Parisian Splendour in the Heart of Sydney

Warning: Minimalists look away! Looking for a stylish new (Sydney) haunt to catch up with friends or romance your partner? With an abundance of glitz, gold and glamour, the Palace of Versailles comes to Australia in this resplendent and exclusive cocktail bar.

It is fair to say that my first experience of De Nom really captured what the exclusive cocktail lounge is all about. It was a couple of years ago and I had received an invitation to the launch of Bulgari’s latest fragrance, Jasmine Noir, which was to be held (suitably) within the elegant rooms of De Nom (which incidentally is French for “by name”). Assuming it would be rather straight forward to locate, I hailed a cab only moments before the launch was due to begin.

“To De Nom in Darlinghurst, please,” I said to the taxi driver. He shot me a blank look. “The Norm? Never heard of it,” he grunted back.

The invitation said it was on Paddington’s Oxford Street, so I assumed if we drove up and down Oxford Street, we would see a sign. I was wrong. After twenty minutes of driving around Darlinghurst, I finally decided to telephone the Public Relations Manager who had organised the event, and she had to give me detailed blow-by-blow directions to its secret location. Evidently, De Nom was far more exclusive than I had given it credit for.

But such privacy and mystery is the allure of the bar, touted by many as Sydney’s most elite. With a running theme of opulence, flamboyance and complete indulgence, De Nom is a sanctuary for the well-heeled of society’s upper echelon; the memory of its splendour guaranteed to remain with you long after your last glass of champagne. 

Owners Phil Cawood and Paul Schell spared no expense in designing a world of 18th century maximalist Parisian style. Opened in April 2006 by Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones, the boutique bar features silk-tented ceilings, 23-carat gold gilded wall panelling, cascading chandeliers, lush velvet day beds, an abundance of Versailles-inspired glistening mirrors, an American burr walnut library antique Louis furniture.

Personally, my favourite aspect of this high-class haunt is the unique bathrooms (above), each designed as individual private sitting rooms. These bathrooms feature the bar’s signature silk tented ceilings, chandeliers and bespoke wallpaper, but there are also more unusual nuances to admire. The ladies’ room features a Louis-inspired chair which conceals the toilet. When the toilet is flushed, an heavily framed oil painting that hangs on the wall lifts up and reveals a gold swan basin. Water spurts into the basin from a finely crafted lion’s mouth. Similarly unique are the men’s bathrooms, which feature a room of mirrors with a smiling cavalier painting set behind glass.

An iconic destination for intimate live sounds, De Nom is renowned for hosting private and exclusive acoustic performances. Once, it hosted a live impromptu performance by Axl Rose from Guns N Roses who sang “Little Wing” by Jimmi Hendrix. There is also a fortnightly show called ‘A Night of Burlesque Follies’, starring internationally renowned cabaret and burlesque performer, Rachel St James.

For those who enjoy the finer things in life, De Nom is a deluxe destination to be enjoyed and marvelled. My only advice? Ensure you advise your driver to drop you off at Ruby Rabbit, the bar on the ground level of De Nom. It is more widely known and easier to locate.

De Nom

Level 3, 231 Oxford Street

Darlinghurst