Our Parramatta store takes its name and inspiration from Sydney’s largest watercourse, along the upper reaches of which the Burramattagal people of the Dharug nation first settled many thousands of years ago. The creeks that dot its route, the flora that flanks its banks, and the vessels that skim its surface all inform the design.
Polished green cement covers the entrance floor, the threshold’s refreshing, textural colour evocative of light refractions on the surface of a gently rippling river. This calming jade hue is echoed on walls inside the store, and in planters housing botanicals and perennials that might grow along the banks. The interior is organised into various channels, akin to the Parramatta’s tributaries: one passage where formulations can be discovered and discussed, another housing a generous bench for moments of repose.
Stainless steel and lacquered wood—two traditionally industrial materials, here striking unexpectedly warm and inviting notes—are in harmony throughout. The former is used for a large, curved basin and a counter which stand in the centre of the room, offering a cooling tactility for customers arriving on a balmy Sydney day. The latter forms product shelves reminiscent of rowing boats that run the lengths of the walls, the nautical timber conjuring images of a leisurely boat ride along the river.