This project ensured that the interior style was as breathtaking as the exterior view. Reaching dizzying heights, this renovated building on the Gold Coast reflects the beauty of its natural surroundings.
High amid the skyscrapers and clouds, this beautifully adjusted apartment overlooks beaches, rivers and inlets with a view that is so expansive it becomes private. “This apartment is actually two standard apartments merged into one,” explains Suzie Beirne of Maison Jardin, interior designer for this project. “The original design did not flow; the link between the two apartments was narrow and confined and we were all amazed at just how much wasted space we exposed once the extraneous walls and low bulkheads were removed. We created volume, which the original fit out lacked, and this was a very pleasing outcome.”
While the interior designer was new to this space, the homeowners weren’t. They had already lived in the apartment for 10 years prior to the transformation, but decided to renovate because the fit out — done in the late ‘80s — no longer enhanced the 29th-floor apartment. By removing the lower half of the windows opposite the kitchen island, they were able to capture even more of their views from this privileged height.
The overhaul also made way for soft and muted neutrals, with creative splashes of bright colour injected by means of the artwork. Spatially, the apartment was opened up by eliminating existing barriers and unnecessary walls. “We de-cluttered the entry and bedrooms and all busy bits and pieces were deleted,” explains Suzie. “They wanted the entire apartment to be more spacious, airy and serene.” It is now a space that works with the environment outside. It mirrors the beach and ocean views, is more functional and open-plan, and is a better fit for the contemporary lifestyle the homeowners were hoping for.
The apartment’s footprint consists of three bedrooms, one of which is currently set up as an office. There is also a formal and informal living area, a dining space, a kitchen, a focal point bar, a spacious ensuite, a main bathroom and a powder room. Wide European oak parquetry boards finished in a limed wax link the foyer with the office, meeting porcelain tiles in the bathroom. The eastern living room is the more formal of the two living spaces and overlooks Main Beach. This room was overhauled by laying polished porcelain tiles and lifting the perimeter bulkheads to hide motorised blinds, and lastly integrating the lighting in an effective way. The southern-facing living room is the more informal and the area between the formal and informal spaces contains a now-spacious dining room. In this section of the apartment you will also encounter the focal point bar and glamorous kitchen, which were conceived by Brian Moriarty. Lighting engineer Tony Dowthwaite added clever back lighting as an addition to the bar.
“I have worked with this client before,” Suzie enthuses, “and it was a wonderful way to achieve the very best of what can be done. Working together and sharing ideas meant that design development took a great length of time before anything began. Sourcing products, discussing the concepts and working up sketches of designs were always treated with great consideration by the client, which meant I knew what they were trying to achieve. The brief was clear and the clients were open to ideas and new products. They always bring out the best in me and I wanted them to feel totally comfortable with the end result.”
For more information about Maison Jardin design, see Maison Jardin.
Photography Steve Ryan
Originally from Home Design magazine Volume 16 Issue 3