Sophisticated 1906 Apartment

This 1906 apartment is in the suburbs of Potts Point in a high-rise residential tower overlooking the waters of Sydney Harbor. To redesign it for a sociable, well-traveled owner, local studio Amber Road paired dark hues with decadent materials.

The owner is often out on business but enjoys entertaining friends when he is at home. His assignment for the 80 square meter house, which was considered an empty shell when purchased, was for a versatile space in which he could easily attend overseas friends, large gatherings, or more intimate dinner parties. He also wanted rooms to display his growing collection of artwork. Rather than just focusing on the spectacular views of the outside, the design team decided that the interior experience would be both rich and layered.

In the living area, a storage room is fully integrated into the back wall. The center panel can be pulled down to reveal a fold-out bed for overnight guests. A wooden slatted umbrella that can be pulled across the room to hide the room from the adjoining dining area ensures privacy. The bulky joinery, where part of the apartment’s plumbing system was previously hidden, is removed to open the entrance. Three metal tubes are now exposed, one of which is wrapped with leather laces to look more like a decorative feature.

While a large part of the existing concrete surfaces remain in their found state, others are painted light gray or dark blue. Slate colored terrazzo covers surfaces in the master bath. Warmer colors are offered in the kitchen, with splash of ocher marble and plum-colored blinds over the windows. The main cabinet is stained black. Its curved shape allows for a recessed side table in the bedroom that is on the other side of the wall.