Elana Castle discovers that Matt Woods, winner of the 2011 IDEA People’s Choice Awards, is not resting on his laurels.
March 27th, 2012
Matt Woods has brought his unmistakeable version of inventive, eclectic modernity to Chavela, a small cafe on the fringes of Sydney’s inner west.
In addition to introducing a fresh aesthetic to Burwood’s otherwise nondescript shopping strip, Woods has succeeded in overcoming a particularly modest budget and tight timeframe.
“Due to the budget constraints, my strategy was to use texture to create interest in the space,” he explains. In particular, Woods has played with matt and gloss surfaces, including FC ply, laminate, copper, powder coated steel, bamboo and unglazed mosaics.
“The plan is to develop the scheme as the Chavela legacy develops,” adds Woods. “I’ve conceived the space so that there is room for growth without compromising the original design.”
Despite the restrictions, Woods’s textured design is defined by two primary features – a feature wall and the bar counter.
Commanding attention from street, the counter is clad in Herringbone-pattern, recycled fence pailings which reveal glimpses of LED lighting between the gaps. The recycled timber top is offset by suspended Mr Cooper copper light shades.
The cafe’s feature wall is painted, raw brickwork further characterised by a long, vertical, bevel-edged mirror which does double duty by creating an enhanced sense of space. Just below, a lavender-coloured, Chesterfield-style leather banquette provides intimate seating.
Just a few shopfronts over, Woods is putting the finishing touches on another inspired interior. With Matt Woods in the ’hood, who knows what further design-led improvements can be made to this Sydney suburb.
Photography: Chris Corboy
Matt Woods Design
killingmattwoods.com
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Channelling the enchanting ambience of the Caffè Greco in Rome, Budapest’s historic Gerbeaud, and Grossi Florentino in Melbourne, Ross Didier’s new collection evokes the designer’s affinity for café experience, while delivering refined seating for contemporary hospitality interiors.
The Sub-Zero Wolf showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne provide a creative experience unlike any other. Now showcasing all-new product ranges, the showrooms present a unique perspective on the future of kitchens, homes and lifestyles.
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
Pushing inclusive design and co-creation into new territory, Milliken-Ontera’s new Water Yuludara collection has been designed in collaboration with Gumbaynggirr artist, Brentyn Lugnan.
No one really knows how many chairs Danish designer Hans J. Wegner really made. Indesignlive meets with his furniture producer to find out more.
Panzeri has been in the lighting business since 1947. Today, the Italian company remains wholly owned by the Panzeri family who maintain a high degree of hands-on involvement in the design, manufacturing and global sales of a wide range of decorative, semi- decorative and technical light ttings.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Winners of The Social Space category in the 2023 INDE.Awards, RooMoo Design Studio has made its mark on the Shanghai’s hospitality landscape with a new restaurant design.
On the 22nd of February, the local design scene brimmed with excitement as Unison marked its 10th anniversary by becoming the first MillerKnoll dealer in the Australia and New Zealand region.