How The West Was Won
How does one honour the wonderful history of a building, whilst creating an exciting, inviting and fresh interior suited to a vibrant cafe? Best to ask Matt Woods, who was nominated for the Eat Drink Design Awards for Percy Plunkett Cafe, Penrith. He has masterfully balanced the old and new in this textural design that honours local makers and suppliers.
Bright and airy, from bottom to top
Perfect Floor Paint in Lamb's Wool injects brightness and contrast into the space from the ground up, allowing depth and texture on the walls without sacrificing light.
Matt chose French Wash to add a sense of age and patina to walls. Porter's Low Sheen in Mist was applied first, then French Wash in Elysian was brushed over the top and carefully removed with muslin rag by painters Brilliant Coatings for a subtle broken-colour effect. The cool grey tone of the walls is the perfect backdrop for warm, pale timber furniture, and adds to the richly layered textures in the space. Skirting boards were finished with Porter's Antique Black Wax to add a layer of patina to the fresh paintwork and honour the true age of the building.
Percy would be proud
The cafe's namesake is its owner for 40 years from 1928, Percy Plunkett. Matt Woods made sure to pay homage to Percy's legacy and retain the cafe's sense of history and locality by using aged finishes and local suppliers throughout.
