Cream & Coffee

Adaptive Reuse, Interior Architecture + Design, Environmental Graphics, Bespoke Art Installation

Located on the main thoroughfare of Skaneateles, New York, Cream & Coffee is a unique new dessert and coffee bar from Amanda Hughes, overlooking the lake, conceived as a spatial expression of brand, craft, and community. From the outset, the project was envisioned as a single, continuous gesture in which architecture and identity speak in the same voice. This cafe embodies Amanda's brand mission and values: to surprise and delight guests, foster connections and community, and provide a consistently positive experience.

The brand’s core values — warmth, creativity, care, and connection — are translated into an interior that feels calm, generous, and inviting. Soft curves, warm tonalities, and layered textures establish a gentle rhythm that encourages guests to slow down, linger, and engage with one another. The space resists urgency in favor of ease.

The ampersand, the connective symbol at the heart of the brand, became the project’s guiding form. Its curve informed the design of the central island housing the dip cabinet, order counter, and bar. This gesture establishes the spatial language of the room and organizes multiple modes of occupation, allowing guests to stand briefly, perch casually, gather together, or settle into quieter moments along the perimeter.

Light, material, color, and movement were considered holistically. Each element responds to the next, creating an atmosphere that feels both intentional and effortless. Details are revealed gradually: softened edges, subtle shifts in texture, and surfaces that respond to the changing daylight from the lake beyond. The space is designed to be discovered over time rather than consumed at once.

Sustainability and craft are embedded throughout the project. Custom lighting by Rhoda Vintage was fabricated from found glassware and dessert bowls, transforming reclaimed materials into sculptural fixtures that glow warmly within the space. A bespoke two-seater swivel chair by Canadian furniture studio hollis + morris anchors a seating area, balancing comfort, elegance, and responsible material use.

Personal narrative also plays a role. Repurposed family heirloom frames line the entry, reframed with custom graphics that communicate the café’s mission and values while quietly referencing the owner’s lineage of entrepreneurship. The gesture connects the business to a deeper sense of continuity and care.

At the entry, a soft tulle ceiling installation designed by Lisa Moses introduces an ethereal moment inspired by the textures of foam, whipped cream, and ice cream. The installation gently modulates acoustics while setting the tone for a sensory experience that unfolds throughout the space. Nearby, a 4' x 4' painted work from the artist’s Wisdom of the Living World series creates an intimate seating moment oriented toward lake views, celebrating independent creatives and reinforcing the project’s human scale.