This Compact 1930s Sydney Apartment Is A Minimalist’s Dream
Interiors
Custom mirror by Mr Waller. Coco Dining chair by Gubi. Nikari Linea RMT6 chair from K5 Furniture. Theodore Entry Table by Arteriors.
Custom coffee table, plinth and fireplace by Mr Waller. 1978 vase by Greg Natale. Charcoal drawing by Craig Ruddy.
An archway frames the kitchen. Vase by Emily Belle Ellis.
The living space.
Vintage 1960s Parker sofa from 506070.
A leafy outlook adds to the apartment’s calming atmosphere.
Custom kitchen joinery designed by Mr Waller.
The kitchen was designed as a multi-purpose space for eating and working.
Custom kitchen joinery designed by Mr Waller. Lampe Gras 303 wall light by Spence & Lyda. Vienna #14 chairs by Thonet. Pietra tray by Greg Natale. Gimming table by Pierre + Charlotte.
The bedroom. Custom desk by Mr Waller. Moore oak wall shelves by BJ Design House. Vienna #14 chairs by Thonet.
Terrazzo floor tiles and wall tiles from Surface Gallery.
Custom headboard by Mr Waller.
Artwork by Debra Dawes. Orsay small lamp from Bloomingdales.
The delightful balcony. Adam Goodrum Volley outdoor chairs by Tait.
The home is part of an interwar buildings that was created amid the housing shortage in the 1930s.
For interior designer Andrew Waller, getting to renovate this Woollahra apartment for himself was a welcome departure from his client work.
‘Without a formal client brief or deadlines, I enjoyed a different approach to the design, with a freedom that allowed it to evolve organically over time,’ the founder and designer behind Mr Waller says.
Built in the 1930s, the two-bedroom home within the interwar complex was exactly the kind of project Andrew was looking for: mostly original, with treetop views, beautiful high ceilings, period cornices, and full of potential.
So after moving in mid-2019, he got to work reconfiguring the original floor plan to improve spatial flow and maximise natural light.
A series of structural interventions made way for a new fluid, L-shaped living zone, while the kitchen was designed to feel more like a ‘second living space’ with freestanding joinery.
A custom-designed banquette lounge was created opposite for more casual seating with a round table in-front, giving Andrew an additional place to work with his laptop on hand. These bespoke and built-in pieces also helped maximise space inside the 79-square-metre abode.
‘Importance was placed on more “open” spaces,’ he adds. ‘Due to the nature of my work, I wanted more structured clarity at home. A calming relaxed materials palette which wouldn’t overstimulate.’
‘In the bathroom, a playful nod to old gym changing rooms is evident in the oversized shower cubicle, terrazzo floor, subway tiles and vertical storage cabinets — a contemporary take on utilitarian elegance.’
He also drew from modernism and the considered aesthetics of Japanese design to curate the clean, pared-back interiors.
Original heritage elements like refinished cypress pine floors and picture rails are now refreshed in ‘restrained’ hues like chalky whites, muted greys, nude tones and soft oak, punctuated by black detailing and a captivating charcoal artwork by Craig Ruddy.
The finished apartment not only serves as a functional sanctuary for Andrew’s life, but as a an experimental zone for his work, where he often tests out different spatial ideas.
‘The space has continually shifted as I’ve lived in it, shaped as much by instinct and exploration, as by intention,’ he says.