PETITE IN PINK
Interior architect Sophie Bowers’ tiny Art Deco apartment in Sydney’s east is filled to the brim with clever ideas
Who lives here Sophie Bowers, founder of interior architecture firm Strutt Studios; her husband Josh Climpson, a fashion stylist for various TV networks; and their mini dachshunds, Billie and Remi.
Style of home A low-rise 63-square-metre Art Deco apartment in Sydney’s Kensington. The property was purchased before Christmas in 2016 and the eightweek renovation commenced in July 2018. Approx. $110,000, which has upped the property’s value considerably.
I“The nod to the apartment’s previous life is what makes this design special”
SOPHIE BOWERS, HOMEOWNER
nterior architect Sophie Bowers was her own worst client when it came to renovating the home she shares with her stylist husband Josh Climpson. “The design process took 18 months because I needed to explore every possible design solution,” she says of the compact one-and-a-half bedroom apartment in Sydney’s Kensington. “Given that the spaces are so small, it was important to get that right.”
The time and energy that went into the process has certainly paid off. “This project was a labour of love,” admits Sophie, who led the project while juggling Strutt Studios, her own busy design practice. She and Josh lived in the property for a year to determine how best to use the spaces, then moved out for the speedy eight-week transformation. Through clever manipulation of the floor plan and by removing a wall separating the kitchen and dining area, Sophie was able to incorporate features that are unique to the apartments in the block, namely a laundry, dishwasher and even a bathtub. “Function was the main driver for the design process,” she says.
While the apartment is small, it flows seamlessly. The entry corridor opens up to the living room with a low sofa separating the dining zone. The boundary wall steps in and out, but Sophie’s design for the kitchen joinery disguises this by including the larger built-in laundry and integrated fridge in the deeper areas and a pull-out pantry at the front to align the joinery. A secondary corridor framed by new arches leads to the well-appointed bathroom. Beyond that, the bedroom is concealed by a glasspanelled door, and double French doors of the same style take you out to a spacious and sun-drenched study.
Stylistically, the renovation was driven by the apartment’s heritage. “I was inspired by original design features such as the pink terrazzo flooring and curved brass light fittings,” Sophie explains. Those textures and shapes influenced the pretty material palette featuring matt pink and ivory wall tiles, grey and white terrazzo floor tiles and unsealed brass. The fluted glass references apartments of the same era and a tight, linear pattern is repeated in the white panelling above the sliding joinery doors and on the storage below the banquette seat.
Working on her own space allowed Sophie the freedom to break some of the rules. “Usually I would recommend that my clients bring in colour through furnishings rather than materials in such a small space, but the abundance of natural light allowed us to be playful,” says Sophie. The white floorboards, white skirting and windows, and soft grey walls provide a neutral foundation for the more flamboyant finishes. The kitchen and bathroom are united
“The abundance of natural light allowed us to be playful with colour in the materials and not just the furnishings”
SOPHIE
by Sophie’s decision to use a lot of the same materials, another choice that was driven by the scale of the apartment.
The furnishings evolved throughout the process. “Every item, from the dining chairs to the TV credenza, from the cushions to the towels, was carefully curated,” says Sophie. Open shelving in the kitchen and bathroom brings lightness and additional storage, as well as housing Josh’s prized collections of plants and ceramics. Other key features include the banquette seat. “It has a combination of Raf Simons velvet on the base and custom leather straps with marble fixings for the back piece,” Sophie explains. A commissioned artwork by Bobby Clark, produced in memory of the couple’s wedding, also has pride of place in the living/ dining area. This work has influenced some of the architectural additions, including the curved arches in the doorways.
Sophie’s holistic approach to the project means there’s no one room that resonates for both herself and Josh. “Our favourite rooms differ,” she says. “Mine is the bathroom and Josh’s is the kitchen. Our choices stem from functionality, and to have two spaces that not only look beautiful but work so well, with an abundance of storage in such a small footprint is an achievement we relish.” A vision of Norwegian Rose marble, brass shelving and fluted glass, the bathroom is a perfect example of this. As is the Caesarstone benchtop in the kitchen, a practical yet stylish choice for the area more regularly used by keen cook Josh.
“A year on and we honestly wouldn’t change a single element of this project if we had our time again,” says Sophie. “Each space functions perfectly for our needs and the interior-design style is timeless while still showcasing our personality and taste. The only area we still need to tackle is the front sunroom. It was originally an enclosed balcony and would look wonderful restored to its outdoor aesthetic with some patterned encaustic floor tiles.” See Sophie’s work at struttstudios.com or call 0431 270 420.