Inspired by the opulent tales of the Island of Atlantis and luminous greens reflective of the surface to the depths of the Aegean; Oceans Bar brings a touch of luxe to the beach at Coogee while maintaining a relaxed and laid back atmosphere.

The story of Atlantis, the Island which legend has it was home to a very opulent mysterious civilization formed part of the inspiration for the interior design direction for Oceans, as did the colours seen reflected both on the surface and under the sea. The rest of the inspiration was drawn from the wonderful laid-back beachside lifestyle Coogee offers and the colour palette of its surrounds.

Strong use of reflective elements such as designer ‘Vernor Panton’ Pendants from Denmark combine with shimmering sea greens, bleached out timbers and an expansive use of white, to create the ideal beach bar location - day through to night.

With the exterior; shaded alfresco dining and relaxed cushioned seating provide the perfect setting for a laid back afternoon surveying the breakers or soaking up the salt air into the night.

Oceans already has a loyal following which was generously rewarded in this refurbishment with the creation of an elaborate VIP Room partially secluded from view using a reflective beaded system flown in from the US. Here, generous wall to wall seating, specially designed ottomans, custom wine/dine tables and a luminescent colour spectrum surround, combine to create a private interior not unlike the sumptuous surrounds one might imagine frequented by those who inhabited the fabled Island of Atlantis in the Aegean.

The inspiration for the VIP Private Room area as a whole was really to produce an underwater world. The colour spectrum we designed to wrap around the walls; and created to represent the luminosity of colour seen underwater. Colours fade out as they reach the surface when they come into contact with air salt and sun. However in the underwater realm we experience colours in extreme intensity – colours never even witnessed before or imagined on land.

Guests in this area are invited to absorb the feeling of being surrounded by this never-ending possibility of colours. The feeling is intensified when contrasted with deep sea indigo – indicative of the still, dark, secret contemplative depths – the soul of the sea.

Reflective elements are also used here to create magic, watery illusion and above all a sense of movement in the space.

The Vernor Panton Pendants in the main area and Wall Sconces in the VIP Room were the perfect way to introduce joy and a sense of celebration – a party atmosphere into the space. This was part of the design intent from the very beginning.

These pendants were seen as the absolute abstract of a bunch of shells or underwater plants. They especially play with movement in the atmosphere

much the same as the joyous dance plants make underwater and have a wonderful reflective function which brings magic and light into the space. Above all they were chosen for their abstract relevance to the sea and their dance - the joy they bring.

With Oceans Bar Lister + Co wanted to create for Coogee a premium bar with a great aesthetic that did not take itself too seriously. One that would be a pleasure to relax in. They wanted to create an aesthetic that would introduce fun into the space. A party atmosphere.

A resin product supplied in sheet by Marblo was the ideal material to back light for the bar. The green and white colourway is was so refreshing. The aim was to bring the Ocean right in to the space. The wave series product certainly achieved that and it became the hero product of the fit out and was integrated into the overall identity branding.

Timber was used to ground the space and the bleached + limed finish is reflective of the tonal hue of sand. It brings warmth and comfort to the interior and ensures the aesthetic remains trans-seasonal throughout the year.

“Particularly successful I think was the application of the bleached and limed finished battening applied to the bar area,” said Rowena Lister. “We didn’t want to create a bar that looked like ‘every other bar’ and the battening achieved the unique fit to concept we were after.”

All the furniture seen in the interior and exterior was custom designed for Oceans, or had a custom application.

The turned wood tables are a particular feature – the bases of which were dramatized to be reflective of the graduated rings we see on the back of a seashell, on the tentacles of an octopus or the twists and turnings in coral.

The beautiful shimmering lounges were designed to be contemporary and comfortable and a little bit sensual.

The floor was a response to the need for an ocean bed look, while combining the practicality of long term maintenance and durability. It also had to be low impact in terms of noise reverberation.

“We came up with ‘Ardex’ a decorative version of a floor leveling compound traditionally used by carpet layers – Ardit,” said Rowena. “The effect was a wet sand effect with lots of movement though-out. We added quartz dust to achieve the ideal slip rating.”

A nickel plated copper beaded system flown in from the US was used to separate the Private Room from the Main Bar Area. Falling from the ceiling like beads of seaweed, this product is ideal as a semi transparent screen and achieved the maximum amount of reflection we were after.