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Issue 62 - Living in the Environment Issue

Issue 62

Living in the Environment Issue

Issue 62 is the first issue of the year and always a great time to put our best foot forward. With Adam Goodrum, the loveliest man in design, as Guest Editor, we draw on his insights as a furniture designer, artist and educator to look at the makers shaping our design world. Sustainability has never been more important, and increasingly this is a consideration from the start with projects designed to address their immediate environment as well as the longevity of the planet. From the coldest winters to the most tropical of summers, addressing how we live in the environment is crucial to creating the perfect home.

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‘70s Renovation in Sydney’s Potts Point
HomesEditorial Team

‘70s Renovation in Sydney’s Potts Point

Australia

The renovation of a 1970s townhouse in Sydney’s Darling Point realises the potential of the structure’s spaces while updating its dated interiors.


Whilst a marked improvement on the dim, compartmentalised homes of previous decades, the ‘70s nonetheless suffered from marginalised functional spaces and a decided poverty in choice of finishes.

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Thus when briefed for this project, Interior Designer Michael Bechara and partner Axel Osborne were asked to focus on the layout of the kitchen, laundry and bathrooms, and apply a modern touch to materials and textures throughout the home.

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The communal kitchen, living and dining area on the ground floor creates a luminous, open space that capitalises on the abundant natural light from the rear glass doors. The light pink sliding door elegantly separates the laundry area from this space, and adds a further material and colour dimension.

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Natural honed stone, oak parquetry flooring, steel and brass detailing alongside stark white surfaces result in a layering of textures and colours that give the interiors depth while retaining a clean, refined tone. A particular favourite of the resident is the brass shelving unit and range hood in the kitchen.
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The home owner had seen previous examples of Bechara’s customized lighting and asked him to design all decorative lighting for the home (with exception to the Erco track in the living room). These fuse retro and industrial elements, simultaneously referencing the period of the home’s construction and animating their environments with their unique forms.

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The project demonstrates the effectiveness of considered intervention in tired spaces, and how a firm grasp of elementary principles of layout, materials and light can dramatically transform interiors.

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Michael Bechara Designs
michaelbechara.com

Photography: Justin Alexander
justinalexander.com.au


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Editorial Team

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AustraliaHome ArchitectureHouse ArchitectureMichael Bechara DesignsrenovationResidential ArchitectureSydney


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Issue 62 - Living in the Environment Issue

Issue 62

Living in the Environment Issue

Issue 62 is the first issue of the year and always a great time to put our best foot forward. With Adam Goodrum, the loveliest man in design, as Guest Editor, we draw on his insights as a furniture designer, artist and educator to look at the makers shaping our design world. Sustainability has never been more important, and increasingly this is a consideration from the start with projects designed to address their immediate environment as well as the longevity of the planet. From the coldest winters to the most tropical of summers, addressing how we live in the environment is crucial to creating the perfect home.

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