Grounded in its majestic coastal setting, Barwon Heads Golf Club reinterprets a cherished landmark through a contemporary lens of heritage, restoration and a sense of place.
With interiors by Nexus Designs, the renovation of the clubhouse at Barwon Heads Golf Club on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula focused on carefully updating the historic building to meet contemporary standards while preserving the traditions and identity valued by its members.
Respecting the past of the century-old club, the design introduces modern functionality through thoughtful interventions that create seamless transitions between old and new, shaped by the deep sense of stewardship felt by the club’s multi-generational community.
Rich textures, considered materials and a carefully balanced palette create a natural progression from grounded and historic to lighter and more relaxed, supporting a variety of social and private experiences while maintaining a cohesive overall identity.
Nexus Designs Director Sonia Simpfendorfer said the challenge was to deliver a solution that honoured the clubhouse’s legacy while respecting the deep connection members have to the club.
“Every choice was made with great care and with a view to lasting and being loved for a very long time.”
– Sonia Simpfendorfer
In the light-filled Links Room, the Muuto Cover Side Chair in Natural Oak brings a sense of warmth and sophistication. Designed by Thomas Bentzen for Muuto, the chair offers a contemporary interpretation of the classic wooden dining chair, combining a sculpted oak veneer shell with a solid timber frame for both durability and comfort. Its clean lines and stackable design provide the practicality required for a busy club environment, while the natural oak finish complements the relaxed coastal character of the room.
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Muuto Cover Side Chair in Natural Oak in the Links Room.
“We searched hard for a stackable blond-timber casual but not-to-casual chair, and the Muuto Cover Chair was the first one we found that met all our aesthetic and functional needs - and we fought to keep it and won.”
– Sonia Simpfendorfer
In the Private Dining Room, the Muuto Cover Chair appears in a dark brown finish with Cognac leather seat pads. While historic leather armchairs in the Western Dining Room were carefully reupholstered, a complementary chair was needed for the more intimate inner dining space. The darker finish creates a visual connection to the heritage setting while retaining the functionality, comfort and flexibility of a contemporary chair.
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Muuto Cover Chair in Dark Brown in the Private Dining Room.
In the guest rooms, the design introduces a lighter, more unexpected layer of character. In a deliberate departure from the typical golf-course imagery often found in club accommodation, each room hosts artworks by Ronan Bouroullec for The Wrong Shop.
Featuring marker strokes that create fluid, abstract forms with a sense of depth and dimension, Bouroullec’s drawings bring a contemporary artistic sensibility, helping to create spaces that feel homey and welcoming.
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“The Wrong Shop artworks are a deliberate move away from the more expected photographs of nature, or of the golf course itself. We wanted an unexpectedly contemporary freshness and a link to art and design, not just nature.”
– Sonia Simpfendorfer
The result is a clubhouse that honours its legacy while embracing the present. Through careful restoration, considered furniture choices and subtle contemporary touches, the renewal strengthens the club’s identity as a place of tradition, community and belonging.
Credits
