The Challenge

The brief called for the creation of a flagship retail showroom design in Sydney that could seamlessly showcase Smeg’s full product portfolio while catering to a diverse audience including retail customers, designers, architects, developers and commercial clients. A key challenge was to deliver a premium commercial interior design outcome that not only expressed the brand’s Italian heritage, but actively inspired customers through an immersive and aspirational environment. Each product range, including Dolce Stil Novo, Linea, Classic and Victoria, needed to be presented within a fully realised kitchen showroom design, tailored to its unique aesthetic while maintaining a cohesive overall experience. The space also required careful integration of additional appliances through clever, concealed storage solutions to avoid visual clutter while maximising product display. All of this was to be achieved within a heritage wool store building, requiring thoughtful alignment between global brand guidelines and the existing architectural fabric, while supporting retail, demonstration, event and consultation functions within a clear and intuitive customer journey.

Our Approach

Our approach to this commercial interior design and retail showroom project in Sydney was grounded in strategic planning, beginning with stakeholder workshops, customer journey mapping and international benchmarking to shape a highly considered and immersive retail environment. The showroom is organised around a central demonstration kitchen that forms the heart of the space, designed to engage the senses, build trust and inspire customers through live product interaction. Each product range is expressed as a distinct kitchen showroom environment, carefully designed to reflect its individual aesthetic and lifestyle, enabling customers to clearly envision the products within their own homes. Additional appliances are seamlessly integrated through concealed storage solutions, ensuring a refined and premium presentation without compromising range depth. The design responds to the heritage context by retaining and celebrating original timber columns, exposed ceilings and existing materials, while travertine and layered lighting reinforce Smeg’s Italian design language. A considered zoning strategy supports multiple user groups, including a design studio, developer suite and commercial display areas, while flexible elements such as a custom 16-seat table made from reclaimed materials enable adaptability. Sustainability is embedded through adaptive reuse, material repurposing and long-life material selection, resulting in a retail showroom design that is both inspiring, functional and enduring.