1920s bar
The daybed platform is long and deep enough for half a dozen people to recline and relax on but the perfect use for it is when two people lie foot to foot and chat, something I must have spent hundreds of hours doing.
The platform construction also creates fantastic hidden but easily accessible storage for our camping gear.
On the other side of the room I painted the wall a dark, earth green to create a link with the outside space, heightened by installing a full-width mirror.
In 2012 I decided to design and build a bar in an semi-indoor/outdoor space between my workshop and courtyard.
It includes a light-filled bar and daybed that is cosy and covered in winter but cool in summer, with contrasting elements of calm greenery and sophisticated style.
process
The first step in transforming this space was simply letting in more light. The rusted tin roof was replaced with clear polycarbonate and the beams painted white to visually lift it.
The contruction of the daybed was inspired by trips to India where large, communal, cushion filled-areas in which people can relax and converse are commonplace. The seat and cushions were upholstered in a choice of plant-inspired fabric designs that evoke the courtyard garden just outside.
Up down wall lights showcase the rough individuality of the brick wall and showcase the bottles, candles and cacti on the floating shelves made using offcuts from the decking at Taronga Zoo. Their seemingly random positioning has been precisely worked out.
I wanted the bar itself to have movie and Hollywood connotations, and in particular referencing back to the hedonistic Roaring 20s. The clean, sweeping curve is a particular Art Deco feature I wanted to recreate but with my own twist of using it for the transition from horizontal to vertical.
This involved two days of filling and sanding before I was satisfied with the shape and that the surface was smooth enough. (I am my most demanding client!)
I often incorporate hidden lighting into my artworks and furniture but here I wanted the lights themselves to be a visible feature, choosing large, old-fashioned bulbs evocative of a dressing room mirror.
The flapper-like tassels were originally a curtain repurposed by being cut in half and used in a double layer to add a 3D effect.
result
This bar is great fun and during parties the daybed provides a platform of calm to retreat to and observe the action.