StudioBom has signed its first interior design project: a French pâtisserie in the heart of Lisbon that glows with the colours of the tasty treats it sells
When the founders of BomBom Pâtisserie were drawing up plans for their shop in Lisbon, they were keen that the décor should match the vibrancy of their fruit-filled confections. Pastry-loving duo Sandra Castro and Pedro Oliveira had long dreamed of launching their own bakery, and worked with the esteemed Franco-Brazilian chef Juliette Bayen to bring their vision to life. And when it came to deciding who would take on the design of their first shop in the leafy neighbourhood of Amoreiras, they could think of nobody better than StudioBom.
Not only (by happy coincidence) did the businesses have matching names, but the studio’s founders, Geoffrey Despierres and Émeline Marlière, have French roots, which brought a touch of Gallic flair to the project. The only snag was that they had never undertaken a commercial interior-design project before. The couple began their careers working in graphic design before relocating to Lisbon from France in 2023. Here, they began working with Portuguese artisans to produce indoor-outdoor furniture pieces crafted from colourful tiles. Their bold, geometric designs and playful use of colour had caught Castro and Oliveira’s eye, and StudioBom was given carte blanche to come up with a concept for the café. “Working on a project of this scale for the first time was a real challenge,” Marlière admits. “It wasn’t just about designing individual pieces, but about understanding the practical needs of a pastry shop and its customers.”
Knowing that a big part of the success of their design would hinge on finding the perfect colour scheme, the duo thought long and hard about the right hues to bring the space to life. “At StudioBom, colour is at the heart of everything we do – it’s a fundamental part of our design philosophy,” says Despierres. The final palette draws heavily on the vivid colours of BomBom’s own creations: the warm gold of caramel; the soft pinks of raspberry-glazed millefeuille; the zesty yellows of lemon and yuzu tartlets. “For this space, it was important to create a palette that would both reflect BomBom’s brand identity and evoke the colours and flavours of a French pâtisserie,” he adds.
The resulting interior is luminous and full of character. A custard-yellow bench stretches along one wall, while a glossy, emerald-green bar runs the length of the shop beneath the floor-to-ceiling windows, inviting customers to perch and people-watch. Built-in shelving in raspberry offers a contrast to the white walls.
StudioBom’s signature geometric style is evident throughout, informed by its admiration for the radical Italian architectural collectives of the 1960s, such as Superstudio and the Memphis movement. Every piece of furniture was designed specifically for the project – from a wide, mid-height communal table and a pair of bold benches to a large display cabinet that doubles as a grocery unit and a high counter table.
From the layout of the display to the flow of foot traffic, every design decision had to balance aesthetic flair with usability. “Our objective was clear: to create a distinctive space that was both beautiful and functional,” says Despierres. “It was about feeling the energy of the place and knowing how to reveal it accurately.”
Photography by Alessandra Farias
This story was originally featured in OnOffice 172, Autumn 2025. Discover similar stories by subscribing to our weekly newsletter here
