Kinglake Hotel project is a project that is in the very heart of Kinglake. The town was devastated by bushfires 2 years ago and is now slowly rebuilding itself. This project at the surviving hotel is designed to attract tourists to a new Provedore and bottleshop offering whilst still maintaining the original country pub for locals. Designed to be big, rustic and bold – the tower element will be a symbol of Kinglake’s continuing resilience. Currently the project is in town planning and we hope to see the building being built in the new year. This project continues our work in creative re-use; we were able to advocate the retention of the old bottle shop as a viable retail outlet for the new Provedore section.

tags: bar, commercial, rural

We are currently working with Matilda Bay Brewing Company to develop a tasting room.

In keeping with the workmanlike image of the brand, our approach is to fit out the space as if it were a canteen for the brewers themselves.

tags: bar, commercial, industrial

One of our passions is the creative re-use, and in particular the blending of modern thinking with period design elements. Decca Bar, in Queen St, Melbourne, is a good example of the application of this approach to a commercial environment.

The goal here was to help the nightclub reinvigorate itself and attract a new clientele. The owners were struggling to imagine any improvement without a large investment. But we saw immediate possibilities to combine images from the famous record label after which the bar is named with the style of the 1930s art deco building in which it is housed.

We drew inspiration from the tendency of later art deco designers to favour bold colours and patterns. A deco-influenced update of the furniture and bar gave it a retro but modern feel. Images of Decca artists were used on the walls and on timber and glass panels. The panels divided the space and created a sense of activity, even among a small number of patrons. The overall effect was the creation of a sense of glamour and occasion for this nighttime venue.

tags: bar, commercial, creative re-use

Just got the photos back from our first nightclub project – in the basement of an Art Deco building in Melbourne CBD.

Check out the project page here or visit Decca Bar

tags: bar, commercial, hospitality, refurbishment