Hella Lithuania is an automotive electronics plant located near the Kaunas Airport, in Lithuania. It is part of an international group and employs more than 250 people. Among other amenities, the building complex includes an eatery for its employees, the decoration of which followed a unique path, different from the usual.

Of course, the most important goal was to create a comfortable and cosy café area where people could spend their lunch break. The second was to allow employees from different departments to spend time together. The third and most challenging goal was to make the eatery presentable enough to be used for both in-house events and hosting outside visitors.

Hella Lithuania’s employee eatery is stylish enough to host and celebrate corporate events. Photo: Norbert Tukaj

Multifunctionality is the new trend

The office is no longer simply a place to work. Contemporary work culture sets much higher expectations. Among other features, the office should provide employees with diverse options for both how and where they work. Experiences at work have also become increasingly important.

Numerous companies have met the expectations of our modern era by designing distinctive rooms or areas within the office that serve clever and well-thought-out purposes. Through spatial designs people are encouraged to casually interact with one another, fostering the development of a strong sense of community.

Whereas in the past the kitchen was just a kitchen, and the coffee corner was just a coffee corner, today an eatery in an office can function not only as a café but also as an efficient workspace. This is just one excellent way in which to enrich the working environment.

Covering approximately 500 square metres, the catering area, named the Hella Food Lounge, also bears the hallmark of versatility. Every square metre is effectively filled. The lounge-style eatery serves multiple needs and is zoned into different areas.

The dining and seating area is furnished with trendy furniture in a variety of styles, ranging from traditional dining tables and bar-height standing tables for larger groups, to comfortable sofas. August-sofas provide a retreat, featuring high soundproofing walls and a roof, fostering an environment for more private discussions.

Nestled at the heart of the eatery lies a fine-dining area, separated from the rest of the room by curtains. The space exudes character with its parallel rows of seating fashioned from Meeter modular sofas, accentuated by round tables and carpeting. This distinguished area serves as an ideal venue for holding press conferences and celebratory events. A self-service café area is located by the entrance.

Natural style

The eatery’s style is characterised by its naturalness. Inspired by nature, the rooms are decorated with living plants. Calming tones have been selected for the furniture, and a copious amount of natural wood has been used. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in lots of natural light and brightness.

The transitions between areas have been designed carefully with balance and harmony in mind. The interior designer’s ingenuity has yielded spaces that are functional, inspiring, and quite comfortable.

‘Alongside our professional achievements and aspirations, we also value the daily pleasures that bring a change of pace to the routine. We are happy and proud of our cosy and modern canteen. Our staff consider it to be classier than several restaurants in the city centre,’ is how the company described its new eatery.

Hella Lithuania places significant importance on investing in its employees and their wellbeing, which is evidenced by their new eatery. The company’s dedication is noticed and appreciated – Hella Lithuania has been repeatedly selected as one of the best employers in Lithuania.

The author of the interior design is Project LT. The author of the photos is Norbert Tukaj.