Dine/Design - Me and You cafe, Tauranga

When young couple Kate and Joel Byrne were designing their new cafe Me and You (Tauranga), they took their cues from the first piece Kate bought for the space - a massive old antique printing cabinet (originally from a printing press in France) to be used as the main counter. It was the jump-off point for interior design that's a little more moody than your average white, light coffee spot. The exterior is painted a deep forest green, the ceiling is 100% black. 

Next came other awesome finds - antique chairs from a British Rolls Royce factory, antique tin buckets from which they sell flowers, waxed canvas and leather aprons from Artifact, huge industrial factory lights in a buttery cream colour from Boudi, and lots of reclaimed wood from an old Palmerston North school gymnasium - which Kate and Joel turned into a huge farmhouse-style table, amongst other things. 

Also on my 'I want this at home' list was the marbleised black enamelware – huge big bowls and platters overflowing with wicked salads. (Flotsam and Jetsam sell a range.)

Coffee is by small-batch roasters Three Beans, who service only a handpicked handful of cafes around the country. Try the smashed avo on sourdough. Actually try everything.