Apartment brought back to life by interior designer

This apartment in a gorgeous Art Deco block in Sydney’s Coogee had been stripped of all its features and turned into a soulless rental. Interior designer Therese Gapps gave it a new lease of life and the storage-packed kitchen is a real standout!

Every surface was touched and improved, from floors to ceilings and everything in between in this project, and the two-bed beachside apartment is truly unrecognisable.

The clients, a couple in their 40s, wanted a light, bright, easy living space, reflective of the beautiful coastline they lived on, whilst maximising space, storage and flow.

As well as being bland due to all its Art Deco features being removed by previous owners, the kitchen was small, not very functional and closed off from the living and dining area. The laundry also took up valuable space within a cupboard in the kitchen.

The big wall separating the kitchen and living areas blocked all the light, making the living spaces feel dark dingy and small and removing this would prove a game changer. Lastly, a large bath/shower took up most of the space in the bathroom, with the bath not functional for the new owners, so this was removed, giving them a more spacious room.

“Natural materials like timber, stone and linen were used with a coastal palette to reflect the beautiful beachy surrounds,” says Therese, of Studio Bretonne. “Ceiling heights were raised to create a feeling of openness and space, storage was added throughout to keep the space clutter-free, while new engineered flooring created a seamless flow throughout the home.”

The kitchen was the biggest area of change which informed the rest of the home. The wall separating it from the living spaces was removed to add more light, better flow, and more usable space. “We added a floor-to-ceiling bank of cabinetry which included an appliance cupboard to keep appliances off the bench spaces. The island bench was also a key for the owners, who wanted a space to prep dinner, have a glass of wine, and entertain friends. As such we left one end of the island entirely open to maximise seating space and keep the look and feel as open as possible.”

The cabinetry was a mix of V-groove in Dulux Spanish Olive and thin shaker profile in Dulux Vivid White. Warmth was added through timber accents in the island and shelving and brushed brass tapware.

The laundry was moved from a kitchen cupboard to a cupboard outside the bathroom, where the old hot water system was previously housed. “The simple change of an instantaneous hot water system on the external wall opened up a whole cupboard space which fit the laundry requirements perfectly, and allowed more space to maximise the kitchen layout.”

The previous flooring was a mishmash of tiles, very dark timber in terrible condition, and lino. These were replaced throughout with beautiful engineered timber in a wide board and light oak.

“Storage is always a challenge in apartments, so in every space we considered how to add maximum storage. The mirrored sliding bedroom robes were replaced with custom built-in robes with storage to the ceiling. Our clients, who are frequent travellers, can fit four large suitcases in the overhead section, with room to spare! The V-groove cabinetry profile and Dulux Spanish Olive colour was carried through from the kitchen for cohesive design throughout the home.”

Storage through the rest of the home was also considered, in the bathroom by adding a vanity with two large drawers and plenty of face level storage, and in the dining area with a built in banquette seat to maximise space. This also doubles as wine storage!

New window treatments throughout were a mix of shutters, roller blinds and blockout and sheer curtains to address various requirements of privacy, light filtering, air flow and thermal properties.

“We also added a dedicated office space within the large primary bedroom. To delineate the office space we created a simple coffered ceiling which not only looks beautiful and ties in with the Art Deco building, but visually creates a separate space. The beautiful linen sheer curtains in this space add a real sense of luxury.”

Removing the kitchen wall opened up the space allowing a lot more light into the previously dark living areas, allowed for a larger more functional kitchen with loads of storage, and a better flow through the home. “The kitchen island was a game changer and is where the clients spend most of their time; they’re not sure what they ever did without it!”

Therese loves the overall feel of the apartment. “It’s now so light and airy and truly feels like a relaxed coastal apartment with the materials and colours we’ve selected. The previously dark and cold apartment is unrecognisable, you wouldn’t know it was the same home. I love that we were able to give it a new lease of life.”

The befores