The Northside Social
Kent Hotel, Melbourne’s new northside social, is a multi-level destination in the heart of Carlton North. Over the course of 6 months, it underwent a significant renovation. The goal was to create an elevated pub experience that positioned The Kent as Carlton’s premium go-to, blending high-quality food, a relaxed atmosphere, and a strong community-driven experience.
Client
The Kent Hotel
Capabilities
Brand Strategy
Brand Identity
Interior Design
Copywriting
Web Design
Here’s the story
Built in 1873, The Kent Hotel has long been part of Carlton North’s rich history. But as customers’ needs evolved, The Kent needed to revitalise its reputation to attract a diverse customer base. These are customers who value warm, welcoming, relaxed experiences, from classic steak nights through to high-quality food and beverage offerings.
Whether it is a 30th birthday on the outdoor terrace or a business lunch supported by a well-curated wine list and medium-rare wagyu, the venue needed to deliver an experience that felt both premium and comfortable. We began by uncovering the current and future on-trade trends that would influence our audience and drive engagement.
When we asked locals what drives them to choose a pub, two themes emerged clearly: local connection and convenience. This understanding revealed opportunities we could literally build the brand on. We designed not only the brand but the interiors for The Kent, ensuring every touchpoint connected consistently to the vision.
We also worked in close collaboration with the owners and RM Sitecare, who led the interior build, to ensure alignment from brand to built environment. This allowed the physical space and brand identity to tell the same story seamlessly.
Client Challenges
The Kent faced several challenges within Melbourne’s highly competitive pub landscape:
• Standing out from traditional, basic pub offerings
• Maintaining consistent quality across both food and service
• High competition and market saturation in the inner north
• Balancing a premium experience with cost efficiency
• Keeping pace with evolving consumer expectations
Mission
Create an experience inspired by the ambience of Carlton’s heritage, while being versatile enough to accommodate the diverse needs of its audience, day or night.
Process
1. Discovery
We began with deep immersion including stakeholder workshops, competitive audits, venue walkthroughs and audience research. This revealed how locals choose venues, what modern pubgoers expect, and the emotional drivers behind northside hospitality choices. These insights allowed us to define the role The Kent needed to play as elevated yet approachable.
2. Strategy
Using our research, we crafted a brand positioning rooted in premium hospitality, neighbourhood connection and contemporary design sensibilities. We mapped audience motivations, identified on-trade trends, and established strategic drivers that would inform the visual identity, tone, interior direction and guest experience. The strategy ensured The Kent stood apart without alienating long-time locals.
3. Design
With strategy in place, we developed a full identity system inspired by the bold geometry of Italian Futurism, the elegance of Art Deco and the sun-soaked warmth of the 1970s Mediterranean. This created a visual language that feels both timeless and distinctly Carlton North. In parallel, we designed the interiors, ensuring materials, lighting, furniture, colour and spatial flow matched the brand’s premium but welcoming positioning. Collaboration with RM Sitecare ensured every design detail translated accurately through the build.
4. Implementation
We delivered a cohesive rollout across physical and digital touchpoints including menus, signage, wayfinding, in-venue communications and a new website. Close coordination between our team, the owners and RM Sitecare ensured consistent execution from concept to construction. Although early in its relaunch, the venue is already enjoying strong community engagement, with locals responding enthusiastically to the elevated yet familiar experience.
The Design
The Kent’s brand identity draws on the bold geometry of Italian Futurism, the elegance of Art Deco and the sun-soaked spirit of the 1970s Mediterranean. The result is a visual identity that feels both timeless and contemporary, while staying deeply connected to its neighbourhood.
The venue reflects this layered character. On the ground floor, a European-inspired public bar offers warmth, familiarity and a sense of community rooted in Melbourne’s inner-north culture. Above, a rooftop bar channels the effortless sophistication of the Mediterranean coast, with a bright, elevated atmosphere designed for long afternoons and lively nights.
Outcome
In a competitive inner-north pub scene, The Kent Hotel stands apart with a brand that feels distinctive, contemporary and deeply attuned to the tastes and expectations of its local community. It is positioned as a new northside icon that is welcoming, memorable and proudly Carlton.
It’s important for us to acknowledge and recognise that where we live, work and play is on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We respect and honour Elders, past, present and future, and acknowledge their Native Title rights to Country, which holds the stories, traditions and living culture of Wurundjeri people.
