After 20 years in her single-brick Victorian dwelling in Fitzroy North, artwork curator Bernie Alibrando was prepared to provide it a considerate refresh, setting it up for the following twenty years.
It took simply 5 months for Cantilever Interiors to revamp the house — from idea to completion — injecting it with contrasting texture and color.
‘Bernie’s transient included minimal web site intervention with little disruption made to the present service pathways, captured in her concrete flooring,’ says Kylie Forbes, artistic director for Cantilever Interiors.
Bernie’s intensive travels to Japan and the Mediterranean turned the principle inspiration for the renovation.
‘Each cultures influenced her appreciation of kind, color and presence,’ Kylie explains.
‘In apply, Bernie takes nice care of her dwelling and belongings, with every drawer, floor and materials meticulously appreciated. Designing with a view of needing “solely the important”, Bernie shared an excellent appreciation of design for longevity.’
The colors chosen for every room had been rigorously chosen to inform a narrative of distinction as one strikes by way of the house.
A candy apricot fills the terrazzo-tiled toilet whereas the bed room adopts a heat, honey yellow. The kitchen — the centre of the renovation — options cooler tones that floor the house, whereas darkish inexperienced marmoleum enhances the resin flooring.
Rearranging the structure of the kitchen across the concrete flooring and the present inexperienced resin coat proved to be probably the most troublesome a part of this venture.
‘Within the earlier design, the sink sat adjoining to the window. The windowsill was low, conflicting with the connection between it and the bench top, blocking gentle and making it troublesome to open the window,’ explains Kylie.
This, mixed with the awkward positioning of the cumbersome fridge, meant a considerate design was required to optimise performance.
In response, Cantilever Interiors moved the sink to the again wall and put in a decrease, terrazzo-tiled benchtop beneath the fluted window — an excellent spot for Bernie to sit down and put together meals. Additionally they added a tall block of joinery, which doubles as a front room bookcase and cleverly conceals the fridge.
‘[The integrated fridge joinery] maximises its performance on three sides, shielding parts of the kitchen from view, creating a way of intrigue as you stroll within the door, with gentle wrapping within the encompass,’ explains Kylie.
This refurbishment has given Bernie’s dwelling splashes of heat color and a useful kitchen to take her by way of the following twenty years.
