Like most renovators, Elliot Bastianon and his partner Louisa began remodeling their Canberra apartment with a relatively optimistic timeline.
“We naively thought we would complete the renovation in eight months, but it took two and a half years,” says the designer and artist.
Originally built in 1958, the 75 square meter apartment was a large blank canvas consisting of double brick exterior walls and a single brick interior. Additionally, for a building that is nearly 70 years old, there was no structural damage.
“Despite its outstanding structural qualities, basically everything inside needed to be modernized,” says Elliot.
“Some things had not been changed since the apartment was built and the things that had changed were in dire need of replacement – the bathroom was the most important!”
They set some clear guidelines for the updates: create an attractive new material palette, maximize space through joinery and make the home comfortable for Canberra's famously cold winters.
“As we both lived in cold, drafty and uninsulated houses in Canberra and Sydney, we really wanted to ensure that this apartment was comfortable not only for us, but also for those who will live in it for decades to come,” adds he added.
While they couldn't make any structural changes without seeing the building's original plans, the renovation included a number of clever changes that dramatically transformed the space.
In the living room, the plasterboard ceiling was cut away to reveal the concrete slab above. This created space for unattended lighting, hidden in Tasmanian oak veneer boxes custom-built by Elliot. He also designed the eye-catching floating bookshelves to free up usable space underneath.
New Blackbutt flooring was installed throughout, the outdated kitchen was torn out and replaced with new custom cabinets and subway tiles in contrasting colors.
“For the bathroom, we weren’t afraid of a little color and texture! “A pink fluted concrete sink, fabricated locally by Mitchell Bink Concrete Designs, is a nod to the pastel tones used in the home’s original paint,” says Elliot.
However, the biggest improvement was upgrading the apartment's insulation and energy efficiency.
“We installed double-glazed windows, wall cavity insulation and floor insulation throughout and completely air-sealed the entire apartment – which significantly improved the energy efficiency rating,” he explains. Thanks to the house's improved thermal performance, you can now walk around in just a t-shirt and shorts, even in winter.
The catch was that just as the renovation was almost complete, the couple discovered that Louisa's work was sending them to New Delhi for three years: “We packed up and moved to India a few months ago!”
“It was a bit sad having all this work done on the apartment and not living in it – we finished it literally the week we left – but we found some really nice tenants to hold down the fort while we were away are.” says Elliot.
“And it is actually a very rewarding feeling to know that you are providing a thoughtful, well-designed and comfortable space for others to enjoy.”