Barolo on Beaufort was blessed with a fantastic space and an enviable location, right in the heart of Highgate’s Beaufort St precinct. The owners wanted an edgy Italian bar which captured the romance and nostalgia of the Continent, but with an authenticity which went beyond simple ‘vintage.’

We capitalised on the space’s existing assets by stripping back the plaster to expose the old brickwork, and utilised the beautiful interior arches to frame intimate spaces within the restaurant. We used natural materials with Italian flavour, like solid timbers and Bianco Carrara marble, and dressed the exterior with cloth canopies and a traditional ochre limewash which will acquire a beautiful patina with age. Inside, imposing wooden wine racks break up the wall space and showcase the venue’s extensive wine collection. We also commissioned large-scale reproductions of original Campari posters to be painted on the interior walls, and used Deco light fittings to give patrons a true sense of the era. This gives real romance and a moody, very Italian quality to dining at Barolo, crucial elements to the experience the owners wanted to create.

The challenges of the project were clear from the outset: the building, an old bank, was essentially a bare shell, and council regulations around building licences, patron numbers and parking were strict. Extensive experience with the regulatory side of commercial projects helped us to complete the re-fit – including all of the plumbing, electrical, equipment and service requirements for a commercial kitchen – under a very tight turnaround.