Project Team

design: The Society Inc

The upstairs rooms at The Oaks reopen with a striking 1930’s inspired redesign.

Created by Sibella Court and the team at The Society Inc, the interiors of the upstairs rooms at The Oaks have been restored with a distinctive art deco feel. The new look pays homage to the historical owners of the iconic pub, the Furlongs, along with current owners, the Thomas family.

The new design combines art deco and art nouveaux influences to create striking new interiors, channelling renowned 1930’s creatives. In particular, the large murals in the pool rooms are reminiscent of the bold and colourful designs of famous artists Sonia Delaunay and Clarice Cliff.

The Oaks Hotel which was built in the 1930’s, and has now been lovingly restored and cared for over its many years with its grand original details and features. With a purposeful pairing of old and new, it’s revitalisation pays homage to its Art deco origins.

The upstairs rooms of The oaks was originally the licensee’s flat and his daughters room, Nancy and Kathleen. Today the rooms have a variety of choices for fun and decorative backgrounds with pool tables, ping pong, library room with a manned honesty bar and outdoor terrace with a private station bar.

The design encapsulates the history of the building and travel in the 1920’s & 30’s as it become more accessible to the average bear. It references one of the most exciting design periods in history, Art Deco and the thoughtful pace of train travel. The space is as much about the journey as the exotic destinations.

Begin the journey through the ‘backstage’ full of props and theatre in the Trophy Room, kitted out with its very own physics tent to tell your future. Pass the original kitchen transformed into a patterned paper to complement to original wunderlich tiles in the LEFT ping pong room. The grand hallway is transformed from a transitional room into David Thomas’s (owner) very own private gallery with floor to ceiling artworks collected throughout his years.

A revamped curved bar with its original plaster dome now made all the more glamorous with custom-made copper globe by the talented Melbourne- based makers, Earl Pinto suspended on a pulley system. As the hallway meanders on, choose between ‘arsenic’ coloured walls of Mannix Room all tartan and hunting or the colourful sisters room for pool across the hall. Glamorous women of the time inspired the oversized murals, the collectable ceramic artist, Clarice Cliff and textile designer, Sonia Delaunay.

If chit chat and cocktails are more your thing, try the new Station Bar, reminiscent of the materials found in a working train station; hand forged zinc bar top with beautiful timber joinery & smithed details that spill out to a plan thick terrace. For lounging around, nestle up by the fire in to the custom curved sofas in The Sitting Room and the Licensees Flat. These rooms are for fun, games and cocktails served from the custom-made manned Honesty bar.