Cool Spaces: Tryn at Steenberg

WORDS Palesa Kgasane IMAGES Claire Gunn Photography

Cape Town-based Bone Interior Design Studio is behind the redesign of Steenberg restaurant Tryn.

Dedicated to the estate’s 17th century founder, Catharina Ras, the restaurant is an aesthete’s dream – featuring maximalist interiors, bold colours and luxurious finishes. Far from understated, it demands that one pays attention to all the finer details. However, as much as the interior echoes Catherina’s zest, there is a sense of calm and tranquillity, highly attributed to the surrounding Constantia Valley vineyards.

VISI spoke to Bone Interior Design Studio to find out more about this project and how the team brought the Tryn vision to life.

What vibe did you hope to achieve with the finished space?

The heritage of Catharina was so tangible within the walls of the restaurant that we could not wash away the story with a new unrelated aesthetic and a few disconnected furniture pieces. To modernise the interiors meant we needed to modernise Catharina and bring her into the 21st century. She became Tryn, the nickname to which her friends and family referred – a name more connected to her free and feisty spirit. The space was to exude that same strength and gregarious nature.

How did you go about ensuring this space captured this essence, while also being modern?

We allowed the base floors and walls to remain untouched and honest, paying homage to the past while splashing her personality into the private dining areas with bold and gutsy ruby and jade walls. The use of solid timbers and hardy stones convey her strength while the delicate layering of textured fabrics, wall effects and art coat the space with femininity.  Rich burnt orange and mustard tones on the furniture/soft furnishings added scatterings of her fiery character.

Steenberg has its own classic aesthetic. How did this play a role in the design of Tryn?

It was pivotal to respect the heritage nature of the building, which is why the original features were preserved and only enhanced by colour and textures. The restaurant is balanced on a fine line between traditional and contemporary, which creates a surprise for clients upon entry, yet does not feel removed from the soul of Steenberg.

What considerations were made in deciding what each section in the space would look like?

The spaces were driven by function, which determined the spatial layouts. In terms of aesthetic, the bar is the focal point of the restaurant, with its colourful, custom-designed marble bar front. We pulled palettes from this to create the distinctive private dining areas – layering tone upon tone to make bold statement rooms so that each area had its own personality, yet worked holistically within the entire concept.

In what ways would you say this project reflects Bone’s design sensibilities? 

We love to be progressive in our projects and to dance a bit on the edge while honouring the architecture of the buildings we work within. We dive into the depths of detailing and work hard to ensure that not just the building work and fittings work holistically, but everything, from the flowers and the crockery to styling, creates a striking conceptual and tangible experience for anyone that walks into one of our fitouts.

View more of Bone’s interior design projects here. For more information about Tryn, visit steenbergfarm.com.