Fitout Goes to the Dogs
Sandown Greyhounds Tabaret:
www.sandowngreyhoundstabaret.com.au
‘Sandown Greyhounds Tabaret’… it’s calling a spade a spade really — you instantly know where you are, what you’re looking at and the main reason for being there. You’ve got to admire that. No one’s trying to guild the bistro lily by calling it ‘Dish Lickers’ or something equally euphemistic. Now try and reconcile the extreme utilitaria of the words ‘Sandown Greyhounds Tabaret’ with the accompanying image. Yeah, I know. It looks great!Mish-elle Korn of MK Interiors was commissioned to undertake the redesign. Given the space didn’t have any views to speak of, her task was to give the patrons a sense of belonging within the four walls of the building — ie. it was a case of looking in rather than out. Like many club refits, the drive behind the new look was the need for a smokers’ courtyard. An old public toilet and storeroom were recommissioned into an alfresco haven. Patrons will be calmed by the burble of running water over the limestone wall, intrigued by the rusted perforated steel wall panels (uplit in the evening) and stimulated by the wall of raspberry pink and ‘bird’s nest’ suspended lights — frivolity aside, it’s nifty.Indoors, the pattern and colour of the carpet was specifically designed to delineate the rooms and subtly set the tone. The use of powder-coated steel screening defines the spaces, but doesn’t box the patrons in. The gaming room has several dramatic pleated lights, which fall amid oversized suspended timber slatted panels. They help to punctuate a very large space. MK Interiors redesigned and repositioned the bar so that now it’s the heart and soul of the venue.The colours, lighting and furniture and finishes are sophisticated, reflecting Mish-elle’s penchant for new fabrics and finishes: “I find texture and its intrinsic value irresistible,” Mish- elle noted enigmatically. MK Interiors worked closely with KFive in selecting the precise streamlined furniture look without compromising comfort.As always, previously stick-in-the-mud clubs sporting a new look are loath to disenfranchise their rusted-on clientele, while still attracting a fresh audience. The established regulars seem pleased with the results and feel comfortable in the new environment — job done.