Blushing Bondi
An ode to the Art Deco architecture of Bondi, this renovation transformed a tired brick apartment into a contemporary beach abode that blended old with new.
Unique joinery pieces and a pastel colour palette feature in this beachside apartment, which seamlessly connect the kitchen and living areas. To create a greater sense of space within the narrow apartment, a range of space-saving measures were used such as a concealed laundry, dropdown audio-visual screen and elevated furniture pieces.
The client came to Studio Weave Architects having recently purchased the 2-bedroom apartment, which was located on the ground floor. The brief was to turn an old, drab apartment into a light air filled space, with cues to the local area and beach vibe. The client, an interested cook, with a passion for gadgets – he sourced a commercial pasta maker from a restaurant which was closing down, was keen to create a space for entertaining guests. Due to the proximity of the lounge room to the kitchen, the space needed to be integrated, creating a more public space during dinner parties but also providing the opportunity for an intimate experience.
The focus on the kitchen area was defining the space/ connection between the kitchen and the living room. This was achieved through the joinery layout, in particular the island bench. Curved corners soften this element, inviting people as they walk down the corridor to congregate around it. As the apartment is limited in space, the wall joinery was extended from the kitchen to flow directly into the living area – enabling a conversation between the built in sofa and the opposing lounge. Additionally, a high-level shelf connected the two spaces providing an opportunity to conceal a drop down projector screen, LED strip lighting and curtain rail.
The bathroom needed to be updated from its 1970’s vibe and turned into a light filled retreat. The concept was to divide the space into a wet area and a dry-ish area. The wet area, contained a bath and shower, with wall and ceiling tiles being contained by a brass strip which signified the change to the dry area. Terrazzo floor tiles connect the two spaces and continued the pallete through from the main living area.
