A Music Venue, Built with Soul
challenge
Berlin's nightlife often feels cold and impersonal. Paul Rieck and I wanted to change that — to build a bar where warmth, music, and human connection take centre stage. A place where sound, design, and energy make people feel at home.
approach
I handled creative direction, interior design, strategy, and communications. We studied the acoustics of the space and designed custom sound-absorbing panels that blend into the interior — so people can actually have a conversation. The light is sunset orange. The bar counter is from 1910. The music is bossa nova, salsa, and jazz.
impact
TikTok videos of our live concerts reached over 150,000 views organically. Featured in The Infatuation and CeeCee Berlin. The vinyl DJ booth — designed with Aquiles Jarrín and his studio Morphism — brought the feeling of a Japanese listening café to Neukölln.
Berlin nightlife is dominated by techno and cold spaces. Paul Rieck and I saw a gap — a place rooted in warmth, soulful music, and real human connection. Honey Lou Bar was born from that. Everything we built, from the interior to the sound to the programming, came from that one simple idea: make people feel at home.
20.000+
Guests since Dec 2023
65%
Female audience
300+
Live music sessions
4–5x
Live nights per month
4.9 ★
Google rating
14K
Instagram followers
The light had to be sunset orange — radiating warmth, energy, connection. Inspired by Neukölln's character, we combined two worlds: the charm of an old Berlin Kneipe with a 1910 bar counter, and the sleek accents of modern elegance. The result is stylish but grounded. Tradition meets contemporary design.
Most bars are too loud — dominated by echo and reverb. We studied the acoustics carefully and designed custom sound-absorbing panels that blend seamlessly into the interior. The goal: people can enjoy a conversation at a natural volume, without straining. The room works for you, not against you.
Every drink is made with intention. The bar program mirrors the music — soulful, warm, and crafted with care. Nothing rushed.
The musical identity is bossa nova, salsa, and jazz — genres that are still a niche in Berlin's techno-heavy scene. We host live concerts regularly, and TikTok videos of those nights have reached over 150,000 views organically.
The vinyl DJ booth, designed in collaboration with Aquiles Jarrín and his studio Morphism, brings the atmosphere of a Japanese listening café into the space. Vinyl collectors and DJs from around the world come through.
