Project Team

design: Hamish Goonetilleke

The venue has been designed with a nautical theme, featuring feature grade reclaimed timbers, vintage light pendants and marble bar top, and exposed brickwork, all to create a comfortable and warm space. Unique features include reclaimed timber highlights, plywood stained sheeting on walls, rust paint, vintage, all indirect lighting, and a mezzanine garden terrace with BBQ

The kitchen was removed during the original renovation to create additional seating space, so then an outdoor kitchen on the mezzaninewas created.

“When removing the wall to the kitchen there was another piece of bar which needed to be built, however the existing bar was very old, vintage marble and we had to work out how to match this marble to the new section to make it appear that its always been like this,” explained Hamish. “We removed a piece of the back bar marble, re-cutting it to fit and replacing the back bar piece with a laminate replicating marble. The result is almost perfect with no one ever suspecting the switch.”

Hamish wanted to create warmth as an overaching concept, so the use of natural materials, in the case of timber, was a good choice. Using a variety of timbers from feature grade spotted gum, to ply wood sheeting which was then washed with a stain yet you still get the movement in the material

”I wanted to create a warm and intimate drinking experience, a warm space for me is in the brown, red, orange colour tones so that is what we have done,” added Hamish.”We have very high 20ft ceilings so to create a more intimate feeling we have painted this dark brown to make it feel lower.

To create contrast to the browns and red tones used in the main body of bar, rusting paint that creates a textural finish that is interesting and cosy has been used in the back area.

The lighting is very structured, even placement along the bar and up/down lights on the walls, this consistency then allowed for all the other random elements to feel right.

From the street front Hamish has created a red light box which illuminates below the front open window – sets the tone before even entering.

Special features incorporated into the project include a cow-hide rug on the the ply-wood wall, rope attached with carabineers so the rope is movable, a fog&morup light fitting over the backtable, a light box with ships and other vintage pieces on it and upstairs, a metal bull on the astro turf.