Inspiration can sometimes come from the most unlikely of places. Take the renovation of a two-bedroom apartment in Kew East, Melbourne, by local studio Architecture Architecture. The client wanted to open up the compact apartment to make it feel more spacious—so architect Michael Roper looked to the arched openings found in traditional bullfighting arenas in Spain.

“The Picador emerges, framed by a colonnade of doors, the sun in his eyes, his long shadow cast back into the refuge of alleys and chambers behind him,” says Roper in a poetic description of the inspiration behind the refreshed interior. “He steps into the arena. Finding no bull and no audience, he begins to dance, lunging and dodging imaginary foes, gripping a lance in each hand.”

The renovation cost just over $20k, and the firm stuck to the tight budget by focusing on the areas of the apartment that would have the most impact on quality of life for the clients. The kitchen, bathroom, and second bedroom remain in the same locations, while the master bedroom and living room were entirely opened up.

The design team demolished the dividing wall between the kitchen and living room to create an L-shaped, open-plan space. And, the doors in the hallway leading to the kitchen, living room, and master bedroom were removed, allowing the hallway to become an extension of the living areas.

“Architecture Architecture spent time in the flat and came up with something unexpected, that has made it a much more fun place to live,” reveals the client. Some of the most playful elements of the fit-out are the pastel orange structures that frame the new openings between the living room, kitchen, and bedroom. These are fitted with cream curtains that can be used to divide the space to accommodate the client’s needs.

As the name of the project, The Picador, suggests, the effect is a space defined by its openings. The hallway, as well as the doors to the more private areas (the bathroom and second bedroom) are framed by the orange structures, creating the impression of a hall of mirrors with views that shift and change as you move through the apartment.

“I had some ideas about what we wanted to do, but Architecture Architecture pushed the design so much further than we expected,” says the client. “It’s a totally transformed flat with so much more access to sunlight, better day-to-day function, and most of all, it’s a great reflection of who we are and the way we like to live.”

More from Architecture Architecture:

A Family Home in Melbourne Gets an Extension With a Timber Brise-Soleil

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Architecture Architecture / @architecture_architecture

Builder: Nevcon

Structural Engineer: Vincent Yeap

Photographer: Tom Ross

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A Melbourne Apartment Trades Walls for Curtains After a $20K Transformation