Originally Mark Milton – co-owner of the Depot Riverside Brasserie – appointed Sybaris Interiors to get some advice on subtle changes to the brasserie’s paintwork and lighting for the new anthracite and glass conservatory. After much conversation, however, it was decided that a revolutionary new look would make a far greater impact upon the sleepy idyll of riverside Barnes.
Just as the brasserie’s former wooden conservatory was ousted by the arrival of a modern anthracite aluminium & glass structure, out went the cosy blanket of earthy tones that wrapped this old Victorian stables interior for nearly a decade.
“My approach was to deliver an interior that balanced informality with elegance and highlighted the unique industrial character and the riverside location of this former Victorian stables, where once carriages and barges delivered coal to the Barnes Power Station,” says Tamara Tymovski of Sybaris Interiors.
“With only 72 hours to design the interior, three weeks to complete the refurb and a very conservative budget for FF&E excluding labour, I planned to transform the place by re-cycling existing furniture and interior elements – injecting a touch of Hoxton with a dramatic new industrial lighting scheme and a period inspired colour palette.
“As the brasserie is split into a bar and two restaurant rooms with the conservatory running alongside the river bank, I gave each room a slightly distinctive look to create different ambiences for different occasions – from Sunday brunch by the river, quiet morning coffee, business lunch, to a romantic candlelit dinner, wedding reception or a drinks party.”
The original earthy tones have been ousted by a Heritage palette of soft greys, zesty mustards, and rusty tans mixed by Éico paints, with a statement vintage foxed mirror wallpaper from Cole & Son.
Tired brown leather banquettes got a new lease of life, emboldening the interior with a combination of Kingfisher blues and vintage yellow eco leather mixed with iconic historic moquette designs – originally used on Underground coaches from Kirkby Designs anniversary of TfL collection.
The bar got a striking new look with stools skillfully refurbished and recovered in metallic copper eco leather from JAB Anstoetz by Leather Chairs of England and antique mirror panels from JAT Glass.
The new vintage copper lighting from Industville has been suspended from recycled plumbing pipes in the bar and main restaurant, whilst the far left room feature matt charcoal black industrial pendants from Andy Thornton.
The pièce de résistance, however, has to be the old rowing boat skeleton, which Tamara turned into a light installation, twisting a sailing rigging rope around artfully suspended Edison filament lights some 15 minutes before the re-opening.
All of the old pine tables were stripped, stained and re-oiled and painted to evoke rustic chic by master French Polisher, Andy, to match the old worn look of a pine parquet floor transformed beyond recognition with the help of the Leyland boys.
