Conference rooms tend to follow a predictable script. This one was designed to disregard it.

The Speakeasy is Ateliers Jacob’s conference room in name only. In practice, it is something closer to an invitation—to a particular mood, a particular era, a particular kind of conversation that happens when a space makes you want to linger. The concept was not arbitrary. Conceived as a speakeasy, the space draws directly from the history of the building itself; an 1800s structure marked by exposed brick and a palpable sense of time. Rather than working against the building’s past, the design leans into it. The result is immersive, moody and unapologetically atmospheric, less like a meeting room than a place to gather.

Here, color sets the tone. A dusky mauve lacquer, deepened by grey and black undertones, gives the space both weight and subtlety. Enveloping and layered, difficult to name precisely, it becomes the defining gesture of the space. Inspired by Benjamin Moore’s 2025 Color of the Year, Cinnamon Slate, it holds the room without overpowering it, with everything else calibrated to give it space.

The cabinetry reinforces this presence. Traditional door profiles with pronounced molding extend beyond the doors themselves, carried across the full height of the cabinetry, creating a sense of considered excess. The ogee molding is carried from floor to ceiling and wrapped around the tall cabinetry, enveloping it to create a continuous cove effect that reads less as applied detail and more as an architectural intention. What might typically read as decorative instead becomes spatial.

Antique mirrors line the surfaces, extending the historical dialogue with the building; their aged patina reflects light while echoing its original era. At the center of the space, a charcoal natural stone island introduces weight and texture. Its leathered finish absorbs light, allowing the mauve to remain visually dominant and grounding the composition.

Lighting was chosen with the same attention to balance. The chandelier by Luminaires Authentik introduces a contemporary counterpoint. Its Scandinavian design and modern structure offset the heavy mouldings and dramatic lacquer, while its warm, slightly brown tone blends into the palette and deepens the dusky atmosphere. The lighting is not uniform, but layered, allowing shadows and reflections to shape its depth.

The space is organized around a two-level countertop spanning nearly sixteen feet in width and four feet in depth. One surface is dedicated to bar prep, the other to setting down food and drinks, together creating an unconventional yet functional setting for meetings. Plans can be rolled out, lunch taken, and decisions made. A pocket door system is seamlessly integrated into the cabinetry. The one beside the sink opens onto a continuous countertop, emphasizing a cohesive and subtle integration.

Throughout, the project balances contrast—historical reference and contemporary execution, bold color and restrained materiality, intimacy and scale.Designed to host up to fifteen people, the Speakeasy supports both presentation and exchange without ever reading as a conventional conference room.