Pistachio Cabinets, Chunky Terrazzo, and Red Marble Amp Up a 1960s Apartment

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Project Details:

Location: Brunswick, Australia

Designers: Murray Barker and Esther Stewart

Footprint: 700 square feet

Builder: Ultimate Outdoor

Structural Engineer: Stantin Consulting

Cabinetry Design: Lex Furniture

Custom Table: Idle Hands

Photographer: Ben Hosking / @benhoskingphotographer

From the Architect: "Brunswick Apartment is a 1960s-era, two-bedroom apartment in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. This nimble renovation to an existing brick walk-up celebrates an often-overlooked apartment typology – highlighting the value of the original building while elevating it to support contemporary modes of living. 

"Typical to apartments at the time, the existing floor plan presented a clear division between living and bedroom/ bathing spaces, and original large windows provided ample natural light and effective ventilation. The existing kitchen, however, was disconnected (lacking any relationship with the living room), and was too confined to accommodate a dining table and lacked adequate natural light. 

"Dividing walls between the kitchen and living room were partially demolished and the new kitchen arrangement now takes the form of an L- shaped plan – open to the living areas and anchored by a custom-made table and fixed banquette seating. Full-height joinery accommodates utilities – new laundry, a fridge, and a concealed appliance area for a toaster, kettle, and coffee machine. The reconfigured kitchen, which takes notes from a Bauhaus classic, now operates as an extra-compact living space with neat built-in storage, deep benches for cooking, and space for entertaining. The design of the joinery references the original 1960s-era kitchen with framing around the doors and drawers, and geometrically expressed custom finger pulls. 

"A new skylight cuts through the pitched roof, offering natural light and creating spatial complexity in the apartment’s small quarters. Thick glass roof tiles, which match the profile of the originals, now replace a section of clay tiles allowing daylight to filter into the dining area below. The void reveals glimpses of previously concealed timber structure and frames an everchanging view of the sky. The ceiling is insulated and the roof window is double-glazed to minimize additional heat gain and retain winter warmth. 

"Robust original elements have been retained throughout while new materials are introduced in a manner that reflects the quality and character of the original building. Unifying new and retained elements, the material palette draws on the original bathroom as a key reference – where terrazzo floors and pastel-hued finishes and fixtures show subtle signs of age. New materials that emulate these enduring qualities have been specified throughout. Salvaged from excess stock from a larger project, large-format terrazzo tiled floors now unify rooms throughout the apartment, and the green 2-pac cabinetry and red marble of the benches reflect the painterly natural tones of the stone. 

"Working with a modest budget, color, material, and form are brought together developing a new layer that continues the story of the original apartment. Bringing joy to the daily life of the people who live there, Brunswick Apartment exemplifies thoughtful and well-executed design."