Make Yourself at Home at No.92

Housed in a two-storey terrace, No.92 wine bar and kitchen was designed by Pattern Studio to have an intimate, residential appeal

In the heart of Sydney’s Glebe, newly opened No. 92 is something between a local wine bar and an effortlessly stylish supper salon. Pattern Studio co-founders Josh Cain and Lily Goodwin were briefed to create a genial venue that ‘explored and celebrated the concept of femininity.’ According to Cain, ‘discretely soft curves in joinery detailing and a delicately textured materials palette helped to create a feeling of elegance.’ The duo prioritised subtle finishes like sandy plaster, smooth limewash and rich smoked oak, which the designers say were selected to create a sense of visual harmony where no single material is overly dominant.

Set within a 19th century Victorian Georgian building on a corner block on Glebe Point Road, the site has a storied past with a long history as a pub, costumier, bank, hotel, tea rooms, grocer, boot factory and private investigator’s office. According to No.92’s owner Angela Kasimis, it was important to preserve and enhance the building’s elegance in creating an immersive space that feels more like a private manor than a standard hospitality venue. Some of the heritage features like ornate cornices, iron fireplaces, skirting and hammered glass were retained, but Cain says that ‘each space within the venue has its own character and is detailed in a slightly unique way.’ Vintage mirrors and antique light fittings give the interiors a charming patina without forsaking the overall contemporary polish. Careful consideration was given to how these differences could flourish while still maintaining a ‘timeless environment’.

On the ground floor, a bespoke timber banquette in jade-green leather rings the moody, chalky-grey bar. Upstairs, the setting switches to a lighter palette with plenty of light and windows swathed in breezy curtains. Modern classics come by way of furniture from Melbourne-based Grazia & Co and New Zealand furniture brand Resident, among others. Natural stone tabletops and Italian tables figure throughout, mostly in neutral colours with intricate veining.

In keeping with the residential feel, the whole first floor can be rented out for events and there are also three rooms available for private use. In the Petite Salon, a custom-shaped quartzite dining table in sage-toned Smeraldo and honey-toned Palomino marble can be configured for 12 people or divided for five separate parties.

Text / Carli Philips
Images / Traianos Pakioufakis