What can you do in just 36 square metres? Walking into this Darlinghurst apartment pre-renovation, you'd be forgiven for thinking, 'not much'. But without adding any extra space, Catseye Bay have created a functional space fit for sitting, sleeping, cooking, chatting and even a substantial wardrobe and dressing 'room'. With the addition of one multi-functional joinery unit - somewhere between architecture and furniture - this compact apartment has become the perfect inner-city space.
The secret was a curvaceous birch ply unit which breaks up the space into sleeping/sitting/dressing. It provides a wardrobe space, a bed, a sitting area and miscellaneous storage and display space - packing a lot into just one piece of furniture. The curves of the unit make it feel more comfortable in the space and also reference the curves often found in Art-Deco buildings like this.
The beauty of the unit is it allows the home to reveal its 'secrets' slowly. The bed isn't immediately on display (in all it's glory), similarly, your unmentionables have a dedicated space behind closing doors. It's a far-cry from your average studio apartment. Lying in bed feels like you're in a much larger space, while entertaining friends in the sitting area borrows space and sight lines from other parts of the apartment to feel larger as well.
The kitchen and bathroom have remained largely untouched, the designer Catseye Bay choosing to retain and refurbish instead, including the original pine flooring.
In the kitchen a similarly curved end-piece provides additional pace for sitting/chatting and preparation, tying the spaces together and making the space more functional and sociable.
"Materials are an important part of how the apartment works, and feels. Wood, tiles, painted surfaces and fabrics have been carefully chosen to draw the visitor in close, to create warmth and a sense of lightness, and a sense of calm."
Given its compact dimensions, this sculpted studio apartment is versatile and functional. It's remarkable how the addition of one well-designed joinery unit can achieve so much to improve the space. Somewhere between furniture and architecture, the unit achieves so much.
