Insoil Showroom by KKOL Studio

In the design of the Insoil Showroom, Seoul-based KKOL Studio ventures beyond the traditional function of a retail space. Instead, the interior unfolds as an emotional and conceptual experience—one that echoes the subconscious terrain of desire, memory, and materiality. Located in a modest footprint, this inaugural showroom for ceramics brand Insoil brings to life the latent — the unseen and often unspoken layers of identity — through an atmosphere of calm ambiguity and tactile nuance.

Inspired by Sigmund Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams, the spatial design draws a parallel between the manifest dream, or what we consciously remember, and the latent dream, the subconscious forces beneath. KKOL Studio translates this psychological framework into architecture, creating a space that reflects the hidden desires and philosophies of the brand and its founders. The showroom becomes a vessel not only for showcasing objects but also for visualizing invisible emotions, slow rhythms, and the quiet poetry of daily life.

Spatial Poetry Through Five Contrasts

Design Guidelines from the Latent Realm

At the heart of the project are five paradoxical phrases that guided the design process:

• The trivial yet not insignificant

• The delicate yet firm

• The orderly yet not overly artificial

• The dim yet luminous

• The mundane yet unfamiliar

These pairs, drawn from introspective exploration of Insoil’s brand identity, helped define the sensory and atmospheric conditions of the showroom. Rather than aiming for overt aesthetics or commercial brightness, KKOL Studio leaned into ambiguity, restraint, and slow discovery. The space does not demand attention—it quietly earns it.

This conceptual framework allowed the designers to create what they describe as a shallow dream—a setting that toes the line between reality and illusion, comfort and curiosity. The result is a spatial rhythm that feels welcoming but never fully decipherable, inviting visitors to dwell, question, and look again.

Materiality and Light: Familiar but Altered

Birch and Soil as Storytellers

The material palette reinforces the conceptual foundation. Birch wood and plywood—materials typically associated with simplicity and neutrality—are elevated through the application of three distinct oil stains. This decision introduces subtle variation in tone and texture, inspired by the way soil differs across geographies and climates.

This attention to material storytelling is deeply tied to the brand’s name, “Insoil.” Soil is not only referenced metaphorically, but also physically embodied in the showroom’s centerpiece: a series of ceramic stands. These were designed to feel rooted, in both construction and meaning. Drawing from Insoil’s use of expressions like “the roots of life” or “to take root,” KKOL Studio created stands with thick, grounded bases that evoke stability and timelessness.

Each stand features a modular ceramic tile top, handcrafted by the brand’s artists. These tabletops are designed to be swappable, offering a seasonally adaptive display method that aligns with the brand’s evolving visual language.

Lighting as an Extension of Emotion

Dim, Soft, and Natural

In contrast to the clinical brightness often found in retail environments, the showroom features a dim, softly modulated lighting scheme. A curved stainless-steel fixture above the entry draws the eye gently across the ceiling, reflecting both natural and artificial light in a way that enhances the muted tonal palette.

This careful orchestration of light and shadow not only complements the ceramics but also contributes to the emotional tone of the space. Daylight is not flooded in; it is invited, allowed to coexist with the subtle glow of ambient fixtures. This creates a setting that shifts throughout the day, echoing the way memory and perception evolve over time.

Subtle Details, Lasting Impressions

Inviting Movement Without Demanding Attention

Upon entering, visitors are first greeted by a slightly bent shelf and a sinuous light fixture. These elements gently nudge the body and eye to move, initiating a soft choreography through the showroom’s intentionally segmented layout. Despite the small square footage, each corner holds a unique spatial identity, generating curiosity and intimacy without overwhelming the senses.

Every gesture—from the curvature of the stainless steel to the oil-stained birch—serves a dual function: visual intrigue and emotional resonance. As with a well-crafted piece of writing, it is the small, deliberate differences that elevate the space beyond function into artful subtlety.

A Subconscious Dialogue Between Brand and Space

Quietly Expressive, Deeply Rooted

Ultimately, the Insoil Showroom is less about product display and more about ideological alignment between space and brand. By embracing ambiguity, emotional nuance, and material honesty, KKOL Studio has crafted a space that communicates not just what Insoil makes, but why it exists.

This is a showroom that whispers rather than shouts. It invites introspection, asks the visitor to slow down, and suggests that beauty lies in the latent layers of our experiences—not in the spectacle, but in the quiet moments of connection, memory, and desire.

Photography: Donggyu Kim