This week, we met up with Shaun Kasperbauer and Isaac Friedman-Heiman—two-thirds of the team behind up-and-coming Brooklyn design studio Souda (pronounced: soh-duh)—at Maiden Lane, a café and bar in Manhattan’s East Village.

Souda designed Maiden Lane’s interiors (plus some of its beautiful wood serving trays and ceramic dishes), so we thought it was the perfect spot to conduct our interview with them for this week’s feature story, Souda Pops!. The café was one of the studio’s very first projects, which the guys jokingly refer to as their “wooden spaceship.”

It’s a fitting nickname for a spot where LED lights and warm, natural woods go hand-in-hand. Its modern, industrial aesthetic is balanced by handmade and natural elements—the essence of Souda’s style. In the ceiling, which is the café’s focal point, reflected light accentuates the wood grain, and its strong lines complement the curved seating and s-shaped, concrete-topped bar. Their design also honors the location’s history (Maiden Lane makes its home in the former Life Café space) maintaining the entryway’s original, charmingly tiled “Life,” which they’ve lit from above with a ceramic Souda pendant.

Remnant from before the Souda redesign.

We had a great conversation over coffee and snacks prepared in the café’s small, open kitchen, and really enjoyed getting to know the guys a bit better. While we were at it, we also asked Shaun and Isaac to fill in a little questionnaire (see below). We love discovering a hidden talent!

One of Souda’s

An early

Isaac Friedman-Heiman.

Shaun Kasperbauer.

Maiden Lane's hospitable co-owner, Gareth Maccubbin.

Isaac Friedman-Heiman and Shaun Kasperbauer.

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Be sure to check out this week’s feature, Souda Pops!, to learn more about these rising design stars, and check out the range of Souda pieces we have in the shop now!

Photos by Anna Carnick and Katherine Roberts.