Houzz Tour: Industrial-Style Revamp for Small-Space Living
An Australian retiree’s 1-bedroom apartment gets a new look — and even a stylish study nook tucked in the hallway wall
Helen Philips was on the brink of selling her four-bedroom house in Brisbane, Australia, with the intention of moving to a one-bedroom apartment in her hometown of Melbourne. The apartment overlooked the city skyline but was sorely in need of a makeover to make it feel like home. “This time, it’s totally selfish,” Philips says of the desire for a makeover. “I want it to reflect my personality. Whether that’s a bit of a neat freak or a bit of a freak full-stop — not sure!” Enter Shaynna Blaze and her Deadline Design team. It was their job to work out what Philips liked and didn’t like, and to transform her tiny home on a tiny budget — which nevertheless doubled from $30,000 to $60,000 to give the homeowner the outcome she wanted.
Philips describes her style as industrial-warehouse-commercial, but achieving this in such a small space was a challenge. “It’s a look that works best in open-plan spaces with high ceilings, and that’s the total opposite of Helen’s place,” Blaze says. “Helen was thinking on an industrial scale, but I needed to bring her back to reality.”
Blaze took Philips to an actual warehouse apartment to highlight the limitations of injecting industrial style into her place, where ceilings were less than 8 feet high. They decided on a less-is-more approach. “Otherwise it was going to look a bit themed and a bit twee, and like it was trying to be something that it wasn’t,” Blaze says.
BEFORE: The living area was bland and lacking in character.
AFTER: Now it’s a stylish and comfortable space with elements of industrial-loft style — wood, black, white, leather and stainless steel — and plenty of color to balance out the look. Philips chose the rug herself, preferring this one over Blaze’s suggestion, but its color and energy were just what the apartment needed. “It’s not exactly what I would have chosen, but that’s OK; it’s not my house,” Blaze says. “I think it will be quite gorgeous for Helen, and they’re her colors.”
Paint: Mink Scorpio (walls) and Miss Universe (trim): Taubmans
Paint: Mink Scorpio (walls) and Miss Universe (trim): Taubmans
Introducing a new sofa in aged leather added warmth and character to the apartment, and gives the finished look real impact. The sofa, ottoman and entertainment unit are low-profile and on legs, which help the space seem bigger.
Sofa: Molmic; rug: The Rug Collection
Sofa: Molmic; rug: The Rug Collection
BEFORE: Aside from the apartment not having enough counter space, a standard-size fridge was too tall for the allotted space, and there was nowhere to put the microwave. The stainless steel dining table, however, fit with the toned-down industrial look Philips was going for. But the dining table also doubled as the study space, a far-from-ideal scenario she hoped Blaze and her team could help solve.
BEFORE: The cookie-cutter apartment had a simple layout, but the wide hallway meant a study nook could be carved into the wall separating it from the laundry.
AFTER: The self-contained study nook was created by stealing some space from the laundry behind. It even has a door (with built-in cabinet) that can hide the office space from view.
Philips likes to bake bread and pastry and to cook roast dinners, so the renovated kitchen had to have enough counter space and storage to make this easy. The finished kitchen has double the counter space of the old design, and the new layout also manages to fit in a full-size fridge and roomy pantry. Subway tiles with black grout feature in both the kitchen and bathroom.
Backsplash tiles: Perini; faucet: Renovator Store
Backsplash tiles: Perini; faucet: Renovator Store
The kitchen’s color combination is just what Philips wanted, and the space is now highly functional. Blond wood sliding doors on the open shelving add an industrial edge, and the black laminate counter was a budget-conscious choice that fits with the look. Color-matching the lower cabinets and counter was a strategic decision. “When those surfaces meet, it makes the space feel bigger,” Blaze says.
The midcentury-inspired dining chairs from Zuster add texture and style.
Pullout storage makes it easy to access ingredients. And there’s an additional storage cabinet Philips can lock up when she goes away.
Laying new wood flooring throughout the apartment enhanced its sense of space and tied each zone together.
BEFORE: The old bathroom had what Philips called a “killer bath,” which was difficult to get in and out of safely.
AFTER: Reconfiguring the bathroom was possible once the swing door was changed to a sliding pocket door, and the bath was removed to make way for a walk-in shower.
Philips had been hoping for a walk-in shower level with the floor, but plumbing issues meant that a lip was necessary to accommodate pipes without impacting on the neighbors downstairs.
Despite its small proportions, the new bathroom now has plenty of storage space. “I’m happy,” Philips says.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Helen Philips, a retiree
Location: Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Size: 592 square feet (55 square meters); one bedroom, one bathroom