VILLA UNIT REINVIGORATE RESIDENCE

LOCATION // BALWYN // VICTORIA // AUSTRALIA

INTERIOR DESIGN // SANTOSO BUDIMAN

PROJECT SCOPE

RENOVATION TO A LATE 1960’S ATTACHED CREAM BRICK ARCHITECTURE STYLE VILLA UNIT

AWARDS

• GOLD AWARD AT 2015 MELBOURNE DESIGN AWARDS AND LEND LEASE NAMED DESIGN CHAMPION

• NOMINEE FOR 2018 GERMAN DESIGN AWARD

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

THE BUILDING IS A LATE 1960’S CREAM BRICK ARCHITECTURE STYLE WHICH CAN BE FOUND SCATTERED AROUND BALWYN AND BALWYN NORTH, WAS MAINLY BUILT TO DEAL WITH HOUSING SHORTAGES BECAUSE OF THE RAPID GROWTH THAT AROSE IN THOSE AREAS AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

THE PROJECT BRIEF WAS TO REFURBISH THE ORIGINAL EARLY 1970’S INTERIOR OF VILLA UNIT IN THE CITY OF BOROONDARA, WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN TOUCHED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNERS.  IT WASN’T A VERY COMPLICATED BRIEF FOR US TO CREATE A MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY OPEN SPACE LIVING AREA.

OUR CONCEPT DESIGN FOR THE RENOVATION WAS TO CREATE A SENSE OF A LARGER “APARTMENT STYLE” LIVING SPACE WITH MOST OF THE COST SPENT REMOVING WALLS AND PROVIDING A STRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THE EXISTING ROOF ABOVE.

THE EXISTING ORIGINAL WORN OUT MAUVE CARPET WAS DISCARDED FOLLOWED BY THE REMOVAL OF THE EXISTING VINYL IN THE KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY WHICH WAS TURNED OUT CONTAIN ASBESTOS. THE REMOVAL OF THE ASBESTOS DIDN’T HELP US WITH THE RESTRICTED RENOVATION BUDGET.

ALTHOUGH WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO BE CREATIVE, AT THE SAME TIME WE ALSO HAD A CONSTRAINED BUDGET AS A CHALLENGE TO CREATE AND ACHIEVE THIS MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY OPEN SPACE LIVING AREA.

WE WERE SO PLEASED TO FIND THE EXISTING TIMBER FLOOR WAS ALL IN A VERY GOOD CONDITION AND ONLY NEEDED SANDING THEN STAINED IN A DARKER TONE AND FINISHED WITH A GLOSSY COATING FOR RICHNESS.

THE EXISTING WALLPAPERED AND UNEVEN WALLS AND CEILINGS WERE ALSO REMOVED AND RECONSTRUCTED WITH NEW WALLS AND CEILING THAT WERE GIVEN LAYERS OF WHITE PAINT TO ACHIEVE A CRISP CONTEMPORARY SENSE OF VOLUME CONTRASTING FROM THE DARKER TONE TIMBER FLOOR.

CONTINUING THE CONTRASTING THEME BY APPLYING A WOOD LIKE LAMINATE FOR THE NEW EXTENSIVE JOINERY TO COMPLEMENT THE EXISTING TASMANIAN OAK TIMBER FLOOR AFTER IT WAS RENEWED AND STAINED IN BLACK JAPAN,

THE USE OF THE VIVID WHITE FOR THE WALLS TOOK SEVERAL EXTRA LAYERS OF PAINT IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A PURE CRISP WHITE AND EXPANSIVE FEEL.

IN STEP WITH OUR MODERN LIVING NEEDS THE KITCHEN, DINING AND ENTERTAINING AREA WERE CREATED IN THE NEW LARGE SPACE THAT RESULTED FROM THE REMOVAL OF WALLS AND ALSO INCLUDING WASTED HALL SPACE. THE IDEA WAS THAT ANYONE CAN ENTERTAIN WHILE ALSO DOING THE PREPARATION IN THE KITCHEN AS THERE IS NO VISUAL BARRIER ANY MORE.

THE MAN-MADE MATERIALS SUCH AS A LAMINATE PRODUCT FOR THE FINISH TO THE NEW JOINERY PIECES HELPS US TO KEEP THE RENOVATION WITHIN THE BUDGET.

LED LIGHTING THROUGHOUT THE SPACES TO PROVIDES LOW MAINTENANCE AND DURABILITY.

WE HAVE REINVIGORATED THE UNEXCITING, WORN OUT ORIGINAL 1960S VILLA UNIT IN A SECLUDED INNER EASTERN MELBOURNE SUBURB TO A “MODERN INNER-CITY APARTMENT” WITHIN THE CONSTRAINED BUDGET.

BY RELINING THE CEILING AND WALLS WITH NEW PLASTERBOARDS AND A FRESH COAT OF CRISP WHITE PAINT CREATE THIS EXPANSIVE FRESH AND CRISP NEW INTERIOR TO THE PROPERTY.

WHITE SHEER CURTAINS INSTALLED IN FRONT OF NARROW VENETIAN BLINDS SOFTENED THE EXISTING WINDOW AND YET ACCENTUATE THE EXISTING CEILING HEIGHT.

GOLD AWARD AT 2015 MELBOURNE DESIGN AWARDS AND LEND LEASE NAMED DESIGN CHAMPION: https://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/news/lend-lease-named-design-champion-of-2015-in-melbou