The country town of Armidale, a former gold rush settlement in a region known as the New England of NSW, is home to the refurbished Tattersalls Hotel. Originally built in 1854, the establishment was renamed Tattersalls in 1884. Luchetti Krelle have honoured the hotel’s opulent Art Deco past throughout the extensive renovation and rejuvenation, harnessing the original curves and timber details of the heritage structure, resurrecting the patinas of its gilded history.

“We wanted to set a lavish tone that conveyed the impression of opulence and richness without unnecessary adornment,” says Stuart Krelle, Creative Director of Luchetti Krelle.

All three floors were gutted to allow for the creation of 25 guest rooms and suites, lounge and common areas, gaming parlour, as well as the addition of a rear courtyard and entertainment area. Original facades were conserved, as were interior features such as a glass skylight, pressed tin ceilings and solid timber-lined stairways, restored to former glory with rich walnut stains.

In the formal and guest lounges, soft furnishings and textiles evoke the radical elegance of Armidale’s gold rush heyday. Rich velvet seating in garnet red feature alongside silks and sapphire blue walls in the formal lounge. In the guest lounges, burnt orange conveys weighted prestige, with modern geometric carpets mimicking the patterns of the pressed metal ceilings and parquetry of the timber shelves.

“Prior to its Art Deco transformation in the 1930s the hotel was built in a traditional Victorian style, so the punchy jewel tones and elegant drapery were inspired by that decadent bygone era,” says Krelle.

Animated, geometric patterns continue throughout public and private spaces, with Luchetti Krelle collaborating on an elaborate design with Brintons carpet. Other custom elements include tubular glass and brass chandeliers intermingled with pendant lights, sconces, and vintage lights. Oak parquetry lines the function room floors, while a backlit brass chevron panel animates the marble and travertine main bar. Brass chevron joinery hardware references sinuous Art Deco forms, as do curved arched doorways, mirrors and inset shelves throughout the hotel. Fluted edges on the restaurant banquettes and rounded edges on each bedhead further enhance the Art Deco concept.

Guest rooms are streamlined and elegant, with minimal cushioned furniture and metallic touches enhancing a powdery, pastel-hued palette. Shades of dusty sage green, antique rose and apricot play against textured French-washed walls to create a sense of ethereal luxury. Brass accents include floating side tables and reading lights, while arched steel-framed doors open onto private lounges. In the bathrooms, free-standing baths and tessellated tiles together celebrate the ritual of bathing.

[Images courtesy of Luchetti Krelle. Photography by Tom Ferguson.]