How Taylor Smyth rescued a run-of-the-mill condo from the mid-2000s blahs
Ingrid and Nesmith Chingcuanco aren’t the type to fret about a wall colour
More warmth is sneakily supplied by recessed perimeter lighting throughout, lending a lovely evening incandescence and accenting the track lighting built into the oak panels. Barely-there fixtures in the office and above the dining table complete the strategy. “One approach is to do something that’s a real feature above the table,” says Taylor. “But that would detract from the unity of the space. We went with something very minimal, the same aesthetic as everything else.”
And challenging the assumption that galley kitchens are cramped, a two-sided breakfast bar and parallel countertops are separated by what Taylor calls a “critical dimension” – allowing team cooking, spectatorship and room to mingle during a party.
As a redesign, it’s proof that 116 square metres can work as hard, functionally, as a storeyed home – with the right vision. Low-to-the-ground furnishings and select artworks round out the space: a splash of colour here, a hit of texture there. But generally, it’s the architecture that shines. As Taylor notes, “It’s a space that speaks for itself – you don’t need a lot of embellishments.”
“The two structures have a dialogue of scales with one another. As you walk in, the wrapped ceiling is slightly more intimate. Coming into the living room, where it’s higher, there’s a sense of release.”— MICHAEL TAYLOR