Lasting Spaces – Parkwood Tavern by Cayas and Ward

With careful planning and thoughtful design, Marina Bacha of Cayas and Ward has transformed Parkwood Tavern into a modern space for future generations. Employing EGGER materials throughout, old and new seamlessly blend to craft a space where connection is as much part of Parkwood as the materials.

For two decades, Parkwood Tavern has been a favourite gathering place — the kind of venue where community and conversation thrive. Yet much like any frequently used public space, there was a dire need for new energy. With the intent to create a welcoming entertainment space for the Queensland-based tavern, Marina Bacha, Interior Designer at Cayas and Ward, has used EGGER’s extensive range of wood-based products to bring new life while still maintaining the original character of Parkwood Tavern.

Her goal was not to erase the past but to reinterpret it through modern materials and detailing.“We do a great amount of refurbishment work and most of the time the challenge is to decide what to keep and what to demolish,” she explains. Utilising what was already existing, Marina worked to make moments of the old through the new additions – “instead of demolishing the bulkheads in the terrace […] we decided to create interesting arched openings,” explains Marina, “which formed a focal point for the new glazed doors.” Understanding that most hospitality venues can become obsolete in a matter of years, Marina wanted to be “thoughtful of the finishes,” including keeping over 90 per cent of the existing ceilings and using durable elements to amplify the new parts of Parkwood Tavern.

Soft timber tones, subtle textures, and warm hues bring an inviting sense of comfort echoing the tavern’s role as a local meeting place.Working with ForestOne to specify the appropriate materials, Cayas and Ward explored EGGER’s wood-based products and finishes, finding many fitting pieces that worked with the client’s budget and design desires. “All our projects use a large number of laminate finishes and timber products,” expresses Marina. “ForestOne introduced us to the EGGER laminate range, which we were instantly drawn to for its beautiful range of colours, textures and realistic-looking laminates.”

Combining durability and attractiveness, the EGGER laminates are an ideal material choice for projects such as Parkwood Tavern. Providing hygienic and food safety advantages, as well as being wear, impact and scratch-resistant, EGGER laminates are made from 60 per cent renewable materials – further providing a safe and sustainable material for the tavern. Additionally, with the introduction of an indoor-outdoor connection for the diverse demographic, Cayas and Ward incorporated “a splash of forest green” to enhance both the interior entertainment rooms and outside areas. Soft timber tones, subtle textures, and warm hues bring an inviting sense of comfort echoing the tavern’s role as a local meeting place. This is complemented by “Apricot Nude, [which] works perfectly with our colour palette,” and for feature screens, Cayas and Ward used Natural Hamilton Oak along with black timber frames.

Marina endeavoured to complement the existing architecture with new additions that would not take away from the original.

Author: Brett Winchester
Photographer: Cieran Murphy | https://cieranmurphy.com
Interior Design: Cayas and Ward | https://www.cayasandward.com.au