Castorina and Co Showroom in Fitzroy by Flack Studio

Mid Century Italian Vintage furniture supplier Castorina & Co have a new location on Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, designed by Flack Studio. A unique high street position for such a niche vintage offering in Australia, the showroom had to be flexible in order to rotate and showcasing changeable furniture shipments.

The 250sqm site was in bad repair, with most of the flooring having rotten through, and stairs that had lost their footing and seemingly hung in the air. The previous tenant was a well-established furniture bazar, however, it had been ill-maintained and never moved large pieces of the specific nature and price of Castorina & Co. After first conducting extensive overhaul and maintenance, Flack placed steel-framed doors in the front entrance and at the rear of the store, allowing a previous room to be opened up and used as floor space.

Evoking an air of sophistication aligned with Castorina’s inventory, dark colours, fabrics and carpets dominate, creating zones and living spaces to display pieces individually. Wispy textiles in tones of amber and navy hang from the tall ceilings, acting as subtle dividers for the various display vignettes. There are multiple dividing walls throughout the space, so Flack created large circular portholes that create a journey experience and allow a sneak peek of what’s to come. Due to the dark tones, lighting was tantamount, with illumination implemented from the street to promote an attention-seeking view of the showroom at all hours.

Flack encouraged a more luxurious take on practical furnishings too, aligning with the showroom offerings. “Previously the clients had sat behind a standard desk at their previous site – we wanted people to feel like they were walking into the best furniture store in NYC & London, so a large monolithic brass counter was designed to set the scene,” says Flack.

See more projects from Flack Studio on Yellowtrace here.