A Cultivated Sensibility – Margaret by CAON Studio and ACME

Infused with a refined composure, Neil Perry’s Double Bay restaurant Margaret is a dance of sweeping curves and textural interplay. Enlivened by surfaces of INAX ceramics and Sareva stone from Artedomus, a delicate and cultivated sensibility is felt throughout.

The simplicity and sophistication of an oyster emerges as the pearl of wisdom behind the design of Margaret. The collaboration between David Caon of CAON Studio and Vince Alafaci and Caroline Choker of ACME embodies the mollusc’s subtle elegance through considered arrangements of materials. Selected for their history of meticulous craftsmanship, the INAX ceramic Fabe Ox tiles in 26N supplied by Artedomus adorn the restaurant’s floors while robust slabs of natural Sareva stone, also from Artedomus, greet patrons at the bar.

Humble finesse is seen in the simple yet impactful use of the Fabe Ox ceramics.

Humble finesse is seen in the simple yet impactful use of the Fabe Ox ceramics. These unassuming tiles tote a rich history of Japanese manufacturing mastery. INAX is renowned for its origins in creating tiles with Frank Lloyd Wright for the famed Imperial Hotel in 1924 and has since continued to refine its traditional artisanal techniques through a wide range of architectural ceramics.

Exemplifying perfection, the rigorous process of creating INAX tiles includes handcrafting extruded, sheeted porcelain ceramics that undergo a very slow, long kiln firing. This baking process – much longer than that of traditional tiles – produces a superior, hard-wearing end-product. INAX’s architectural ceramics are then subjected to a specialised light that detects variations in tone to ensure every tile encompasses the exact same quality, glaze and colour.

With the Fabe Ox underfoot providing a subtly textural foundation, the application of Sareva stone atop Margaret’s bar aptly lends a superb natural surface reminiscent of the interior of an oyster shell.

With the Fabe Ox underfoot providing a subtly textural foundation, the application of Sareva stone atop Margaret’s bar aptly lends a superb natural surface reminiscent of the interior of an oyster shell. The quartzite’s gentle hue and marbled veining not only look the part but it possesses the inherent durability and inimitable finish that natural stone affords. Interlocking particles of quartz form a network that imparts great strength to the crystalline stone, resulting in a material harder than granite and capable of withstanding years of benchtop use and heat.

Renowned as Australia’s leading supplier of exceptional stone, tiles, architectural ceramics, bathware and furniture, Artedomus’s discerning selection of surfaces used for Margaret, the ground floor restaurant of Sydney’s Pallas House, reflect core values of enduring quality and intrinsic beauty.