YSG takes Superfreak into the 70s

YSG has transformed Sydney cafe Superfreak into a 1970s haven with the addition of cork flooring, carpet-lined seating and muted colour tones. Vintage furniture pieces add to the aesthetic, as well as diner-style curtains and a colour palette of pale sandy yellows, avocado greens and deep earthy brown tones.

GALLERY  

To the left of the entrance, a large U-shaped timber banquette made with maple joinery marks out the main seating area, upholstered in soft brown carpet material. The deep wrap-around, bench-style seating has inbuilt storage and an integrated plinth containing a record player and vinyl storage cavity.

“Our clients wanted a space where locals felt like they could hang out,” YSG director Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem explained. “A key component was to build sunken lounge-like seating via banquettes that created a cosy enclosure,” she continued.

Replacing the previously all-white decoration, YSG used glossy green paint for the walls and ceiling surrounding the timber service counter.  A statement lamp crafted by American artist Autumn Casey sits on top of the wooden counter.

“Possessing a child-like expression of a classic Tiffany lamp, we granted it pride of place by the entrance beside the coffee machine,” said Ghoneim.

The same brown carpet material used for the lounge seating was also added to the exterior of an open kitchen counter and the tops of its high stool seats.

A mural of a leafy green garden scene by Creative Finish was painted across concealed storage and refrigeration space behind the bar, with a gold-toned corner mirror feature off to the side.

While the clients initially intended to continue the brown carpet for the floor, YSG opted for cork flooring instead due to the nature of the space as a hospitality setting.

“Prioritising tonal and textural interest, we laid spongey caramel-hued sealed cork underfoot, also aiding the acoustics,” said Ghoneim.

Taking cues from the interior concept, the building’s facade was painted green with a street-side coffee hatch cutout incorporated for takeaway orders.

Superfreak Cafe
Location Sydney, Australia
Architect YSG
Photographer Phillip Huynh

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