Design That Performs
At Kreativ, we design spaces that don't just look good — they perform.
From fast-paced hospitality environments to refined residential interiors, we bring together design thinking, technical knowledge and real-world construction experience to deliver spaces that work.
We're known for our deep expertise in hospitality — particularly multi-site and franchise rollouts — and that same technical depth extends across retail, commercial office and residential projects. Whether it's one site or twenty, a blank shell or an upgrade, we know how to make it happen.
Hospitality Specialists (and Proud of It)
Hospitality is where we thrive. We understand the pressure points — tight footprints, service coordination, compliance, workflow and speed to market. More importantly, we know how to design for them.
From single venues to national rollouts, we create systems and design frameworks that can be replicated, adapted and delivered efficiently across multiple locations — without losing identity.
What this means for you:
- Faster approvals and smoother delivery
- Consistent brand execution across sites
- Designs that actually work in operation, not just on paper
Our designs comply with the National Construction Code, Food Standards and HACCP requirements — without compromising the design concept.
Retail Design
Hospitality may be our name-maker, but retail is in our DNA — shopping centres are where much of our work lives, and we design retail the way centres demand it: to the centre's design criteria, through the Retail Design Manager's review, and built for trade from day one.
We design across the full range of retail formats:
- In-line stores and shopfronts — façade presence, entry experience and fitout
- Kiosks and walk-through formats — open designs that invite customers in and maximise engagement from every approach
- Pop-ups and multi-site retail rollouts — brand consistency at speed
Retail design is a discipline of centimetres: display density balanced against browsing space, sightlines that pull customers from the mall, storage engineered into a limited footprint, lighting used as a merchandising tool, and finishes that carry the brand while surviving years of trade. A recent project transitioned a national retailer from a full-size store into a compact walk-through kiosk — open on all sides, storage and display maximised within roughly 25 square metres, enhanced lighting to lift a low-ambient location, and a superstructure giving the kiosk the architectural presence of a full store.
Commercial & Office Design
Beyond retail and hospitality, we design workplaces and commercial environments that support the way organisations actually operate — spaces that promote productivity and collaboration while reflecting the company's culture and identity.
- Workplace layouts — the balance of focus, collaboration and meeting space, planned around how your team works
- Front-of-house commercial — receptions, client areas and presentation spaces that carry the brand
- Compliance and coordination — NCC requirements, accessibility to AS 1428.1, services integration, and landlord and building-management approvals handled as part of the design
- Practical delivery — designs documented for accurate pricing, efficient construction and minimal downtime for your business
The experience is real and senior: our design team's background spans fifteen years of commercial office, education and retail projects, and commercial developments at some of Sydney's leading architectural practices — the same technical depth we bring to a commercial kitchen, applied to the workplace.
Residential
For private clients we bring the same rigour home — residential projects with a strong focus on detail, flow and liveability. Different sectors, same mindset: smart design backed by technical clarity.
Feasibility & Advisory
Before anything is locked in, we help you understand what's possible — and what's not. We assess:
- Site constraints and services
- Compliance pathways
- Risks, costs and opportunities
In simple terms: we help you avoid expensive surprises.
Location is key — the right premises can make the difference between an easy build and a difficult, expensive one. We can assist you in finding a suitable location, then inspect the premises and assess compliance, available infrastructure and any required upgrades before you commit.
Concept Design
This is where ideas start to take shape. We explore:
- Layouts and spatial flow
- Customer and staff experience
- Look, feel and brand alignment
Concept Design = the big picture. It sets direction without getting lost in the details.
What's included at this stage: site measure · layout and space planning · concept development · shop design and equipment selection · live 3D views and walk-throughs · an initial budget estimate based on your layout.
Design Development
Now we get serious. We refine the concept into a coordinated, buildable solution:
- Detailed layouts and joinery
- Material selections
- Integration with mechanical, hydraulic and electrical systems
Design Development = making it real.
Documentation & Approvals
This is where design meets compliance. We produce the drawings and coordinate the information required to get your project approved and ready for construction.
Key terms (decoded):
- CDC (Complying Development Certificate) — a fast-track approval for projects that meet specific criteria.
- DA (Development Application) — required when a project falls outside CDC parameters; more detailed, council-assessed.
- PCA (Principal Certifying Authority) — the certifier who reviews and signs off your project for construction.
We navigate this space daily — so you don't have to. That fluency extends beyond standard tenancies: our team's specialist heritage experience means we also carry projects through heritage-listed buildings and sensitive sites, and we work within the additional approval frameworks of transport-precinct tenancies — environments where most studios need external help, and we don't.
A typical documentation package includes: proposed floor plans · finishes plan and schedule · equipment plan and schedule · dimension plan and elevations · electrical and plumbing (points) · furniture selection · liaison with the RDM and PCA · 3D views and live walk-through.
Designed to comply — in plain English: every set of drawings we issue is coordinated against the frameworks that govern commercial fitouts in Australia — the National Construction Code (NCC), the FSANZ Food Standards Code (Standard 3.2.3) and AS 4674 for food premises, and AS 1428.1 for accessibility — so compliance is built into the drawings rather than patched in after a knock-back.
Design & Construct (D&C)
Through our trusted construction partners, we can take your project all the way. One team. One process. No disconnect.
- Integrated design and build
- Better cost control
- Faster, more efficient delivery
D&C = less friction, more certainty.
Before construction commences you receive a fixed-price proposal and a Gantt chart outlining the timeline for completion — so cost and program are locked before work begins. The pathway runs: consultation and design concept → DA / CC / CDC documentation → estimate and pricing → construction and fitout.
Project Coordination
We don't disappear once drawings are done. We stay involved to:
- Support the build process
- Clarify design intent
- Ensure what gets built matches what was designed
Because good design only matters if it's delivered properly.
During construction this includes management of consultants and stakeholders against the construction drawings, weekly progress site inspections with you, practical completion and handover, and management of the Occupation Certificate through to project completion.
How We Work
No two projects are the same — and we like it that way. Some clients need full end-to-end delivery; others just need the right advice at the right time. We flex to suit the project, while keeping everything grounded in practicality, compliance and commercial viability.
Why Kreativ
- Proven experience across multi-site hospitality rollouts
- Strong understanding of real-world construction constraints
- Ability to scale from single sites to national programs
- Proven cross-sector capability: hospitality, retail, commercial offices and residential
- Led by an operator — a director with 30 years as chef, venue owner and commercial kitchen consultant, so every design is pressure-tested against real service
- A team that speaks both design and build
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions that shape a commercial design project.
What does your concept design include?
Site measure, layout and space planning, concept development, shop design and equipment selection, live 3D views and walk-throughs, and an initial budget estimate based on your layout.
Do you provide 3D renders?
Yes — we provide 3D visualisations, videos and live walk-throughs that clearly communicate the design intent and allow real-time collaboration and refinement.
Will I know the budget before construction?
Yes. A realistic budget estimate and project timeline are part of our early design process, an initial budget price is provided at concept stage based on your layout, and a fixed-price proposal with a Gantt-chart timeline is provided before construction commences.
Can you handle council and centre approvals?
Yes. We prepare architectural drawings for CDC and DA submissions and liaise directly with shopping centre management, retail design managers, the certifier (PCA) and, where necessary, council.
Do you design commercial kitchens?
Yes — commercial kitchens are core to our practice. We design and document them to the National Construction Code, FSANZ Standard 3.2.3, AS 4674 and HACCP principles: workflow from delivery to service, wash-up separation, exhaust and mechanical coordination, coolroom placement and washable surfaces — resolved so the kitchen passes inspection and works at full pace on a Friday night.
Can you help us find a site?
Yes. Location is key, and we assist clients in finding a suitable location. Once identified, we inspect the premises and assess compliance, available infrastructure and any required upgrades.
How long does the design stage take?
Indicatively: site measure in week one, preliminary design in week two, then material selection, budget pricing and detailed design, with CDC and construction pricing around weeks five to six for a typical tenancy. Every project differs — we confirm a program at engagement.
What happens if I change the design later?
Changes are easiest — and free of flow-on cost — early. Once the concept and layout are accepted and documentation begins, changes requiring redesign or redrafting may incur additional fees and extend timelines, which is why our program locks key decisions in early.
Do you stay involved during construction?
Yes — consultant and stakeholder management against the construction drawings, weekly progress site inspections with you, practical completion and handover, and management of the Occupation Certificate through to completion.
What's excluded from a design fee?
Typically: council or certifier fees, specialist engineering drawings and consultant fees (structural, services, acoustic, access), survey plans, heritage impact statements, signage/menu/graphic design, and statutory levies. These are identified up front in every proposal so there are no surprises.
Do you work outside Sydney or interstate?
Our studio is based in Leichhardt and most of our work is across Sydney and New South Wales — from the CBD and the beaches to Newcastle. For franchise networks and multi-site brands we design rollout programs that scale nationally: the design framework, documentation standards and equipment schedules are built to be replicated in any state, and we coordinate with local certifiers and centre requirements wherever the site is.
How much does a fitout cost?
Honest answer: it depends — and any designer quoting a square-metre rate before seeing your site is guessing. The real cost drivers are the condition of the tenancy and its existing services (power, hydraulics, mechanical exhaust), the scale of the kitchen and equipment, the level of custom joinery and finishes, and the approvals pathway. What we can promise is cost clarity early: an initial budget estimate is part of our concept stage, and a fixed-price construction proposal is provided before any building work begins — so you make every decision knowing the number.
Start With a Conversation
Tell us about your site, your concept and your timeline — and we'll tell you honestly what it takes to deliver it.