Brintons at the Old Government House



Constructed in 1862, Old Government House is one of Queensland’s most significant heritage buildings. Having served as the former home of Queensland’s governors, the inaugural building of the University of Queensland, lecture rooms for the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and the office of the National Trust in Queensland, the building recently underwent a $15 million restoration to prepare it for its new life as a museum to celebrate colonial life in Queensland and as a stylish destination for private functions. Brintons was commissioned to supply carpet of a period design to the restoration project thanks to its design expertise and the strength and depth of its carpet design archive that is believed to be the biggest in the world.

Client Brief
The creative vision of Conrad Gargett Architects centred about transforming Old Government House into the gracious property it was in the early 1900s. By breathing new life into its original features and complimenting them with other period design elements such as historically-accurate carpet, those at the heart of the restoration project hoped to create a space that would be sympathetic to the building’s historical past but also attractive to its new commercial audience. Brintons was asked to design and manufacture suitable carpet for the hall, dining room, drawing room, billiard room and William Robinson gallery.

Creative design approach
Brintons used its comprehensive carpet design archive to identify suitable period designs from the early 20th century that could be used inside Old Government House. After presenting a number of concepts, Conrad Gargett Architects was immediately drawn to an unusual ‘tree of life’ design that was inspired by an Indonesian fabric. The design was considered so intriguing and stimulating that all of the other design concepts were discarded in favour of further developing the ‘tree of life’. Once Brintons had customised the design to meet the other requirements of the interior at Old Government House, it was decided that the carpet would be used throughout the entire ground floor at the property, as well as up the stunning feature staircase that leads to the William Robinson Gallery.

The solution that was delivered
The striking ‘tree of life’ design was used in different configurations throughout the property and each centre-piece rug plays a leading role in helping to bring out the colonial heritage of Old Government House. As well as meandering branches, the final design also features elegant black birds and cascading seeds that resemble mangoes. By using rich shades of green and brown on a charcoal background, the carpet serves to compliment the interior finishes, grand woodwork and high ceilings within the property and provides a stunning, yet serviceable backdrop to the rest of the interior.

Services provided by Brintons
Brintons delivered a full design and project management service at Old Government House that encompassed full use of its extensive carpet design archive, colour prints, full-scale plots and woven carpet samples.

Brintons Reaction
Brintons’ lead designer on the project said: “This is a fantastic installation that has drawn on some invaluable inspiration from our design archive. I think the final designs look quirky, friendly, unique and certainly create a lasting impression. The success of this refurbishment illustrates that historically-accurate period design has a valuable place in contemporary interiors and that it can be sympathetically customised to present a traditional feature – characterised with a modern and functional twist.”

Client Reaction
"The service provided by Brintons has been excellent. The installed carpet looks very much like a rug and, in terms of value, the solution has been excellent. The feedback from the QUT has been great and has far exceeded their expectations." - Sipen Rojnavibul, Principal at Conrad Gargett Architects.

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