The brand has opened a new store on Upper Street in Islington, marking the brand’s largest UK site to date and it was designed by its long-term collaborator, Melbourne-based architecture firm DesignOffice.
Mud Australia has once again enlisted the expertise of its long-term collaborators, Damien Mulvihill and Mark Simpson of DesignOffice. The Melbourne-based architects, who have previously worked at Universal Design Studio and Allies and Morrison in London, have designed all 12 Mud Australia stores worldwide over the past 15 years. While each store maintains a consistent Mud Australia design language, DesignOffice has carefully studied the behaviour and shopping culture of each market, tailoring each location to reflect the unique character of its surroundings, incorporating elements that pay homage to the local neighbourhood.
For the Islington store, the original pine flooring has been stripped and stained and new Victorian-style cornices and skirting have been installed to reintroduce heritage charm. The store features Mud Australia’s signature fresh colour palette, transitioning to deeper tones towards the back of the space to create a more intimate and cosy atmosphere. This area includes a large “play” table and domestic lighting, where customers can mix and match different pieces from the collection to curate their own sets, offering an intimate, home-like experience for visitors.
The store also boasts a bespoke “library” crafted by an experienced Brighton-based joiner, displaying every size of every item in the collection, providing customers with a comprehensive overview of the range. The store will be a go-to destination for everyday dining, entertaining and gifting, especially in the lead-up to the festive season.
Mud Australia is committed to sustainable manufacture and extends this to the fit-out of its stores – reusing and repurposing materials and furniture from previous locations for the new store, including the Vitsoe shelving units for displays – a practice the brand has applied in its other recent store openings.
