Close

XO Atelier designs The Grey cafe in Dubai featuring a monochrome palette

The space features contrasting materials and bespoke artworks

Following the international success of Toplum Café in Dubai, design studio XO Atelier has introduced its latest café-lounge concept, The Grey – a stylish destination with a distinct visual identity, designed for the city’s tastemakers, and taking into consideration cultural cues for socialising in a refined setting.

The Grey by XO Atelier

The latest project by MAD Hospitality (and its third collaboration with XO Atelier), The Grey is set on the ground floor of the ARM Holdings Headquarters, comfortably integrating into its surroundings, and serves not just the executives of the regional investment company but also an exclusive roster of local clientele. For this reason, the café and lounge needed to not only be reflective of its urban context, but to also become an establishment for informal social exchange.

“It was a highly specific brief that we responded to with a lightness of touch, cultural sensitivity and an understanding of placemaking, to give it real roots in the city,” says XO Atelier founder and creative director, Vera Dieckmann.

The Grey by XO Atelier

The monochromatic palette sets the tone for the space, expressed through a range of contrasting materials, bespoke lighting and furnishings featuring various tones and textures that create an interplay of light and shadow.

At the centre is a long and sleek terrazzo bar that is complemented by grey oak flooring by KAHRS, while chairs and sofas are upholstered with Kvadrat fabrics in varying light and dark shades of grey.

It was also important for the design to capture a spirit of creativity within the overall functionality of the space. As a result, art pieces double as seating, such as with the NIDO armchair by Imperfetto LAB, and sculptural modular furniture dots the space, while handcrafted pieces have been commissioned from artisanal workshops in the UAE and Hong Kong. The concept of ‘reflection’ is an overarching motif across the space, beginning with ‘The Dune’ – an artwork featuring a rippling metal orb set on the main wall of the café, designed by XO Atelier – and continuing on in the reflective metal used in the ceiling of the corridor.

The selection of lighting further enhances the space; the design team worked in close collaboration with global lighting brand NEMO, utilising its production and design expertise across all areas, from architectural to decorative lighting. The linear pendant lamps contribute to the overall flow of the space, anchoring the bar, while its Tubes 3 pendant lights illuminate the restaurant. Additional delicate wall lights designed by Charlotte Perriand also grace the space.

And while the design definitely makes a statement, it is pared back just enough to allow guests to set their focus on the contemporary pan-Asian cuisine and on the vibrant social atmosphere.

Photography by Alex Jeffries Photography Group

Read more:  Toplum cafe by XO Atelier pays homage to Mediterranean architecture

The Latest

For Music Lovers

The interiors of the Backstage Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden echo the feeling of being behind the scenes at a great performance – rich in texture, layered in story and always with music in the background

A Taste of Tradition

Intimate, artistic and unforgettable, The Mellah Hotel is nestled in the heart of Marrakech's ancient medina, just steps from the magnificent Bahia Palace.

A Dallas Home Where Architecture, Art, and Memory Converge

In a landmark Bud Oglesby-designed building, designer Joshua Rice crafts a warm, quietly powerful residence that honors modernist roots, personal history, and a young collector’s nuanced eye

Restraint meets richness

This apartment designed by Carl Gerges features green hues throughout

A Dose of Culture Without Losing Comfort

BLINK Design Group has drawn deeply from the well of ancient Lingnan culture to craft a design narrative that’s rooted in tradition yet thoroughly modern at Banyan Tree Dongguan Songshan Lake in China

id most wanted: MORPHO chair by Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland, the world-renowned music festival, has collaborated with designer Dieter Vander Velpen and Ethnicraft through its architecture and design studio, Great Library Studio, to create a contemporary Art Nouveau furniture collection

Armani Beach villas

First Armani Beach Villas Launched in Ras Al Khaimah

Giorgio Armani and RAK Properties launch the first Armani-branded villas in the world

6 design-led museums in the UAE

Here are the current and upcoming design-led museums in the UAE that you should know about

What are the bathroom trends in 2025?

Villeroy & Boch and Ideal Standard unveil a fresh perspective on bathroom design for 2025

identity Design Awards 2025 | Submissions open

identity Design Awards 2025 is now open for submissions

Access our submissions link, criteria, deadlines, and checklist here.

A Sensory Escape

Soft pastels, natural materials and artistic craftmanship take centre stage at Villa Miraé

Things to Covet – Summer 2025

Here are the bold and statement pieces that caught our eye this month