Billy's at Ayrburn: where every room tells a different story
There is a temptation when restoring heritage buildings to preserve them as carefully composed moments in time, but Billy's takes a far more imaginative approach. Rather than recreating the past, the Ayrburn bar and restaurant builds upon it, using the stories of the original owners, the Patterson family, to create an immersive dining experience.
Housed within the restored 19th-century homestead, Billy's is less a bar and restaurant than a collection of richly imagined rooms, each telling the story of a different member of the family who once lived there. Wallpaper, colour, furniture, artwork and objects become chapters in a carefully constructed tale.
The result is one of New Zealand's most immersive hospitality venues, born from a collaborative process between New Zealand-based SA Studio, Australian-based Alexander & CO and the client, Winton. Together, they transformed one of Ayrburn's most significant heritage buildings into a destination where history and imagination comfortably coexist.
For SA Studio’s Jessie Sutherland, the project was part of a much larger vision. The practice led the architectural delivery of the entire Ayrburn precinct, navigating the complex restoration of one of the Wakatipu Basin's most significant historic farmsteads before helping shape its evolution into a world-class hospitality destination.
"The buildings had already gone through the difficult process of heritage approvals, change of use and resource consent," she explains. "Then the vision for Ayrburn evolved with the delivery of each building, with the ultimate goal of being a unique hospitality for the public to experience.”
Across the precinct, each building was given its own identity. Billy's was always intended to be the most theatrical.
"The brief was really about creating an incredible restaurant while respecting the heritage of the existing house," says Alexander &CO. designer Alice Noguès. "But it also had to surprise people. Every building at Ayrburn has its own personality, and Billy's was the one where every room revealed something different."
Instead of following the familiar hospitality formula of one expansive dining room with a handful of private spaces, the design embraces the home's original domestic scale. A series of intimate dining rooms remain, clustered around a central bar that now occupies what was once the house's pantry and service spaces. A glass conservatory was then added to cater to larger events.
"The building already had its own story," Jessie says. "There was a clear hierarchy in the way the rooms were organised, from the formal family spaces through to the service areas. We wanted to respect that, while allowing every room to become its own chapter."
Those chapters became the foundation for the interiors.
Working alongside branding studio 4AM, Alexander &CO. immersed themselves in the history of the Patterson family, allowing individual personalities to shape each room.
One dining room celebrates family member Elizabeth Patterson's love of gardening, layering floral wallpapers, green tones and botanical motifs throughout the space. Another takes inspiration from the story of a daughter who purchased a bright red beret, translating that narrative into a room wrapped almost entirely in deep crimson tones, with varying gloss levels adding depth and richness.
"Every material choice came from those stories," Alice explains. "The wallpaper, the fabrics, the colours, everything was informed by the personality of the family member connected to that room."
The result is an interior that resists restraint.
"Our joke throughout the project was that 'more is not enough'," Alice laughs. "If we thought we had enough pattern or colour, we would add another twenty percent."
That philosophy demanded remarkable attention to detail. Every chair, banquette, ottoman and dining table was custom-designed to encourage guests to settle in for long lunches and lingering dinners. Much of the furniture was crafted by New Zealand makers, in line with the project's commitment to local craftsmanship.
Throughout Billy's, every layer contributes to the overall experience. Rich fabrics sit alongside vintage-inspired lighting, taxidermy, artwork and decorative objects that continue to accumulate over time.
Even the designers discover something new when they return.
"I still notice pieces I've never seen before," Alice says. "A new artwork, a little bird, another object. That's exactly what we wanted. You should be able to visit twenty times and always discover something."
Behind the richly layered interiors sits an equally considered architectural intervention.
The original Victorian homestead has been carefully restored, with new hospitality functions woven into the existing fabric rather than imposed upon it. Every decision, from lighting and services through to structural upgrades, was made with the intention of preserving the integrity of the heritage building while ensuring it could operate as a modern bar and restaurant.
For Alice, that careful balance was only possible because every consultant, contractor and craftsperson became emotionally invested in the outcome.
"Everyone treated the project like it was their own. The electricians cared about the details just as much as the furniture makers. Even the film set artists who created some of the finishing touches became part of the story."
That sense of collective ownership extends well beyond Billy's itself. The surrounding gardens, restored laneways and carefully choreographed landscape connect each venue across the wider Ayrburn precinct, encouraging visitors to wander between buildings as though exploring an historic estate that has simply evolved over time.
For Jeremy Bull from Alexander &CO., that journey is what elevates the entire project.
"The landscape is extraordinary," he says. "The gardens, pathways, playgrounds and bridges make moving between the buildings feel completely natural. Billy's is one chapter within a much bigger story."
Perhaps that explains why Billy's feels so memorable. Rather than relying on theatre alone, it invites people into a carefully crafted world where architecture, interiors, history and craftsmanship all work together to create something that feels rich and authentic.
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Words: Joanna Seton
