Explore the look: Genovese Coffee House

Genovese Coffee House is an artfully designed cafe located in Sydney’s inner-city suburb of Alexandria, and the first hospitality venue by Genovese Coffee, a 50-year-old family company founded in Melbourne by Alfio Genovese. Alfio’s grandson, Adam, runs Genovese Coffee House and when it came time to design the interiors in 2021, he turned to the architecture and design professionals at Sydney practice Alexander &CO to craft a bespoke solution.

The goal was to recreate an Italian espresso bar serving up deli-style food and premium coffee within a multifunctional space that could accommodate a retail café counter, traditional espresso bar, cold brew and training bars and a commercial kitchen, as well as customer seating and facilities.

Alexander &CO took inspiration from Alexandria’s industrial heritage – and the heritage of the warehouse in which Genovese Coffee House exists – and fused it together with the Genovese family history, values and Italian coffee culture. The result is a mid-century modern aesthetic with industrial leanings that champions eco-friendly and sustainable materials.

The interiors showcase a warm and earthy selection of materials such as exposed brick, reclaimed timber, glass bricks, concrete slab benches, linen curtains and terrazzo, with touches of oranges, burgundy and sage green to set the scene. Vintage coffee memorabilia, metallic accents, industrial lighting, timber and rattan furniture complete the look.

Apply these decorative techniques to your own home or project to recreate your favourite elements of Genovese Coffee House.

The deep and earthy colour palette of Genovese Coffee House extends from the interiors right down to the tableware. It is this attention to detail that can make a space feel cohesive, polished and masterfully curated. Recreate this at home by reflecting the key colours of your interior scheme in your dinnerware, glassware and cutlery.

Alexander &CO have seamlessly merged mid-century modern and industrial design styles by embracing the raw and exposed nature of the warehouse architecture, and complementing it with mid-century furniture in similar tones to that of the existing brickwork, timber beams and concrete flooring. The overall palette is dark, rich and subdued, but boasts moments of elevation thanks to the inclusion of brass, iron, leather, terrazzo and ceramics – elements that will develop a beautiful patina with age. To do this yourself, find common ground between two design styles such as colour, material or shape.

The Genovese brand is built upon a commitment to environmental responsibility. So naturally, when planning the interiors, Alexander &CO honoured this value by using repurposed and salvaged materials as much as possible. The repurposed concrete bathroom sinks with terrazzo splashback and linen skirting are a particularly handsome example of this. During your next build or renovation, consider sourcing materials from salvage yards, or repurposing materials from your own demolition works.

Shop the look

Feeling inspired? Consider introducing these gorgeous products to your own home to create a similar interior scheme.

This Bentwood dining chair by Thonet is an elegant and timeless seating choice that has been one of the best-selling furniture designs for more than 150 years. Whether furnishing a home, cafe or office, this chair sets a sophisticated tone wherever it goes.

Strong, sturdy and versatile, this dining table has a simple design and rich stain that feels both contemporary and ageless at once. Pair it with any dining chair of your choosing as this table is a style chameleon that will blend into any theme with ease.

Walking the line between antique and industrial, this gleaming brass table lamp is a lovely lighting piece that adds shape, structure and interest to any side table, desk or bar. 

Aged brass and a ceramic dish shade come together to form a pendant light that is raw yet refined in equal parts. This particular pendant would look chic is both country or hamptons homes, or suitably pared-back in an industrial scene.

Handcrafted and hand-painted, this curvaceous ceramic vase adds a rustic and tactile decorative element to any space. Arrange it upon benchtops, side tables and credenzas.

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