Snapshot: Interior designer George Livissianis uses his signature simplicity to express Japanese essence without using thematic stereotypes at Sydney's new eatery, Cho Cho San.

On the heels of Sydney's wildly successful Greek eatery The Apollo, interior designer George Livissianis has teamed up once again with restaurateurs Sam Christie and Jonathan Bathelmess to create Cho Cho San, which will focus on traditional Japanese food prepared in a modern manner and served in a sophisticated setting.

It was vital for Livissianis to create an interior that felt Japanese without the use of the cliched or typical trappings found in your basic free sake sushi bars. His natural propensity for simplicity helped facilitate his goal, resulting in a airy, ordered environment with the gentle solemnity of a tea ceremony in collusion with a communal clarity found in his austere use of color and materials. Livissianis looked to contemporary Japanese architecture when choosing concrete, birch wood, and brass to create the spare color scheme of the dining area. Using a stretched material over the entire ceiling which is back lit, creates a warm and natural glow throughout the space, enhancing the complimentary subtle tones of whitewashed brick walls, concrete, and light wood furniture. General services like AC and audio are disguised behind perforated panels that also act as acoustic absorbers. This polka-dotted faux molding is not only an integral component of the the technical side of the design, but acts as playfully modern touch to the minimal space.

George Livissianis's aesthetic vision is clear and unwavering. While quite similar to The Apollo in materiality, quality, and tone, Cho Cho San finds a hint of wabi sabi in it's economy, simplicity, and intimacy.

Photography courtesy of Cho Cho San