PARIS MODE
“THE INTENTION WAS TO KEEP THE APPEARANCE SEAMLESS AND AUTHENTIC, WI THOUT IT BEING A PASTICHE OF A 1930S FL AT.”
helmed the merger of two art-deco apartments into one, then sensitively mastered the clean, mid-century aesthetic that sits happily within the generous new space. It is the lateral conversion of two mirrorimage apartments. I imagined The structural challenge of combining the two was quite straightforward and involved creating a linking corridor from two walk-in cupboards. This forms the spine of the bigger apartment, off which all the rooms flow. A minor challenge involved aligning the mismatched corridor walls – one jutting out further than the other – but a few sheets of plasterboard solved that. The biggest challenge was obtaining approval for the project, and this took several years of negotiations. Whenever I felt like throwing in the towel, I was reminded of the potential of the finished place and of a favourite family phrase: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again!” The result was worth the effort. Completed in 1939, the building is a good example of residential art deco design in Australia. The generous room proportions and period details such as parquet floors, geometric cornices and stepped architraves were kept intact. The heritage significance was always top of mind. Previous unsympathetic modernisations were reversed, mirrored walls stripped back in the reception area and bathrooms restored to original condition. The intention was to keep the appearance seamless and authentic, without it being a pastiche of a 1930s flat. The finished space retains its pre-war detailing and layout, and is simply furnished with 20th-century and bespoke pieces and personal objects. Curated interiors can sometimes feel stiff, so the aim was for a home that was relaxed, individual and not too considered. The twin chandeliers in the dining room are the only exuberant touch, but the room can take it. To visually shorten the long, linear apartment, focal points were created by filling in doorways at either end of the corridor. Consoles were placed in front of these and paintings hung above so there is always something to look at when moving between rooms. Every room has a lovely view, including the bathrooms and kitchen. Mirrors were hung opposite some doorways to bring views and light into the corridor. On a sunny morning it really sparkles. Two factors underpinned this: selection of furniture of the appropriate scale and my preference for a clean, mid-century aesthetic. Placement was roughed-in on a floor plan, then confirmed in the room using newspaper cut to size and laid out on the floor to ensure the pieces would fit and rooms felt uncluttered. When suitable furniture could not be found, it was commissioned and made locally. When a home doubles in size, the risk is that some of the new space doesn’t get used. So, at planning stage we made sure that a few frequently used rooms were scattered throughout to ensure the whole space was well utilised in the course of a day.
