Serving “a nice little love triangle” of coffee, tea, and beer, effortlessly cool hangout cafe Toki inhabits a quiet corner in Amsterdam’s Haarlemmerbuurt neighborhood. The name Toki, which is Japanese for “time of opportunity,” flows with the shop’s calm, relaxed energy. “It’s all about the good vibes, carefully selected products, and for people to kick back,” says native Dutch owner Jeff Flink.
After working in advertising for eight years, Flink decided to quit his desk job to open a cafe in an effort to “digest the world a little bit differently.” For years he’d been gathering materials, pieces of furniture, and details of inspiration from his travels and internet deep-dives. Once he acquired a former restaurant space, he brought together all the artfully collected items and designed the cafe, which opened in August 2015, himself. Here’s a look.
Above: Flink first came across this striking terrazzo material at The Store at Soho House Berlin. It’s an engineered marble called marmoreal created with four classical Italian marbles by British designer Max Lamb and architectural product company Dzek. Enamored of the marmoreal, Flink bought slabs to build the cafe’s custom bench and long communal table. (For more terrazzo style, see Chez Marie Sixtine: The Chicest New Guest Pad in Paris.) Above: Portable, unfinished wood and black steel stools from Frama in Copenhagen can be pulled up to any counter or brought outside. Above: Instead of focusing on the walls, Flink wanted dramatic floors for the cafe. The bright blue he initially painted the concrete floors has gradually faded and worn, creating a natural pattern of sorts. Above: Stools at the marmoreal counter. Above: A wooden door leads to the WC. “I always have tons of plans,” says Flink, “Collecting ideas is my process.” Above: A two-seat couch upholstered in vintage olive green military canvas with leather belt details is made by Los Angeles designer Stephen Kenn. (For more on this sofa, see The West Coast Sofa by Way of Japan, and for similar options, see High/Low: The Hipster Swedish Leather Kontiki Sofa.) Above: An inset shelf holds flowers and a carafe of water. Above: Tubular, fluorescent mono-lights by OS & OOS, a Dutch design duo based in Eindhoven, Netherlands, have the flexibility to be bent and contorted. Above: Flink was looking for a light, natural, and strong material with which to build his bar. After a test of soaking bamboo in water for a few days, he decided the material was durable enough for serving hot drinks. Above: Tea is served in a pitcher by Japanese brand Kinto on a Fog Linen coated tray. The teacup is by Paper & Tea.
Above: The Toki logo is by Amsterdam-based creative studio HarrimanSteel.
The camper-style red benches outside the cafe, by Japanese outdoor lifestyle company Snow Peak, are just the beginning of Flink’s plans to bring outdoor pieces into the space. “Camping is about taking it easy with your friends and family,” says Flink, a sensibility that mingles well with the shop’s “go slow” mantra. (For more high-style camp gear, see Form Meets Function in the Great Outdoors: Peregrine Camp Furniture from Japan.)
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