaning, and connection that guests do feel. 

Photography by Gavriil Papadiotis