Armadale

I’ve worked with this client before, a few years ago, and was thrilled to have the opportunity to redesign the kitchen, bathroom, dining room and living area. I had the very-dated bathroom and kitchen demolished, and with the all-important trust of my client behind me, proposed a revolutionary change for both spaces.

In the bathroom, I laid imported Italian tiles, designed a custom vanity and installed imported fittings. I needed more light; a new window. I removed the existing bath to create a large walk-in shower, and removed an existing chimney breast cavity to create an additional storage space with a full-length mirror added to the face. Space and light now fill the room. To finish, I added LED feature lighting to the shower and vanity niche.

The kitchen warranted a total redesign. First I repositioned the fridge to allow for extra food storage in the working area of the kitchen, then redesigned the laundry area adjacent to the kitchen so it could be incorporated into the kitchen design.

Next I installed a double pantry cupboard and numerous pull-out drawers. Beautiful imported stone bench tops and a mirror splashback were added, designed to reflect the garden at the house’s rear. Above the bench, four black feature pendant lights, custom-made and used to set the colour of the door furniture.

All of which was complemented by stunning powder-blue joinery – a finishing touch achieved only through my client’s trust in my vision. An outstanding result for a gorgeous space!

For the living area – next to the kitchen and overlooking the garden – I designed a custom rug taking reference from the now-powder-blue kitchen. Next: black kitchen stools; a new modular; a pair of striped upholstered armchairs; a mirrored side table and scalloped table lamp; and a pair of custom bookcases dyed also in the kitchen’s powder-blue hue. I papered one wall with an imported grass cloth to add beautiful depth, and the entire space was repainted. To complete the space, I added new window furnishings and a ceiling fan.

In the dining room I designed a painted cabinet for the client’s glassware, as well as a glass-fronted cabinet to house a comprehensive wine collection. Both cabinets feature LED lights, and at night, they glow vividly like incandescent kaleidoscopes.

I had manufactured a custom mirror and imported a pair of lamps to sit on the glass cabinet, all of which now sit in front of a Japanese grass-papered wall.

To give the space a sense of luxury – the je ne sais quoi I sought – I added a feature pendant light in the centre of the room, over the dining table, and hung custom bronze silk drapes. Luxury achieved.

The hallway now bears an airy, cloud-like wallpaper along the main wall. It provides an artful flair to the space and is a nice contrast with the antique pendant light purchased years ago by the client.

The master bedroom was repainted. I installed a custom wardrobe to make better use of the space. In the guest bedroom, I had the room repainted, fitted a wall of cupboards with new doors an internals, and hung new drapes. To top the design off: American oak handles, blended perfectly the the existing floor colour in the hallway.

To finish, I sourced new artwork and decided to reframe some of the client’s existing pieces.

The client admitted she never dreamed she’d have wallpaper in her home, and now it hangs vibrantly in three of her rooms. Such is the power of trust in an artful vision – it’s a pleasure to work with passionate minds willing and eager to see just what a bold interior design vision can produce.

Location: Armadale, Melbourne
Photographer: Martina Gemmola