A visit to Alfred & Constance, the stunningly revamped pair of historic Queenslander cottages at a Valley crossroads, is like sampling the best of Brisbane life from the past decades. For there under two corrugated iron roofs, the surfing scene of the 60’s, a tiki bar, beer garden with giant juicy steaks, vinyl couched rumpus room, antique parlour with grand piano, astro turf, open fireplaces, colonial verandahs, saloon bar and milk bar, have been meticulously recreated and given a contemporary twist. And best of all it’s designed especially to wander, drink and plate of food in hand from one to the other.
Alexander Lotersztain’s design aim was to create an Alice in Wonderland experience, whereby different themes in itself will bring about different experiences, and different ways to see the venue.
“Multi-facility” was key to the concept of the venue. He wanted to create a place that was comfortable from the word go, with no pretensions. As a designer, he really wanted to highlight that design doesn’t always have to be pretentious, and that nothing is square in the world of Alfred and Constance.
Over a thousands objects were found on ebay, sourced from the USA, Europe and Australia. One of the fixtures included Alexander Lotersztain’s own designed ‘Bolet light’
Alfred’s Café
Just a step up from Alfred St is the deck of Alfred’s Café, the pulsing heart of A&C that keeps the hordes fed and watered day and night. Order at the counter and take a seat at the gaily coloured cluster of café tables and chairs on the deck, the communal dining table by the original working fireplace or the rustic VJ walled Tunes Bar lounge that takes up the other half of the cottage.
Tunes Bar
Sharing the cottage with Alfred’s is this saloon style bar come chill out lounge adorned with vintage amps, speakers and records, deer heads, antler chandeliers and vintage lamps and lanterns. Take a seat on a saddle stool or sink into a vinyl swivel chair, dental chair or retro couch with a snack from next door or craft beer in hand and take in the sounds of the swinging 60’s to today.
The deck between the two cottages is the beer garden, named after the boat that the original owner of the two cottages arrived in in the 19th century. A retractable roof protects revellers from the elements and adjacent to the beer garden is the kitchen which peddles gastro pub fare from its giant vintage wood fire oven or its contemporary counterpart the cutting edge Spanish coal-fired Josper oven.
Black Room
A couple of steps away from the beer garden in the second cottage is the Black Room, a stunning ceiling to floor black dining alcove with a resident skeleton in the corner, a life size elephant on the wall and an antique black lacquer cabinet of curiosities. This room is available to rent for private functions and large groups.
Tiki Bar
Take the original cedar staircase from beside the Black room and enter the lost Pacific Island world of the Tiki Bar, a bright tropical-hued lounge carpeted in astroturf that also pays homage to Queensland’s surfing history. Walls are adorned with surfboards and vintage surfing posters while from behind the bar carved native masks ward off evil spirits. Here’s the place to indulge in rum and fresh fruit juice with Hawaii 5-0 on the turntable before hitting the dance floor in the Hemingway Room next door.
The Hemingway Room
A lemon grand piano guards the entrance to this quaint 19th century parlour with antique couches and French doors opening to the verandah. But here’s not the place to play parlour games but dance the night away on the wooden floorboards while the DJ spins tunes on the suspended deck outside.
The Cellar
A downstairs basement shrouded in secrecy and available for private functions.