Full of Surprises

Photography by Clinton Weaver

In collaboration with Amandine Simonetti Architecture and Interiors, TSAI Design renovated an existing apartment in the Sydney suburb of Kirribilli for a couple who are downsizing to adapt to their new phase of life.

Located in one of the most established and affluent suburbs of Sydney, this 70 m² house was purchased many years ago, by a young married couple. For the past decade, the owners have maintained this apartment as a rental property while residing in their spacious four-bedroom standalone house with a garden and backyard. However, with their daughter moving out, they've made the exciting decision to downsize to this apartment. Their choice was influenced by the unbeatable convenience of the ease of apartment living with no backyard to maintain, and its strategic position, making it an ideal choice for the couple, as both of them work in the city and can now conveniently walk across the Harbour Bridge to get to their workplaces. The apartment itself, built by Next Level Building in the 1950s, shows signs of age with its outdated kitchen, original floors, and a layout divided into smaller rooms, typical of older constructions. Indeed, its existing plan has a challenging long and narrow layout, with some areas as slim as 3 meters. It is surrounded by neighboring buildings on the western side, necessitating the use of blinds for privacy most of the time. Therefore, the aim of the renovation was to customize the space to the clients' new lifestyle and to enhance its environmental responsiveness. To maximize the functionality of the apartment, Tsai Design divided it into two distinct sections: the front half designed for open living, and the back half serving as the private quarters.

Entering the house, on the left we find the living room where the full-height mirrors have been installed, running the length of a wall to create a sense of spaciousness. The white sofa without armrests with the attached pouf form perfect seats for relaxing. Double-sided bookshelves create a functional divide between the living space and dining area; the latter is the brightest area of the house as it faces north. Here, Tsai Design has utilised white flooring to enhance light reflection, creating a winter garden ambiance since there is no outdoor space with the apartment.

We experimented and paired the stone with a plywood veneer base, with custom details around the edge to bring plywood up to a high finish level not typically expected.

The centrepiece of the living open space is a striking triangular kitchen island in Patagonia quartzite, suspended above the floor and adorned with elegant marble, making a bold statement the moment you enter the apartment. This innovative island design seamlessly extends into the bathroom, where it transforms into a vanity, blurring the boundaries between spaces. To ensure natural light filters throughout, the bathroom wall has been replaced with frosted glass dividers, allowing western sunlight to grace the entire apartment.

Like the kitchen, the bathroom also has a very minimalist yet airy design. A full-height transparent glass wall acts as a partition for the floor-level shower and follows the entire design concept of letting natural light pass through.

The back half of the apartment is dedicated to private living. What used to be two bedrooms have now been reimagined into a single bedroom, a versatile rumpus room for personal relaxation, and a well-placed study nook (strategically positioned around the perimeter of the private rooms to act as a buffer from nearby prying eyes). In addition, a central wardrobe, dividing these three spaces, conceals the study nook, allowing it to be completely hidden at night when the rooms are used for rest. The rumpus room offers a serene retreat complete with an upright piano and a cozy reading nook or could be transformed into a guest bedroom for visiting family and friends.