When the terrace adjoining their North Hobart restaurant, Ogee, went up for sale, Matt and Monique Breen jumped at the opportunity to expand the restaurant’s operations into accommodation.
‘We’ve always loved hosting and love entertaining our guests at the restaurant, so adding the option for people to be able to book the guesthouse and carry on the experience seemed like a no brainer,’ says chef and Ogee owner, Matt Breen.
The heritage property was in a ‘pretty dire way’ at the time of purchasing, ready for architect Mark Drury to unlock the potential of its generous proportions and heritage features.
The brief was simple: make the guesthouse feel like Ogee.
Sympathetic design updates honour the building’s past while inviting modern luxury, most notably in the striking bathroom. This formerly underutilised room now glows with curved red tiles, underfloor heating, and a freestanding tub.
‘We had a lot of room to play with and Mark Drury, our architect, went to town on the design,’ says Matt of the bathroom. ‘As you walk in, you’re met with the huge curved, red tiled wall that works as a divider between you and the bath. It’s a real wow moment as you walk in.’
The living room follows the colour palette of the restaurant exterior with its dark and moody walls that encourage cosy record listening sessions by the Pitt & Giblin speakers.
A wall was removed to open up the living area to the kitchen, which is equally bespoke. ‘We wanted it to feel like you could be sitting at Ogee,’ explains Matt.
‘Being a chef, I wanted the kitchen to be high end and a kitchen that I would love to cook in if staying in an Airbnb. We decked it out with all the same pots, pans, glassware and utensils as the restaurant, so any one that loves to cook would be in heaven.’
Furnishing and styling by Aneka Sidoti introduces soft and sculptural pieces to bring the spaces together.
Guests can start unwinding immediately with the generous welcome pack filled with Ogee branded Negronis waiting, a bottle of red, eggs, fresh bread, seasonal vegetables, and locally made chocolates.
The guesthouse is a chance for Matt and Monique to keep telling the story of Ogee, long after dinner’s over.
‘We don’t think there are many other places like it,’ says Matt. ‘We’ve made a really unique and bespoke experience.’
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