A Study in Warmth: Chapter Café by Hana Akram and IDST
people • interior designer
In a hospitality landscape often defined by scale and spectacle, Chapter offers a more intimate experience. Concealed within a restored villa in Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi, the café and bakery, designed by Hana Akram of IDST, unfolds through a series of rooms that feel less like a commercial venue and more like a welcoming home. Rooted in comfort, craftsmanship and everyday rituals, the project places atmosphere and human connection at its heart.
Sharing its setting with the flower shop Ribbonaira, Chapter exists within a layered world of scent, texture and seasonal change. As florists assemble bouquets nearby, coffee, flowers and conversation become part of a single experience, creating one of Abu Dhabi's most distinctive hospitality destinations.
A Home-Grown Brief
For IDST, the villa's residential character became the project's guiding principle from the outset. As a home-grown Abu Dhabi brand, Chapter was conceived around familiarity and belonging rather than conventional hospitality models. Instead of creating a singular dining space, the designers embraced the villa's domestic layout, allowing guests to move naturally through a series of interconnected rooms.
"The idea of familiarity was central from the beginning," the studio explains. "Set within a villa in the residential neighbourhood of Al Bateen, the project naturally carried the character of a home, and we wanted that feeling to guide the design experience."
Rather than imposing a hospitality formula onto the building, IDST worked with its existing rhythm and scale. The result is a space designed for comfort and lingering, where guests can settle in, move between rooms and experience the changing atmosphere throughout the day.
"Chapter is about mood, familiarity and the feeling of being welcomed into a living environment.”
Resisting spectacle in favour of warmth and authenticity, the project demonstrates how hospitality can feel both intimate and deeply personal.
Chapter Cafe, Abu Dhabi | Interior Design by IDST
Chapter Cafe, Abu Dhabi | Interior Design by IDST
Against Scale and Spectacle
Chapter stands in deliberate contrast to many hospitality destinations across the Gulf. Where the region has often celebrated scale and grandeur, IDST has created something quieter and more intimate. The studio sees the project as part of a growing shift towards spaces defined not by spectacle, but by atmosphere, comfort and the desire to linger.
"Chapter creates a slower, more layered hospitality experience," Hana explains, "unfolding through intimate rooms, soft lighting, floral rituals and collected details to build comfort, mood and emotional connection."
That sensibility is reflected in every material choice. Floral wallpapers, hand-carved gypsum details and custom mosaics bring warmth and character to the interiors, while dark timber shelving displays ceramics, books and artworks in compositions that feel collected over time. Throughout the day, wall sconces by Huey Lightshop cast a soft ambient glow, allowing the atmosphere to evolve as daylight fades and the villa settles into a quieter intimacy by evening.
Chapter Cafe, Abu Dhabi | Interior Design by IDST
Chapter Cafe, Abu Dhabi | Interior Design by IDST
Chapter Cafe, Abu Dhabi | Interior Design by IDST
“Chapter creates a slower, more layered hospitality experience, unfolding through intimate rooms, soft lighting, floral rituals and collected details to build comfort, mood and emotional connection.”
hana akram, IDST
LAYERING Without Over-Styling
One of IDST's key challenges was creating richness and character without the interiors feeling overly composed. Their solution was to establish a clear design language that could unify the villa while allowing each room to retain its own identity.
"We approached the space almost like an overall composition," the studio explains. "Chapter was always meant to feel rich and layered, but it needed a consistent foundation so the space would feel intentional and not over-styled."
Recurring elements such as banquette seating, carved ceilings, bespoke joinery and timber shelving create continuity throughout the project. Against this backdrop, feature walls, textiles, ceramics, artworks and lighting introduce moments of individuality, giving each room its own atmosphere while remaining connected to the wider whole.
"Curation was essential to this balance," Hana notes. "The objects were not added simply as decoration; they were chosen and placed to give the villa a lived-in quality, as though the space had developed naturally over time."
The result is an interior that feels layered, personal and authentic.
Ribbonaira Floral Shop
Chapter Cafe, Abu Dhabi | Interior Design by IDST
Objects With Memory
That sense of lived-in depth is inseparable from the objects themselves. The ceramics, books, artworks and collected pieces throughout the villa were not chosen to fill space, but to give it character and emotional resonance. Ceramics sourced through Artemest sit alongside works by UAE-based makers, creating a quiet dialogue between international craftsmanship and the region's growing creative community. Commissioned artworks by local artists further root the project within Abu Dhabi's cultural landscape.
"Our team carefully selected each piece, bringing together works by Italian artisans, UAE-based ceramicists, local artists and collected objects to create a dialogue between international craftsmanship, regional creativity and the domestic character of the villa," Hana explains. "Every object was placed with intention, contributing to a space that feels personal, layered and alive."
Chapter Cafe, Abu Dhabi | Interior Design by IDST
What ultimately sets Chapter apart is its sense of ease. While the project is rich in detail, from the handcrafted flooring and custom mosaics to the carefully curated ceramics, artworks and collected objects, nothing feels forced or overly composed. Instead, the interiors unfold with a natural warmth that encourages guests to slow down, settle in and stay awhile.
It is a quality that speaks to Hana Akram and IDST's particular talent for creating spaces that feel both whimsical and familiar: environments that balance beauty with comfort and craftsmanship with character.
Photography credits: Natelee Cocks
Location: Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi, UAE
