Life Is Easy In This Designer’s Calming Melbourne Apartment
Architecture
Joinery in Dulux Milton Moon and Rangitīkei River.
The spacious kitchen in the 82-square-metre apartment.
Urban designer Shakira Everett and her partner Richard in their Brunswick home.
Shakira customised the floor plan and materials to best suit the couple’s taste and habits, leading to the calming, functional and stylish home you see today.
Vintage furniture from Grandfather’s Axe.
The couple love the building’s high concrete ceilings, which add a subtle colour and texture to eliminate the feeling of living in a ‘white box.’
Richard and Shakira relaxing in the living room.
An integrated bar nook.
The original plans stipulated two bathrooms, but Shakira saw merit in replacing the second with a powder room to allow for more living space and a bigger second bedroom.
The two bedrooms are deliberately equal in size. ‘I consciously made this change as it really bothered me a while ago when my best girlfriend and I were looking for a place to rent together that it was impossible to find an apartment where both bedrooms were equal in size and amenity so the rent could be split equally and we could both be equally happy,’ says Shakira. Bed by Koala.
The green carpet was a custom addition. Bed by Koala.
Homeowner Shakira Everett believes good design is where utility and function meet a ‘calming holistic aesthetic.’
Apartments, in particular, should promote safety, privacy, usability and warmth — qualities she found in this two-bedroom Brunswick apartment purchased off the plan.
This apartment building was developed by Milieu — where Shakira worked at the time — in collaboration with Neometro, with architecture by Fieldwork, and interior design by DesignOffice.
The plans showcased what Shakira was looking for: an inner-city place with northern light to retreat to and make every day living that little bit easier through close proximity to public transport, parks, and restaurants.
‘Living a walkable life is something I was looking to ingrain into our every day,’ she says.
Shakira purchased the apartment with her partner Richard, and they set about customising the space to suit their needs.
The original plans stipulated two bathrooms, but Shakira saw merit in replacing the second with a powder room to allow for more living space and a bigger second bedroom.
She explains, ‘I am of the opinion that two bathrooms in a smaller apartment doesn’t lead to the best living outcome for owner occupiers.
‘This is a hang up of an investor’s mentality to apartment living, and understandably so, as typically they are valued higher, but it didn’t make sense for us.
‘We spend most of our time at home around the kitchen, so ensuring our kitchen was spacious so we can cook and entertain was important.’
The couple love the building’s high concrete ceilings, which add a subtle colour and texture to eliminate the feeling of living in a ‘white box.’
They’ve added further colour and warmth by installing green carpet in the bedroom and timber doors throughout the apartment. ‘We’re so glad we did this. Such simple changes have added so much character,’ says Shakira.
This is Richard’s first time living in an apartment, and he’s been pleasantly surprised by the ease of smaller-scale living.
‘I had a lot of biases toward apartment living. I thought there would be more sacrifices, but it’s been a really interesting surprise to understand the clever use of space that has made our life more compact but a lot easier and a lot more comfortable,’ he says.
‘Previously, when in a house, the car was such a necessary commodity… now our feet are sufficient.’
Richard’s best friend purchased the apartment directly below, so if not relaxing at home after work, you can often find both groups at a nearby restaurant for a pint and dinner.
Richard says, ‘We may end up at one of our houses after for a night cap.’