One table, 20 seats, four courses, no nonsense. That's the concept behind Farmhouse, a restaurant in Sydney's Kings Cross neighborhood with a pared-down modern rustic interior and menu to match.
The owners explain their mission this way: "Make no mistake, Farmhouse is not trendy, not a pop up, not a place for cool people. Farmhouse is real." To create the right setting, they turned to Nicholas Gurney, a young Sydney designer who prefers to work with "small spaces, modest budgets, and big ambition," as he told Yellow Trace. The Farmhouse quarters fit the bill on all counts. The renovation of the 33-square-meter building references 19th century rustic European houses while also managing to look completely fresh—with plenty of details worth borrowing for your own dining setup. Says Gurney, "The idea is a dinner party in a farmhouse."
For reservations, visit Farmhouse; for more about the design, read on.
Photography by Michael Wee for Nicholas Gurney.
Above: The matte black façade of the restaurant stands in contrast to the warm interior, a happy marriage of dark and light, old and new.
Above: Simple wooden chairs are covered in vegetable-tanned leather, an Antipodean version of Shaker seating.
Above: The restaurant has a single table that seats 20. While the space may be narrow, its double-height raftered ceiling opens it up. Industrial pendants made from salvaged lighting parts hang between each beam.
Above: The table hinges open to seat guests at the leather-draped bench.
Above: Designer Nicholas Gurney. On the table: Laguiole Steak Knives ($46.95 from Crate & Barrel) in a small, amber-colored glass by Bottlehood ($19 for a set of two at Heath Ceramics).
Above: The menu changes daily and features four courses at a fixed price.
Above: No farm table is complete without the obligatory rooster plate. Photograph via Farmhouse Kings Cross on Facebook.
Above: Open shelving near the kitchen.
Location of Farmhouse in Sydney:
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