Argyle House is located in the township of Camden, located 65 kilometres southwest of Sydney’s CBD, is a place where stories have always lived. Once the entry point into Governor King’s Cowpasture Reserve at the Nepean River crossing part of the Dharawal people’s lands, known as Benkennie Camden has long been defined by its blend of heritage and progress. Its streetscapes of Victorian, Edwardian, and interwar buildings speak to a layered history that continues to evolve with each generation.

In 2020, Camden witnessed the fragility of its past when a devastating fire consumed a historic building in the heart of town. More than 50 firefighters and two helicopters fought to contain the blaze, and while the structure was lost, its spirit was not extinguished. Instead, its story became a catalyst for renewal, sparking the creation of Argyle House a restaurant and hospitality destination that embraces Camden’s nostalgia while reinterpreting it through a bold, contemporary lens.

A Carefully Choreographed Guest Journey

Argyle House unfolds as a sequence of spaces designed with intention and atmosphere. Guests are welcomed into a refined reception and lounge bar, where comfortable seating and reimagined 18th-century portraiture establish a tone that is both sophisticated and playfully irreverent. This first impression sets the stage for the venue’s layered storytelling.

At the heart of the restaurant, a series of dining rooms balances intimacy and sociability. High ceilings and ornate Victorian cornices meet contemporary art interventions pistol-toting nobles, acid yellows, and candy pinks that disrupt tradition with wit and energy. A dedicated bar extends the experience with its own character while echoing the dining room’s palette and textures. For moments of exclusivity, a recessed private dining room provides intimacy, framed by custom bench seating and layered details that feel both classic and unexpected. The result is a cinematic flow of experiences, deliberate yet surprising at every turn.

Concept & Design Approach

The design of Argyle House is built on a bold conceptual foundation: the collision of 18th-century British colonial art and architecture with a distinctly modern Australian perspective. Grand oil portraits and imperial motifs are reframed with irreverence and humour, producing an environment that is elevated yet joyfully offbeat.

Led by COOOP.co, the project brought together the interior design team, responsible for spatial strategy, detailing, and flow, and the brand design team, who shaped the visual identity and curated the art program. Their genre-bending approach fuses classical references with pop symbolism, grounding Argyle House firmly in a contemporary Australian voice.

Colour, Materials & Craft

The palette draws deeply from the building’s Victorian heritage: emerald greens, smoky greens, warm creams, and rich timber tones establish an elegant base. Against this, vivid bursts of acid yellow, lipstick red, and candy pink disrupt the calm, ensuring that history is experienced as living dialogue rather than static homage.

Fabrics and finishes were sourced from France and Italy, luxury upholstery, ornate detailing balanced with locally fabricated joinery and craftsmanship. This marriage of global sophistication and regional grounding reinforces the venue’s tactility and authenticity.

Influences & Guest Experience

The heritage building itself became a co-author in the design, its architecture honoured while its theatricality was playfully reinterpreted. Portraiture, symbolism, and classical motifs are retold through a contemporary lens, reminding guests that history can be both respected and reinvented.

At its core, Argyle House communicates layered storytelling. It is elegant yet unafraid of humour, serious yet playful, nostalgic yet progressive. Guests are invited to feel transported, engaged, and amused leaving with the sense that they have been part of a narrative rich in contrast and unmistakably memorable.

Overcoming Challenges

One of the greatest challenges lay in integrating a bold, contemporary art program within a heritage-listed structure. Preserving historical elements while introducing disruption required sensitivity, collaboration, and creative negotiation. Structural quirks were resolved through close partnership with owners Morney and Nichole, whose vision safeguarded the design intent. Delivery partner Franchise Fitout Group executed with exceptional attention to detail, ensuring every finish aligned with the creative ambition.

A Living Storybook in Camden

Argyle House is more than a restaurant it is Camden’s history retold through food, architecture, and atmosphere. The menu celebrates both tradition and place, from hearty pies and roasts that recall colonial feasts to modern Australian dishes that showcase the region’s fertile Cow pastures. Craft beers, cocktails, and live music complete the picture, ensuring the experience is as convivial as it is refined.

What was once lost to fire has been reborn as a living storybook. Argyle House honours Camden’s heritage while reframing it with wit, colour, and creativity. It is a dining destination where nostalgia becomes progress, and where every guest plays a role in a story that continues to unfold.