Frédéric Restaurant & Bar in Melbourne’s Cremorne by SJB Interiors.

Third-generation restaurateurs Nathalie, Edouard and Antoine Reymond, children of legendary French chef Jacques Reymond, have opened their latest culinary venture Frédéric Restaurant & Bar in Melbourne’s Cremorne. SJB Interiors helmed the design of two adjacent venues, the relaxed bar concept Fréd’s Bar, and more refined restaurant offering Frédéric.

“It will be a different concept, incorporating what we have learnt over the years and developing something new and fresh for this thriving suburb…we’re excited to work with so many vibrant businesses and a number of new residential developments in the area,” says Antoine Reymond.

SJB drew on mid-century European arthouse cinema for inspiration, blending the theatrical with the everyday throughout the interior. Set on the ground floor of a modern office building, lavish elements sit amongst utilitarian concrete, with the designers embracing the existing structure rather than trying to hide it. Elements such as antique mirrors, Thonet bentwood chairs, marble in various hues and a modernist chandelier are set against the concrete. Finishes include cork, rattan and pale green leather.

“The mood is French New Wave and Italian Modernism,” says Léo Terrando, SJB director and project leader. “The cinema of the 1950s was both revolutionary and a revelation. Inspiration is taken from cinematography legends Francois Truffaut, Jean- Luc Godard and Jacques Rivette.”

Polished steel provides a contemporary take on classic French detailing, the material used to execute elements such as a traditional overhead glass rack. Polished steel with backlit margins features for a wine storage wall, adding further dramatic feel. Details such as intricate mosaic flooring and a photographically printed linen screen add layered complexity to the design. Built for all-day dining, the space is both flexible and intimate, with glass screens around tables for two and curtains around the curved banquette.

“The design has enough options that you could go back five or ten times and have a completely different experience each time,” explains Terrando.

See more projects from SJB on Yellowtrace here.

[Images courtesy of SJB Interiors. Photography by Sharyn Cairns.]