A canvas in the clouds

Interior design by Penny Del Castillo, Studio Del Castillo

From the designer:

Overall design statement 

'Anything but square!' was probably my main mantra while making decorative selections to finish this penthouse. 

With so many hard straight lines and acute angles in the architecture, I was drawn to include softer edges and curved surfaces to deliver desired results for the interiors.

Imagine waking up each morning to a panoramic view of Melbourne's skyline, with the city sprawling beneath you like a living tapestry. 

This isn't just a dream – it's the daily reality for the owners of this penthouse, in the iconic Eureka Tower, recently transformed by Penny Del Castillo, founder and creative director of Studio Del Castillo, into a warm, texture-rich haven that truly embodies the concept of 'living in the sky'.

A canvas in the clouds

Occupying an entire city block and soaring over 300minto the Melbourne sky, the Eureka Tower – designed by the renowned Fender Katsalidis in 2006 – remains one of the world's tallest residential buildings. 

It's within this tower, on the 80th floor, that our latest project unfolds – a true penthouse in every sense of the word.

From angular shell to cozy nest

Our apartment owners, a pair of adventurous empty nesters with a globe-trotting bucket list, presented us with an irresistible challenge: "Take this dramatically angular shell and fill it with warmth, colour, and texture to be the ultimate lock-and-leave home." 

The result? A luxurious retreat that seamlessly blends innovative design with homely comfort, perfect for those moments between world travels.

A home in the heavens

​Throughout the penthouse, innovative design solutions transform the angular shell into a warm, inviting space. 

Each room tells a story of luxury, comfort, and attention to detail, from the sweeping living areas to the intimate bedroom retreats.

This penthouse exemplifies a highly detailed design with acknowledgement of global aesthetics. 

The home is distinguished by its craftsmanship and refined interior.

The interior spaces are defined by grand proportions, creating a sense of openness and luxury.

Throughout the penthouse, a refined palette of textures and finishes are employed. 

Walls throughout the interior feature detailed panelling and timber veneer, paired with stone & plaster. 

Floors are anchored with a combination of detailed stone, timber and custom rugs throughout.

Creating a custom design for the penthouse involved the use of unique materiality, craftsmanship and shared knowledge when delivering this interior.

Our scope for the project entailed interior architecture, along with the selection of all furniture, artworks, and accessories. 

Each phase of this project contributed to the overall aesthetic with emphasis on quality and craftsmanship.

The spaces

A grand entrance: the private lift lobby

While every room in this sky-high abode is impactful, the private lift lobby stands out as a leading feature. 

Here's what awaits visitors as they step out of the elevator:

• Walls that wow – sumptuous, exaggerated carved and padded fabric wallpaper envelops the space, immediately setting a tone of opulence.
• Golden touches – paying homage to the Eureka Gold Rush namesake, brass elements are thoughtfully incorporated throughout, including patinated deep lift reveals.
• Doors of distinction – four pairs of custom Italian solid brass doors, featuring an erosion pattern, serve as functional art pieces.
• Underfoot luxury – exotic rich red floorboards lead to a timber-lined tunnel, while a 100% silk, 100-knot hand-tufted rug cushions every step.
• Illuminating sculpture – defying design logic, a sizeable and undeniably sculptural pendant light spans east to west, ensuring a dramatic welcome from any lift.

Sitting room

An open-plan sitting room with dramatic angular footprint directs the views towards to the South up the Peninsula and West towards to the Bay.

The diversity of the segmented Edra 'On the Rocks' sofa which hugs the circular rug has become a favourite morning coffee location, sitting in reverse, facing out towards Hobsons Bay (Port Melbourne & St Kilda).

To take advantage of other views from this room we introduced custom Swivel Armchairs by Kaim Rashid, a hand knotted floor rug for softness underfoot and acoustic balance over the limestone floors.

Plus an eclectic mix of coffee tables and side tables can be manoeuvred at will, depending on who has arrived for aperitivos.

Media/entertainment room

The television entertainment room had hardly a corner.

However, we manipulated this space to house the super-sized Dale Frank Original art and create a cosy yet open-plan media viewing area.

The television is hidden by operable chevron patterned porcelain doors, which when closed make a feature panel above the fireplace.

Open shelves each side of these panels are home to a private collection of turquoise Vintage Mdina Maltese glass signed by creator Michael Harris.

Also in this room, a Baxter deep blue nubuck, suede, low back curved sofa gives presence to yet another irregular shaped room and allows enough distance to walk behind it to fully appreciate the Dale Frank abstract.

Master bedroom retreat

Behind the master bedroom is a retreat from the large, open-plan family entertainment zones – this space is an intimate withdrawal and a special zone for family heirlooms and collectables.

Kitchen 

The Boffi designed kitchen merges exquisite details with rich materials. 

Stone benchtops, including a vast island bench, feature a Wolf oven and steam oven, a Boffi gas cooktop and range, Boffi kitchen special metallic joinery, two integrated Miele dishwashers, Sub-Zero refrigerators, and butler's pantry. 

An integral part of the kitchen and living zone, the fitted bar area is ideally positioned to serve the expansive formal and informal living and dining zones.

Master retreat/ master ensuite 

Privately located at one end of the residence, the main suite comprises a sitting area, and two expansive dressing rooms each with custom built Italian night systems. 

The sublime marble-floored ensuite features mosaic frescos by French artist Mathilde Jonquiere whose work adorns the Cartier boutique in Madrid, the Cognac Hennessy Chateau and Bon Marche in Paris.

Bedroom 2 

This guest bedroom style has been centred around sentimental Maltese influences rich in colour palette and an infamous oversized 1959 “Snorkelling in Malta” limited edition print by illustrious photographer Slim Aarons. 

Here, we have placed 'his and hers' solid timber armoires locally made by Zuster and customised with brass stud work. 

Rugs from Rug Establishment zone the dressing and sitting spaces independently from the bedroom sleeping area.

Bedroom 3 

Bedroom 3 is truly a little pink dream! 

The room has been set up especially for 8-year-old granddaughter visits!  

Hermes wallpaper, Camengo Allos embroidered sheer curtains, a Ligne Roset armchair, Tapetti rug and an original Ewa Bathalia tutu all feature!

Additional Lobby

To provide some privacy between the office and entrance to gym and master bedroom we had two oversized patterned timber veneer custom sliding doors made to match the rich Dinesen flooring. 

When opened the doors would be adjacent and align with a continuous pattern designed by Penny Del Castillo.

Stand-out flooring

Additional features include Magny Le Louvre limestone and Dinesen flooring together with exquisite white marble flooring in the bathrooms.

Story by: Trendsideas