Middletown

Middletown Café is the embodiment of refined style and thoughtful consideration to detail. Designed by Melbourne-based interior architecture practice Studio Tate, the bold yet refined interior is the personification of Middletown’s ‘modern muse’, the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton. The unique decision to draw creative inspiration from a muse was conceptualised in partnership with graphic design studio Pop + Pac.

This unifying approach marries interior architecture and environmental graphics, delivering a cohesive brand-led outcome and a truly original approach to hospitality design. Contemporary-meets-classic and beautifully resolved, intricate details and finishes pay homage to Kate’s journey from the English countryside to Westminster Abbey, and to her current residence in Kensington Palace.

While drawing on these iconic historical references, Middletown also embodies Kate’s enduring warmth and humility irrespective of her rise to the pinnacle of British high society. Solid and robust in materiality, the interior comprises a thoughtful layering of textures that nod to the new and the old, such as contemporary terrazzo flooring laid in a traditional checkerboard pattern. Other materials include stone, metal and timber, all grounded within walls of deep blue.

While immediately striking, the space is softened by feminine details such as accents of brass, pastel furnishings and pale timbers. Intricate herringbone cladding and the use of perforated timber mouldings create visual interest, while clean lines and warm lighting add to the welcoming, comfortable ambience. Designed with intelligence, Middletown is a considered contrast of bold and light, intricate and refined, classic and contemporary. From the big picture right down to the smallest detail, all elements combine to create a luxurious yet approachable sensory experience.

Studio Tate