Bleu Is the Warmest Colour: A Brussels Café with Californian Soul

In his 1929 collection L’Amour la poésie, French Surrealist poet Paul Éluard wrote, “The earth is blue like an orange”, a playful contradiction that finds an unexpected echo in Bleu, the Brussels café founded by Marie Convent and Charlotte Loriers. Situated at the foot of the Blue Tower, the city’s landmark 1970s blue glass-clad skyscraper from which it takes its name, the café seems worlds away from the building’s corporate character with its soulful palette of walnut, terracotta and travertine, yet its warmth is underpinned by a distinctly modernist sensibility. Designed by Nelly Smets and Iolie Coufopandelis in collaboration with François Marcq Studio, the interior draws on Californian mid-century modernism, combining functional simplicity and natural materials with a Nordic appreciation of hygge. The result is a space equally suited to the pace of city life and the pleasure of slowing down.

Two women share a relaxed moment over coffee at Bleu café’s pale travertine bar counter. An exposed concrete column introduces an industrial counterpoint to the minimalist stone surface, while wooden shelves displaying neatly stacked ceramic cups and a sculptural vase filled with flowering branches soften the composition. The candid scene captures the café’s welcoming, informal atmosphere. — Blue co-founders, **Marie Convent** (left) and Charlotte Loriers. Photography byAdrien Maurice.

The communal dining area at Bleu café in Brussels pairs rich walnut wall panelling with terracotta floor tiles and canvas-backed wooden chairs. Ingo Maurer’s sculptural Floatation pendant hovers above the large timber table, while two monumental paintings by Chidy Wayne form an artistic backdrop. Sunlight and a delicate floral arrangement soften the mid-century-inspired composition. — Blue co-founders, **Marie Convent** (left) and Charlotte Loriers. Photography byAdrien Maurice.

A wider view of Bleu’s communal dining area reveals the interplay of Californian mid-century modernism and Nordic restraint. Walnut-clad walls, terracotta flooring and bespoke wooden furniture establish a warm, earthy palette, while a tiered Japanese-paper pendant and large-scale artworks provide visual interest. Floor-to-ceiling windows open the space towards Brussels’ tree-lined Avenue Louise. — Photography by Maximilien De Dycker.

Occupying a corner of the tower at street level, the 230-square-metres café makes the most of the building’s expansive street-level glazing. Daylight animates the open-plan interior, while the trees lining Avenue Louise provide a leafy backdrop to seating that ranges from banquettes and window counters to informal arrangements of benches and stools, as well as a large communal table. These varied configurations accommodate different rhythms of use, from a quick morning coffee to a leisurely conversation, without compromising the sense of cohesion.

Walnut wall panelling and terracotta floor tiles establish the interior’s mid-century character, their rich, earthy tones lending warmth and a slightly bohemian spirit to the clean-lined architecture. Complementing them, a palette of soft greys and warm beiges introduces a quieter, more subdued note, expressed through hand-plastered walls, a pale travertine bar counter and the textured spray insulation enveloping the exposed ceiling beams. A typically utilitarian treatment, the latter becomes a tactile feature in its own right, its rough finish providing a counterpoint to the smooth wood and stone.

Expansive glazing connects Bleu’s walnut-lined dining area with the leafy streetscape of Avenue Louise. A long communal table and canvas-backed wooden chairs sit alongside window-facing counter seating, offering different ways to inhabit the space. Natural daylight accentuates the wood grain, terracotta tiles and soft upholstery, reinforcing the café’s relaxed, domestic character. — Photography by Coufo Studio.

An informal seating area at Bleu juxtaposes chunky, solid-timber benches with upholstered wooden chairs and slender metal-supported tables. Expansive corner glazing fills the café with daylight and frames the surrounding urban landscape, while the exposed, spray-insulated ceiling introduces an industrial texture that contrasts with the warm walnut furnishings and terracotta flooring. — Photography by Coufo Studio.

Afternoon sunlight casts sharp diagonal shadows across a pale wall and timber furniture at Bleu café. Bespoke bistro tables by Duplex Studio, featuring square wooden tops and industrial steel supports, are paired with sturdy wooden chairs upholstered in neutral canvas. The interplay of geometric forms, natural textures and shifting daylight reinforces the interior’s understated modernist character. — Photography by Coufo Studio.

A row of canvas-backed wooden chairs and small bistro tables lines Bleu’s floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking mature trees and neighbouring Brussels architecture. Terracotta floor tiles and a continuous timber banquette introduce warmth, while glimpses of the pale stone bar counter and exposed ceiling structure reveal the café’s understated dialogue between natural materials and industrial elements. — Photography by Coufo Studio.

A view across Bleu café reveals a row of window-side tables and upholstered wooden chairs set against a continuous walnut banquette. A substantial timber partition defines the seating area, its richly grained surface contrasting with the pale walls and terracotta flooring. Expansive glazing and exposed concrete elements establish a dialogue between the café’s warm interior and the tower’s modernist architecture. — Photography by Coufo Studio.

An intimate corner of Bleu café reveals the warmth and material richness of its walnut-panelled interior. A continuous timber counter and three canvas-backed wooden chairs establish a restrained, mid-century-inspired arrangement, while a wall-mounted speaker and the edge of Chidy Wayne’s gestural artwork introduce contrasting details. Terracotta floor tiles and the textured ceiling complete the earthy composition. — Photography by Coufo Studio.

This appreciation of material character and craftsmanship extends to bespoke furniture developed with two local makers: Duplex Studio, which works with industrial offcuts and reclaimed materials, and Sonian, which produces contemporary furniture from wood harvested in Sonian Forest, parts of which enjoy UNESCO World Heritage status. Among the pieces are solid-beech chairs designed by Lionel Jadot for Sonian and bespoke versions of Duplex Studio’s TU02 bistro tables, whose distinctive upright steel supports are paired here with square wooden tops. Belgian-made ceramics by Serax reinforce the sense of a space where craftsmanship is integral to the design.

A sculptural solid-timber chair stands against Bleu café’s richly grained walnut wall panelling. Composed of thick, intersecting wooden planes, its angular silhouette and robust construction emphasise the natural beauty of the material. A shaft of sunlight illuminates the pale wood, creating dramatic shadows across the chair and terracotta floor tiles, highlighting the furniture’s architectural simplicity. — Inventaires Chair by **Lionel Jadot** for **Sonian**. Photography by Coufo Studio.

A close-up of Bleu café’s ceramic tableware highlights a collection of cream-coloured, stackable vessels arranged on a warm wooden shelf. Their cylindrical forms, tiered profiles and softly matte finish lend the utilitarian objects a distinctly sculptural quality, reflecting the café’s appreciation of functional design, tactile materials and everyday craftsmanship. — Inventaires Chair by **Lionel Jadot** for **Sonian**. Photography by Coufo Studio.

A close-up of Bleu café’s bespoke furniture highlights the rich grain and layered plywood edges of a square timber tabletop, discreetly marked with the number 03. Beside it, a sturdy wooden chair features a neutral canvas backrest and upholstered seat. The interplay of natural materials and utilitarian detailing reflects the café’s understated mid-century modernist sensibility. — Photography by Adrien Maurice.

A carefully composed frontal view of Bleu café’s communal dining area emphasises its architectural symmetry. A long walnut table and canvas-backed wooden chairs stand beneath Ingo Maurer’s three-tiered Floatation pendant, with two monumental abstract paintings by Chidy Wayne forming the backdrop. Rich timber panelling contrasts with the rough, spray-insulated ceiling and finely gridded terracotta flooring. — Photography by Coufo Studio.

The café’s visual and social centrepiece is the large communal table, positioned in front of a monumental diptych by Spanish-Guinean painter Chidy Wayne. Featuring bold, gestural black lines against muted backgrounds, the paintings bring a note of artistic spontaneity to the otherwise disciplined palette, while Ingo Maurer’s Floatation pendant, an ethereal composition of three conical Japanese-paper shades suspended one above the other, introduces a sense of lightness and sculptural elegance.

A partially drawn translucent curtain frames an intimate view of Bleu café’s walnut-panelled dining area. Beyond, one of Chidy Wayne’s large-scale paintings introduces expressive black linework against a textured beige background, complemented by canvas-backed wooden chairs and a glimpse of Ingo Maurer’s Floatation pendant. Terracotta floor tiles complete the restrained, earthy palette. — Photography by Coufo Studio.

A symmetrical view of Bleu’s communal dining area highlights the interior’s restrained geometry and material contrasts. A substantial walnut table and canvas-backed chairs sit beneath Ingo Maurer’s Floatation pendant, framed by two gestural paintings by Chidy Wayne. The richly grained wooden walls contrast with the rough spray-insulated ceiling and finely gridded terracotta floor. — Photography by Coufo Studio.

A minimalist doorway is integrated into Bleu café’s walnut-clad partition, its thick timber frame forming a striking geometric composition against the adjoining white plastered wall. Terracotta floor tiles continue uninterrupted through the opening, reinforcing the interior’s material consistency. The restrained detailing and contrasting surfaces reflect the café’s understated mid-century modernist sensibility. — Photography by Coufo Studio.

Bleu’s minimalist bar counter features pale travertine with a subtly porous texture, offset by a suspended metallic linear light and exposed concrete column. Behind the counter, neatly arranged glassware rests on a slim walnut shelf above stainless-steel work surfaces. Soft neutral walls and restrained detailing establish a calm, functional setting with a refined material palette. — Photography by Coufo Studio.

For Convent and Loriers, the balance between aesthetic character and everyday comfort is essential. “A place needs to be beautiful, but it also needs to feel comfortable enough that you want to come back to it again and again,” they explain. The same sensibility informs Bleu’s all-day menu, where familiar staples are quietly reworked. Anchored by a coffee programme developed with Antwerp’s Rush Rush Coffee, the drinks span carefully prepared espresso and playful signatures such as the Bleu Bergamote, a combination of blue tea, coconut water, spirulina and bergamot foam that is perhaps the only genuinely blue note in an otherwise earth-toned setting. Matcha, chai and sesame lattes accompany bowls, toasts, waffles and pastries, while fresh juices, alcohol-free cocktails and organic wines extend the offering into the afternoon.

A closer view of Bleu café’s signature beverages highlights their contrasting colours and layered presentation. A golden citrus drink, a dark coffee topped with creamy foam and the bright turquoise Bleu Bergamote sit in minimalist cylindrical glasses. Sunlight illuminates the walnut tabletop, where shadows of delicate branches introduce an organic, graphic element to the composition. — Photography by Adrien Maurice.

Three women pose informally inside Bleu café in Brussels, surrounded by its signature walnut wall panelling, terracotta floor tiles and sturdy wooden chairs with neutral canvas upholstery. Their relaxed arrangement against the warm timber backdrop lends a personal, lived-in quality to the interior, reflecting the café’s balance between refined mid-century design and everyday comfort. — Photography by Adrien Maurice.

Bleu Bergamote, one of Bleu café’s signature drinks, combines coconut water, blue tea, spirulina and bergamot foam in a small cylindrical glass. Its vivid turquoise upper layer contrasts with the translucent liquid below and the warm walnut tabletop. Soft focus and a muted background lend the composition a playful, almost surreal quality. — Photography by Adrien Maurice.

A breakfast bowl at Bleu café is presented in pale blue ceramic, filled with golden granola, thinly sliced apple, creamy yoghurt, chia pudding, nut butter and edible flowers. Strong sunlight illuminates the ingredients against the deep brown walnut tabletop, creating a striking interplay of colour, texture and shadow that complements the café’s natural material palette. — Photography by Adrien Maurice.

A sunlit view of Bleu café in Brussels captures its inviting mid-century-inspired interior, where a long communal table laden with dishes sits beneath Ingo Maurer’s sculptural Japanese-paper pendant. Walnut wall panelling, terracotta tiles and neutral canvas upholstery establish an earthy palette, while two gestural paintings by Chidy Wayne and expansive street-facing windows lend the space artistic character and openness. — Photography by Adrien Maurice.

A corner of Bleu café’s communal dining area pairs richly grained walnut wall panelling with a large abstract painting by Spanish-Guinean artist Chidy Wayne. A dark wooden stool, canvas-backed chairs and a pale ceramic vase introduce understated decorative accents, while terracotta floor tiles and warm daylight reinforce the café’s tactile mid-century modernist character. — Photography by Adrien Maurice.

A frontal view of Bleu café’s communal dining area highlights the warm interplay of walnut panelling, terracotta flooring and canvas-backed wooden chairs. Ingo Maurer’s Floatation pendant hangs beneath the textured ceiling, illuminating an elaborate spread of dishes and a sculptural ceramic vase filled with flowering branches. Two monumental paintings by Chidy Wayne complete the composition. — Photography by Adrien Maurice.

Beneath the tower’s cool glass façade, Blue offers a softer interpretation of modernism, measured as much by how people inhabit a space as by the clarity of its design.

A collection of sculptural wooden chairs at Bleu café is photographed through the building’s glass façade, with subtle reflections layering the composition. Their chunky geometric forms and visible wood grain are accentuated by warm sunlight, while the terracotta-tiled floor and pale stone counter provide a complementary material backdrop. The arrangement reflects the café’s emphasis on honest craftsmanship and functional design. — Photography by Coufo Studio.

Four people pose casually inside Bleu café in Brussels, framed by richly grained walnut wall panelling and warm terracotta floor tiles. Bespoke wooden chairs, a communal table and a sculptural ceramic vase filled with flowering branches complement the monumental artwork by Chidy Wayne. The informal portrait conveys the café’s easy-going atmosphere and domestic sense of comfort. — Left to right: **Nelson Bindels**, **Jean-Charles Micieli**, **Charlotte Loriers**, **Marie Convent**. Photography by Adrien Maurice.

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