Studio Pepe (Interior)
Strategy, Branding, Interior
BRIEF
After working together to create Longtime in 2024, Pablo and Jordie approached BrandWorks once again to create something special — this time drawing from their Italian roots and shared passion for hospitality.
Located directly next to Longtime, the new site is an old steel-structure warehouse with a large open terrace extending to the rear. With the name Studio Pepe as the starting point, BrandWorks worked collaboratively with Pablo and Jordie to create a new world with its own character, rhythm, and identity.
The project is imagined as an intimate dining destination inspired by the rituals of Italian hospitality, where food, conversation, and everyday moments unfold naturally. Rather than creating a space that feels overly polished or staged, Studio Pepe embraces the beauty of imperfection — a place that feels lived-in, cinematic, and full of character.
APPROACH
Studio Pepe is built around the idea of Pepe’s Table — a symbolic dining table where the fictional Pepe is always hosting. Here, the everyday becomes a scene. Long conversations, shared bread, clinking glasses, an espresso left halfway through a conversation, and the occasional splash of Campari all become part of the experience.
Inspired by the atmosphere of an Italian art-house film, the space is designed as a living set where the camera never stops rolling. Guests are not spectators; they become part of the story. The design direction, New Retro, brings together cultural memory, imperfect beauty, and timeless craftsmanship within a contemporary dining environment. It is nostalgic without being traditional, expressive without being overly theatrical, and carefully designed to feel spontaneous.
Located beside Longtime, Studio Pepe becomes part of a broader creative landscape in Berawa. Rather than repeating the language of its neighbour, it creates a contrasting experience — shifting from Longtime’s world into a more cinematic, European-inspired setting filled with colour, texture, and the energy of a long Italian lunch that slowly becomes an evening.
OUTCOME
The result is a warm and characterful dining environment that feels as though it has always existed.
The venue is divided into four distinct experiences: the front terrace, the central bar, the communal dining area, and the pizza terrace at the rear. Together, they offer different ways to experience Studio Pepe throughout the day — from enjoying a sunset aperitivo while watching the energy of Berawa unfold, to settling in for a long dinner with friends and family.
At the centre of the space, the bar acts as both a social anchor and a natural divider between the different zones. It offers an intimate setting for drinks while creating a transition towards the communal dining area beyond. Further inside, an open kitchen window and pizza oven counter reveal the energy of making great food, placing the craft of cooking and the spirit of Italian hospitality at the heart of the experience.
At the rear, an open courtyard with a fountain becomes an attraction in its own right. Framed by organic limestone walls, the courtyard brings natural light deep into the venue while creating a distinctive backdrop to the dining experience. European in character yet deeply connected to Bali’s open-air lifestyle, it offers a moment of escape within the larger restaurant.
Raw, natural, and earthy finishes form the foundation of the space. Lime-washed walls, bagged brick, terracotta flooring, particleboard ceilings, polished plaster, and handcrafted details create a sense of age and authenticity. Against this backdrop, bold pops of red, saturated colours, textured upholstery, stained glass windows, and colourful tiled tables bring energy and personality.
The space embraces a sense of perfect imperfection. Uneven textures, raw edges, handmade pottery, curated objects, and carefully selected styling create an environment that feels collected rather than manufactured.
Oversized pendants provide a sculptural presence overhead, while tile-topped tables, bold furniture, and handcrafted elements reinforce the feeling of a place shaped over time. Curved-back details in the bar stools and dining chairs are repeated throughout the joinery, creating a softer visual language and introducing quirky, unexpected moments across the space.
At the heart of the experience is the table itself — a place for gathering, sharing, lingering, and becoming part of the scene. Studio Pepe is not designed to feel like a restaurant that has been perfectly finished. It is designed to feel like a place where life is already happening. A sunset aperitivo. A long Italian dinner. A table that keeps getting longer.
Studio Pepe is a new chapter beside Longtime — a cinematic world of food, conversation, colour, and everyday poetry.
