Rather than limiting the use of timber to that of a feature material, Studio Barbara, led by Felicity King has used veneer as the base palette, the hero underpinning the entire apartment, the result, a warm, welcoming, tactile and grounded, space. A refuge and place of calm above a busy city.
The design of the apartment is intimate, the project involved replanning the entire volume, with a focus on softening the edges. Unlike other surfaces, veneer afforded the flexibility to curve and wrap the spaces, creating a flow and connectivity ‘allowing us to create a cohesive, connected, and harmonious space through the continuity of material texture and tone’ explains Felicity. Veneered doors cleverly and seamlessly melt into veneer walls.
The concept was brought to life with Elton Group’s Eveneer Mink—a wonderfully warm and evocative midtone veneer combined with the masterful detail and craftsmanship of Matt Appino in the articulation of bulkheads, wall junctions, and joinery, fluidly reflecting the coves of the harbour beyond.
The timber veneer surfaces create a beautiful canvas for the architecture, design, and decoration to converge, with a curated overlay of artwork, personal objects and loose furniture creating the refined, understated elegance which fills the home with soul and spirit.
Beyond the aesthetic, the haptic properties of wood are infinite. Studies show how the physical touch of timber can induce parasympathetic nervous activity producing a calming effect, reducing feelings of stress and increasing positivity. Timber is one of the most effective ways to bring nature and natural materiality to interior spaces and is acknowledged as one of the key principles of Biophilic Design supporting user health and wellness.
Wood surfaces regulate humidity, enhance indoor air quality, increase thermal comfort and energy efficiency and dampen sound to improve acoustic comfort.
Studio Barbara are committed to sustainability and selected Eveneer for its quality—free from splits, knots and discolouration—and commitment to agriculture and the responsible harvesting of logs to protect and regenerate the environment
Completed in 2020, this evocative project has been shortlisted for numerous awards and gained international recognition.
Interior Design: Studio Barbara
Joinery: Matt Appino, MSA Prestige Woodcraft
Photography: Anson Smart / Clinton Weaver