Pushing the boundaries

At a glance, it is easy to spot the point of difference in this apartment interior there are no obvious doors. All the doors are concealed and the floor plan is defined by an open, flowing layout that poses no restrictions on the use of the space.

And that is just the way the owners like it. In designing their own apartment in Sydney's iconic Horizon building, architect Mark Broadley and interior designer Aaron Stewart wanted to encapsulate the essence of the avant-garde nature of the building, which was designed by renowned local architect, the late Harry Seidler.

"Apartments interiors can be very generic, which is how this space looked before the renovation," says Broadley. "We wanted something a lot more personal and bespoke, and very distinctive."

Maximising the space and storage facilities was also a priority for the designers, but they didn't want the storage to be an obvious feature.

The solution was to gut the apartment to create a more open, flowing interior that would be well suited to entertaining. Internal walls were replaced by storage units, so the walls themselves are now concealed cabinets.

"Visual continuity was essential," says Broadley. "We have restricted the material palette, so the same dark-stained wood veneer continues throughout the interior.

"The sleek, uncluttered look is also a response to the building form. We wanted to relate the interior architecture to the exterior. The simple, unifying material palette is part of this evolutionary process."

The architect says the entry needed to make a particularly strong design statement.

"We wanted the door to open to something dramatic and glamorous, hence the mirrored wall and marble countertop. Throughout the apartment, mirrored walls help blur the edges of the space, by making the corners appear to dissolve. They also reflect the expansive city views and enhance the natural light and sense of space."

Another key feature that comes into focus at the entry is an internal box that houses the guest suite and a bar. Wrapped in timber veneer, this box-like element is defined by coloured LED strip lighting along the bottom of the perimeter walls.

"The lighting reinforces the linear look of the interior, particularly the horizontal lines that define the space," says Broadley. "Even the new air conditioning grilles have been designed with this horizontality in mind."

In keeping with the desire to conceal storage facilities in the apartment, the bar in the internal box element is hidden behind timber panels. Flush sliding doors also conceal a niche for a television on another wall, which comprises fabric panels.

To add visual interest, one storage cabinet in the living area is a seamless, white unit with negative detailing. The cabinet sits beneath a window, bordered by mirrors of a similar height. These reflect the view and make the window appear as a continuous band along the wall.

Spaces were also designed with flexibility in mind. The second bedroom doubles as a study, or it can be opened up to serve as a dressing room for the master suite.

The main bedroom echoes the seamless look of the rest of the interior even the door to the bathroom is concealed.

"We like the idea of adding a touch of mystery," says the architect. "If you can discover things gradually, an interior seems all the richer."

In the master bathroom, a wall of one-way glass also challenges traditional expectations. The glazing in the shower allows the owners to see right through the apartment to the view beyond.

"In many ways, the design is reminiscent of a resort hotel, which enhances the glamour," say the owners.

Story by: Colleen Hawkes