An Ice Cream Shop Designed Like This Might Be Exactly What You Want

The moment I pushed open the door, I felt as if I had fallen into a soft and happy mass - the warm light wrapped around the cloud-shaped chandelier hanging down, the rainbow-colored curves winding gently around the wall, and even the texture of the wooden counter exuded a sense of relaxation. When I stood in the store and took the first bite of the ice cream shop, I suddenly realized: This is exactly the ice cream shop we wanted!

Welcome to the “Happy Ice” space

The name of the store, "Happy Ice", is not a slogan printed on the signboard. It's the feeling you get as soon as you open the door. Look at its logo. The rainbow-colored font is like melted ice cream poured over a yellow background. This touch of color flows directly into the store along the sign. The row of gradient light strips above the counter, ranging from purple to pink and then to orange, is like cutting a section of the sunset color and hanging it overhead. It is neither as sweet and cloying as pure pink nor as dazzling as bright orange. It has a "light sweetness" that just makes people's mouths curl up.

Even more wonderful are those few cloud-shaped chandeliers - not of cheap plastic foam texture, but like cotton quilts just collected from the balcony. The warm light seeps through the gaps in the cotton fluff, and even the shadows cast on the ground are soft. I stood under the lamp for half a minute, stunned. In my mind came the image of lying on the lawn and watching the clouds as a child. That sense of relaxation of "there's nothing to rush about" was actually evoked by a lamp.

The overall design is "lively" and "comfortable"

Many Ice cream shops fall into the misunderstanding that "the brighter, the livelier", but the smart thing about Happy Ice is that it combines "liveliness" and "comfort" together. Its walls are made of clean small white square bricks, resembling freshly wiped milk cartons, which make the rainbow curves more lively - those curves are not hard geometric shapes, but lines that spread out like a paintbrush not held steady. Blue, pink and yellow are interwoven, but they do not make people feel messy. Instead, it seems as if the "happy" mood is painted on the wall. Later, when I sat at the long table and looked up, even the edges of the curves were faintly glowing. When I was eating ice cream, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that even the ice cream cone seemed to have become a little sweeter.

The material combination hits the mark of "tactile healing" : The counter and seats are made of light oak grain, not the cold metal or glass. When your hand rests on them, it gives a warm texture. Especially in winter when you wear short sleeves into the store, your arm won't feel stiff even when it touches the table. The floor is paved with light grey terrazzo with a fine sheen. It is not slippery when stepped on and has a bit more softness than ordinary tiles, giving a feeling of "stepping on the beach".

Customized furniture layout

Look at that row of long tables against the wall: there is at least half a meter between each table. The height of the bar stools is just right for your elbows to rest on the table surface. Even if you come alone, you can place your bag on the empty seat beside you and leisurely enjoy an ice cream cone or browse your phone. Unlike in other stores, you won't always have your elbows touching the shoulders of your neighbor.

The areas in the middle with yellow chairs are prepared for friends or families: the chairs have round backrests that can wrap around the waist when sat on. Four people can sit around one table, and they can dig ice cream bowls together without having their legs bump into each other. That day, I saw a mother and daughter sitting here. The little one was swinging her legs on the chair, and when the mother handed over the ice cream cone, her arms didn't even need to be drawn in.

What's even more considerate is the layout: the ordering area is right next to the entrance, and the counter is just long enough to accommodate three ice cream machines and display cabinets, so there's no need to wait in a long queue. After placing your order, you can just turn around and walk to the dining area without having to walk around and bump into people. Even on weekends when there are many people, the store is bustling but not crowded, unlike a milk tea shop where there is not even a place to stand.

Display cabinet

First, let's take a look at the cabinet body: The cabinet door with light oak grain has vertical stripes, giving a fine texture when touched. It's not a smooth plastic board, and it's less likely to leave fingerprints when wiped. The countertop is made of matte white quartz stone. If you splash ice cream sauce on it and wipe it clean with paper, it won't bleed like marble.

What really touched me was the storage compartment under the counter It was divided into four compartments: "FAMILY", "FRIENDS", "ITALIAN ICE", and "ICE CREAM", containing different ingredients and packing boxes - not randomly piled in the drawer, but clearly labeled. The staff could turn around and get the items without having to squat on the floor and rummage for a long time. Customers don't have to stand in front of the counter and wait idly either.

The display cabinet is also very smart: it is a transparent low cabinet, and you can just see the colorful ice cream balls inside, purple, pink, and yellow, corresponding to the rainbow curves on the wall. Even if you originally just wanted to buy an ice cream cone, seeing these colors, you can't resist asking for an extra ball. Moreover, the light in the display cabinet is cold light, which won't melt the ice cream. When the staff scoop the balls, they can clearly see the flavors without having to get very close and stick to the glass to look.