Discover the design of Mai An Café, a nostalgic project inspired by the charm of old Hanoi and brought to life by Ken Design. Blending Retro and Indochine styles, the café offers a cozy, emotionally rich atmosphere that evokes images of the railway streets and the unhurried rhythm of Hanoi’s past.
Mai An Café – The Soul of Hanoi in a Contemporary Retro Space
Some cafés leave a mark not because of the drinks, but because of the feeling they evoke, that sense of coming home. Mai An Café, designed by Ken Design, is one such place. Every brick, every metal beam, every warm light tells a story of Hanoi’s railway neighborhoods reimagined through a modern and refined design language.
Mai An is not merely a stop for coffee and light bites; it is a slice of memory, a bridge between the present and nostalgia.
Project Overview – When Hanoi’s Railway Becomes Design Inspiration
The central concept of the project draws inspiration from Hanoi’s train street, where trains pass within arm’s reach of old houses and everyday life unfolds right along the tracks.
Ken Design captured that unique rhythm and energy, transforming it into an intimate café filled with Vietnamese character, raw, poetic, and deeply human.
The layout unfolds like a small street: a vintage-tiled bar area, narrow corridors with concrete-textured walls, and a ceiling lined with track lights, all reminiscent of Hanoi’s old railway lane yet adapted to a new urban lifestyle.
Design Style – When Retro Vietnam Meets Modern Aesthetics
Mai An adopts a Retro–Indochine hybrid style, embodying nostalgia without being old-fashioned.
Warm earthy tones: brown, ochre, and cement gray combine with traditional materials such as terracotta bricks, raw steel, natural wood, and patterned cement tiles. This palette recalls the quiet charm of old Hanoi cafés while maintaining modern simplicity and elegance.
Steel rail details subtly appear in ceiling beams, wall décor, and lighting fixtures, serving as both a symbolic motif and a way to add depth to the design.
More than a café, Mai An is a cultural reflection of urban Vietnam, revived through the lens of contemporary design.
Lighting – Layers of Warmth and Emotion
Lighting at Mai An is thoughtfully layered to enhance atmosphere:
- Handcrafted pendant lights made from bamboo, rattan, and aged metal add softness and authenticity.
- Ceiling track lights evoke the glow of passing night trains along the old railways.
- Filtered natural light seeps through narrow windows, creating a mellow, nostalgic mood reminiscent of late afternoon sunlight on Hanoi’s ancient streets.
Through this balanced orchestration of natural and artificial light, Mai An exudes a tranquil, contemplative vibe ideal for slow mornings or unhurried afternoons.
Interior Layout – Intimate and Expressive
Ken Design infused Mai An with simplicity, craftsmanship, and personality.
Small clusters of oak tables, curved rattan chairs, and polished stone tops cater to both solo guests and groups. The bar counter, clad in vintage patterned tiles and framed in black steel, feels grounded and familiar like a cozy corner of an old Hanoi home.
Decorative highlights include terracotta brick walls, vintage posters, old-style typography signage, and a symbolic steel railway track running through the café’s center, an artistic detail that anchors the narrative of “railway memories.”
Color Palette – Between Nostalgia and Modernity
The main colors earthy yellow, warm brown, cement gray, and black steel — form a palette that balances memory and modern life.
Each tone carries meaning:
- Earthy yellow recalls the warmth of Hanoi’s old quarters.
- Wood brown adds honesty and craftsmanship.
- Cement gray and black metal introduce a sleek, contemporary contrast.
Together, they preserve Hanoi’s quiet elegance and emotional depth while keeping the design timeless and relevant.
Craftsmanship and Material Stories
Ken Design carefully selected materials to let each texture tell its own story:
- Terracotta bricks and rough cement recall the weathered charm of old streets.
- Black steel and railway details symbolize Hanoi’s iconic train tracks.
- Bamboo, rattan, and natural wood bring a distinctly Vietnamese warmth.
- Vintage patterned tiles provide emotional visual accents.
This thoughtful combination turns Mai An into more than just a café, it’s a living museum of Vietnamese urban memory, where materials become the link between past and present.
Mai An Café – A Place That Feels Like Poetry
Every corner of Mai An holds a piece of Hanoi’s soul: quiet, nostalgic, and full of life. Guests may find echoes of Hàng Cỏ Station, the sound of morning trains, or simply the serenity of slowing down amid familiar tones and textures.
Mai An doesn’t boast; it whispers memories, touching the hearts of anyone who has ever loved Hanoi.
Ken Design – Crafting Spaces That Speak Emotion
With Mai An Café, Ken Design once again demonstrates its ability to transform Vietnamese cultural emotion into contemporary spatial language. Every composition from lighting to materials. It is carefully curated to preserve the spirit of “nostalgia within modernity.”
If you’re dreaming of your own café or restaurant, let Ken Design help bring that vision to life.
