Sydneys new Private Club
Opulent and exclusive, The aVenue by Paul Kelly Design delivers an intimate performance and hospitality space in Sydney’s Darlinghurst. Entering through the Kirketon Hotel, The aVenue’s rich finishes and sophisticated detailing transports guests into a theatrical showcase of live performance, premium cocktails and cuisine.
Tasked with creating a warm and inviting interior with a feeling of exclusivity, Paul Kelly Design sought to create moments of depth and intrigue. The customer is designed to sit in the shadows, while the performance, food and drinks are played out in front of them – a dynamic that is crafted through deep contrasts in materials and lighting.
A figured, blush marble cocktail bar takes centre stage, with a brass back bar reaffirming the venue’s classic cocktail offer. Modular Lighting Brand 4 FOURflex F15 strip lights accentuate the bar’s curved profiles, echoed in a circular ring light that defines the bar’s central performance space. Mirrored ceiling panels reflect the light and activity of the performers in their dazzling costumes, surrounded by a continuous light strip lining the perimeter.
Mayfair Lounge
The aVenue by Paul Kelly Design
Fluted banquette seating and velvet chairs create welcoming spaces to drink and dine. An inset strip light casts an ambient glow across the venue’s graphic mural artworks, subtly highlighting the vibrant colour accents of turquoise and gold. Modular Lighting Brand 4 Mini G-45 fittings offer compact, low-glare illumination over the dining tables, while Minude 45 semi-recessed luminaires further highlight the performance spaces. Small and adjustable, this fitting delivers a theatrical style light in a small package.
With no access to natural light, the lighting’s control system needed flexibility to suit the space’s evolving needs throughout the evening. Phillips Hue controls allows lighting scenes to be automated to suit various performance requirements, with the ability for clients to further adjust the light levels during operation.
Combining focal glows and plays of brilliance, the lighting approach allows The aVenue’s warm finishes and opulent details to shine. The result is an immersive experience of entertainment and service, luxurious yet welcoming, embracing yet private.
