BAR NERO | 18 Smith St, Collingwood

About Bar Nero

Located on Smith Street South in the former British Crown Hotel, Bar Nero is a newly opened Italian bar and café. Featuring a stylish bar, a function area with a pool table, a café and a lush beer garden, this blended space offers patrons a relaxing yet interesting hideout to enjoy Italian food and coffee.

The Challenge

Built in 1859 as the former British Crown Hotel, the building holds a commanding corner block on Smith and Mason Streets. A cold shell with immense heritage charm, this blank canvas is made up of exposed brick walls, timber ceilings and a ton of character.

The plan was to revive some of the old pub charm, embracing the red, white and black painted brick walls and grungy, industrial vibe. Any lighting needed to synchronise with the aesthetic of the vacant space, adding depth and warmth once more. Being a multifunctional space that could serve as both a café and a bar, the solution needed to suit both day and night use, in addition to being highly adaptable and customisable.

The Solution

The result is a practical track lighting system built around the CAN spotlights - specifically the CAN RGBW and CAN 30 Track Spots, both programmed with Casambi control. The CAN 30 Track Spots, fitted with Soraa snap-compatible PAR30 lamps, were important for delivering warm yet bright lighting into the space for daytime use and for highlighting interesting colours on the wall.

The CAN RGBWs were important for spotting bold red colour throughout the room and for delivering a coloured lighting scene in the bar's band corner. Our trusted reseller, bluebottle, supplied the global track lighting system that supported these CAN spotlights. Custom-made fire extinguisher pendants and wall sconce lights were installed throughout the space, adding interest and warm, moody lighting. Within the side bar, Xicato's XFL Static White tape has been installed to highlight the bar and benches, making it easy for patrons to see the staff in action.

We are proud to support the bold and creative vision of the Bar Nero team through lighting supply and look forward to watching the success of this new bar within Collingwood. For more information on Bar Nero and the CAN, Xicato or Soraa brands, please contact us at info@sld.net.au.

Distributor - SLD

SLD Reseller – bluebottle 

Photography – Specialist Lighting Distributors (SLD)

Bar Nero, 18 Smith St, Collingwood VIC 3066.