Decadent Macaron’s Tenant Improvement was the realization of a dream that started years prior for small-business owners, and married couple, Stephanie and Mark Wagner. Cifuentes Studio is proud to have served as the architect-led design + build firm for Decadent’s first brick and mortar location within the Verde @ Cooley Station mixed-use development in Gilbert, AZ. 

While working with the DM team, we prioritized the functionality of the baking kitchen while integrating a new component to their existing business model: a fully functional craft coffee bar. With a tight footprint, Cifuentes Studio was tasked with maximizing the coffee shop’s efficiency while providing an enticing macaron display area to draw attention to the brand’s core product. Architectural designer Jacob Gulinson, Assoc. AIA and principal architect Daniel Cifuentes, AIA, NCARB worked iteratively with the clients and Andrew Kemp, coffee consultant from SPCE Coffee, to produce a space that highlighted the macarons while providing a holistic manifestation of the brand identity. 

Decadent Macaron’s leased endcap retail space boasted tall windows along two sides of the suite. Considering this unique orientation. We quickly decided to position the coffee bar and baking kitchen in the opposing corner to best utilize the southeast facing light exposure. Additionally, part of the strategy of placing the refrigerated macaron display case at the end of the coffee bar was to encourage patrons to walk by baked goods and the specialty drinks menu to help facilitate the purchase of other items. Finally, to highlight the Decadent Macaron brand and outside vendor merchandise, we allocated space for a custom display arch at the front of the shop that provided retail shelving with integrated lighting to provide another point of engagement.

With this feminine inspired space, we sought to embody the elegant style and vision of Stephanie, the founder and owner. The two-sided storefront exposure provided an opportunity for what we termed the “glowing pink jewel box” above the coffee bar. An abstraction inspired by little girls’ ballerina jewelry boxes, the uplit feature soffit allows for nearby visitors to the development to spot the space from anywhere on site. To warm up the space, we designed, fabricated and installed the poplar wrapped coffee bar die-wall that served as a juxtaposition to the concrete terrazzo countertop slabs sourced from Concrete Collaborative. Custom accent white concrete tables were sourced locally via Compound Concrete, and local metal worker Biltwell Iron Co. created the monogramed steel “DM” to match the powder-coated macaron case. 

In addition to providing the design, Cifuentes Studio also led the construction effort, a vital component to ensuring that all the custom details were fully executed with utmost fidelity. We’re proud that the space has become a popular destination in the East Valley, a special spot to share a pastry with friends and family, and a comfortable place to lounge with your laptop and a specialty coffee.