Été

One of four hospitality projects Foolscap worked on within Lendlease's Barangaroo South precinct, Été was Drew Bolton's Provençal-inspired restaurant. Appearing effortlessly put together yet carefully refined, the design reflects classic French style through a contemporary Australian lens.

Seasonality guided both menu and interiors. Floral and produce installations evolved throughout the year, signalling seasonal shifts. Autumn and winter featured a moody palette of plum, burgundy, and dark timber, while spring and summer brought bright tangerine and green tones. The bar was framed in handmade green ceramic tiles and clad in hand-beaten zinc; decorative modernist lighting was handmade in France, and steel upholstered outdoor furniture was locally fabricated to Foolscap’s design. Rustic timber beams became smooth, blonde bentwood; coiled wrought iron was reinterpreted in a hand-painted wall mural with a subtle hint of 1980s brashness. Long tables echoed farmhouse trestles, arranged with dividers to provide privacy for diners.

For graphic elements, Foolscap collaborated with Chicago-based artist John Zabawa to develop a rough, hand-drawn typeface and a series of artworks. There are two full-height wall murals and ten paintings. The wine menu is encased in a beautiful leather binding that we designed and had made by local leather worker Sarah van Oosterom.