Going for BBQ on a Sunday

There is a time and a place where classy, elegant decor is suitable. A BBQ restaurant definitively calls for something casual and I absolutely adore the vintage industrial vibe that interior designer Jordan Littler went with Red's True Barbecue in Sheffield, England.

'On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all of his work.'  Genesis 2:2

On their seventh restaurant, Red's wanted to evolve the concept and introduce a neighbourhood feel that would connect with the people of Ecclesall Road in Sheffield. 120 covers spread over two floors, the design takes it's inspiration from Sheffield's strong musical heritage combined with the authentic atmosphere of Rainey Street in Austin, Texas, to create a house party vibe at your Grandmas house. A collection of junkyard trinkets decorate the glass fronted bar alongside delicate tiffany lights, frilly standing lamps and traditional rugs, all set off against a rough, unapologetic interior utilising Red's iconic batting cages and exposed lath walls. Our very own carefully curated teenage VHS collection was incorporated into the concealed door on the first floor connecting to the trippy, hallucinogenic corridor leading to the toilets. Photos: James Brown

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Brassica Restaurant & Mercantile

A follower of our blog named Louise wrote us about a restaurant and shop she has opened in Dorset, U.K. and kindly sent along lots of photos. I love this! I can totally see myself spending a Sunday afternoon shopping and having a bit of wine and a snack here.

Brassica Restaurant & Mercantile is an independent hospitality and retail brand located in the heart of Hardy Country - West Dorset. The restaurant offers an outstanding experience of delicious food, wine and service in a stylish environment. The menu is produce-led using seasonal food grown, raised, caught or collected in Dorset and the South West. The modern European dishes change daily. The menu has been designed to encourage an informal way of eating: people can share main courses, order a selection of starters or just pop in for a glass of wine and a plate of charcuterie. 

Mercantile is the retail arm of Brassica offering a bespoke range of goods that focus on the 'art of entertaining' and convivial gatherings. The shop next door and online sells a carefully curated number of lifestyle items selected from around the globe and which reflect the aesthetic used in the interior of the restaurant. The shop offers a mix of linens, candles, tableware, glassware and cookware, many of which are used in the actual restaurant. Specialist food and fine wine is available alongside books, furniture, textiles, homewares and a number of vintage items. (OMG I want this velvet bedspread!)

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Monday=coffee

Yes it's true. The only way I can kickstart the working week is with a very (very) large cup of coffee. I find it works even better if there is a cool, slightly industrial looking coffee house/cafe involved. I'm such a tragic that I'm known to get to a cafe very early then take the time to sit and drink it all in for the hour before work. Now if I lived in Melbourne, in the suburb of Prahran, I think I would just have perch myself on a stool in Tall Timber with its design by architectural and interior design studio Therefore, coffee on one side real newspaper on the other.

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Monday ... need coffee

I love a great cup of coffee and I love a great cafe to have it in. The perfect way to kickstart the week.

"The detailing takes its cue from Japanese furniture design, balancing form, colour and texture. Dark framing elements add solidity and structure to the pieces while the textured speckled infill panels add colour and a sense of playfulness. The café design is an exercise in simplicity, playfulness and restraint, allowing the space to compliment the elements within it, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere." Wynyard Café in South Melbourne by Adele Bates Design.

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Still Monday and I need more coffee

If you'd rather start (or in my case continue) your Monday with a hit of caffeine in a dark, albeit stylish cave then perhaps Abbots & Kinney by Adelaide-based architects studio-gram will help you ease into the week. If I was drinking a cappuccino in the last cafe then it's definitely short blacks here. The added bonus is that if good coffee and great surrounds aren't enough to cure your Mondayitis I hear the pastry is to die for.

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