The Old Clare Hotel rests on a parcel of land that is rich in history, its earliest recorded inhabitants being the Eora people. The area known today as Chippendale, a place of creativity, cafés, where modern architecture meets buzzing city life has been through quite the highs and lows.

A history full of pig ladies, rat catchers, booze, crime gradually transformed into an industrial hub in the early 19th century. Major George Druitt, who was granted the land wherein the Old Clare now stands, sold in 1834 a large portion of it to John Tooth, who established the Kent Brewery. His namesake ‘Tooth’s Beer’ produced dozens of iconic pub posters that still adorn the art deco pubs in Sydney today.

The entire hotel suite joinery was uniquely scaled and configured to accommodate the individually-sized rooms with their individual quirks and features as dictated by the original structure, whilst complementing the industrial feel and history of the buildings with a contemporary accent. Cabinetry, desks, wardrobes, elongated cushioned bedheads and matching bases, plus bedside units were forged by hand from mixed materials including solid timber edging, hand-stained pine, laminate, steel, neutrally-toned fabrics, veneer and the unusual, yet effective inclusion of floor lining for a subtle sheen to joinery edges.

The weighty concierge reception desk and oval-shaped island service bar on the ground level are framed by seamlessly welded solid steel and enlivened with backlit curved glass panels replicating the tones of the original tile feature walls within the bar in an innovative reimagining of the iconic landmark.