EGGER Decorative Collection meets ‘energetic design’ brief for central Brisbane office

ForestOne’s EGGER Decorative Collection helped power an office suite in Brisbane’s Grey Street, with the interiors steering away from ‘classic corporate’ in favour of an energetic design informed by its location. 

Located at 189 Grey Street in central Brisbane, the office’s setting in the Southbank precinct – a lively riverside area buzzing with museums, galleries, restaurants and a man-made beach – meant classic corporate palettes and attitudes could be shifted to the background in favour of an aesthetic that was altogether more exuberant. 

“The client wanted the new fitout to be fun and energetic,” says Julia Tamatea, creative director of Brisbane interior design studio Bearspace, which oversaw the design of the spec suite.

The space reflects the cultural vibe and organic elements that sit on the building’s doorstep. Natural timber tones and plenty of greenery bring the outdoors in, while rock gardens and geometric lighting echo the river below. The area’s industrial history is referenced in polished-concrete desks, tabletops and planter boxes, as well as gleaming copper accents on furniture. An eye-catching mural of Brisbane on the entrance wall softens the concrete and metal, and accentuates the sense of location – an effect enhanced by a street map of the city that wraps around the kitchen counter and table legs, and runs along the bottom of the office walls.

“The kitchen’s all-concrete look, paired with the apricot laminate banquette and dining tables with green and pink stone and copper legs changes the concrete feel to an energy that reflects a unique softness and edge,” says Tamatea. 

“The transition between the timber to the concrete and the wall art works exceptionally well. The design draws the guest’s eyes through the entrance into the boardroom to enjoy the stunning view.”

ForestOne’s EGGER was used throughout the space, bringing pastel colours, unique timber-grain looks and stone finishes to the design. EGGER’s Natural Halifax Oak H1180 ST37 decor is found on various tabletops throughout the space from ‘Zoom rooms’ to ‘collab tables’. The office’s largely monochrome palette is broken up with open shelving and a banquette harnessing EGGER’s alluring Apricot Nude U232 ST9 decor. Dining tables are given a striking marble-look effect with a laminate from EGGER’s International range (EGGER’s Engelsberg Marble F014 ST9). Elsewhere, walls are panelled in EGGER’s warm Tobacco Halifax Oak H1181 ST37, while square desks and drawers, the kitchen counter and the boardroom exude industrial polish thanks to EGGER’s Light Grey Chicago Concrete F186 ST9.

Tamatea says that while the renowned durability and easy maintenance of EGGER holds great appeal, so, too, do the brand’s sustainability credentials. EGGER is committed to sustainable forestry, and it aims to use by-products from sawmills to cut back on the natural resources required to make its products. It even converts heat to green electricity in its biomass power plants. Ultimately, the choice to use EGGER’s products came down to the unique colours and renowned high quality.

“We use EGGER because of the quality of the colours and finish of the product,” Tamatea says. “The stone we used was very special and we have not seen a stone finish in a laminate like that before. And the size of the larger sheets is great in wall applications and minimising joint lines.”

Project details

Project: Grey Street Office Suite

Location: Brisbane, Australia

Interior Design: Bearspace

Furniture: M&E Interiors

Photography: Cieran Murphy