Imagine walking into a cafe filled with warm colors, creative furniture, and vintage Indonesian film posters — one that is a stark contrast to its minimalist, yuppie neighbors. As the delicious aromas of coffee brewed from local Indonesian farmers fill your spirit, your eyes are surprised by all of the unique ways the restaurant design has been repurposed. Welcome to KEDAI, a wonderful cafe located in Kemang in South Jakarta, Indonesia.
Tika is the creative proprietor behind this splendid cafe, where I know I would spend most of my evenings if I lived an ocean closer! She was inspired to incorporate her love of colors, creative upcycling, used objects and second hand furniture to create a chic ambiance – with help from her power tool wielding mum! When she went hunting through Jakarta looking for old wood that would become tables and cup hangers, she found much more than she had imagined….
Customers wash their hands at a tin bucket fashioned into a sink basin,which sits on a gorgeous table made from reclaimed wood. Better yet, the water comes out from a chicken faucet purchased from a Bangkok market.
Forget particle board! At KEDAI, you can be part of the alternative energy movement by dining at repurposed tables made from oil barrels that Tika cut in half. Enjoy the cafe’s healthy food, clearly made without additives or MSG, and be inspired by all the creativity around you.
Using metal rice bowls commonly found in all Indonesian households, Tika created gorgeous lamps that let out the perfect amount of starry, diffused light. She drilled the patterns into the rice bowls, although if you want to “borrow” this idea from KEDAI, you could possibly substitute vintage colanders for metal rice bowls.
Taking repurposed lighting to a new level of creativity, Tika fashioned a chandelier from vintage silverware pieces, and the result is magnificent!
Tika utilized reclaimed wood pieces, leftover from chair and desk projects for the local public schools, to create unique and charming chairs. It’s also so lovely to see the entire ambiance of the creative cafe.
If two creative repurposed lighting fixtures were not enough to impress you, then dine under the “stars” created from upcycled bicycle rims. I absolutely adore all of the subdued lighting in KEDAI. Not only is it inspirational for writing, but also the perfect place for a first date!
Now, are you ready for the best part? Tika and her friends just opened the doors to Bikin Barang, a “Little shop of handmade knick knacks, vintage treasures, and craft supplies,” which translates into “heaven” in my vocabulary.
Thank you Tika for sharing your wonderful space in this Room (or rather, Cafe) Without a Key Tour! I hope to visit in person in the near future!
