There’s a lot to like about Nick Sweetland’s apartment renovation. There’s even more to be impressed with after you consider the four-month turnaround and tight budget.
Amongst the leafy trees of Ivanhoe, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, a 1960s two-bedroom apartment presented Nick Sweetland, a Senior Architect at COX Architecture, with just the personal project he’d been looking for. As an architect the opportunity to apply his style while appealing to the context of an existing building would prove to be just the thing he was after.
Purchasing the apartment in February of this year, he commenced the renovation almost immediately.
“The day that I signed the papers, I had my mate who's an electrician come over, and we started that day - I didn't waste any time - I wanted to sort of make the most of the slightly warmer weather before it got too bleak,” Sweetland says modestly, keenly aware of his budget. Time would be of the essence.
The apartment includes balconies at either end – something to work with - and an enclosed kitchen with a wall that would go. This would open the entire living space. creating flow and connection between the spaces, while making the most of the windows at either end; airflow would be improved and lots of natural light at all times of day.
Remaining true to the building's mid-century origins Sweetland would retain fixtures where possible or echo the original intentions of the property. This is demonstrated by his choice to source terrazzo tiles that acknowledge the original bathroom floor. It is also in the retention of the mirror cabinet; subtle details are hard to replicate. Along with the olive, mosaic tiles, the bathroom feels like it’s been lifted straight from the pages of Arts and Architecture, mid-century’s number one magazine for design and culture.
“I found the tiles from Fibonacci and I saw them on marketplace,” remembers Sweetland, “someone had tiled their entire house in Torquay and had leftovers. I thought, fantastic, I'll be there in an hour and a half, I'll take them all,” laughs Sweetland. The budget was still intact.
With an eye for detail, experience and knowledge, it’s hard to imagine Sweetland would let the design aspect spiral out of control, and as a result the apartment is a complete piece of work; finished and whole. But when it comes to the living area, the ability to play with timber – just as the mid-century greats did. Knowing where to emphasise, apply texture or remove detail is key.
Sweetland made sure his home was contextually true. A hallmark of many mid-century homes is timber variation - in tone, colour and grain - and here it is central to its success. Opting to use Laminex Spotted Gum TrueScale™ in AbsoluteGrain® finish for the kitchen has allowed for the kind no repeat, book-matched style of work carpenters seek. TrueScale™ allows grains to continue uninterrupted from panel to panel leaving a craftsman’s-like consistency of material with the durability and dependability of Laminex.
In the medium to dark tones of Spotted Gum there’s perhaps a knowing wink to mid-century greats like Nakashima and Kapel and their penchant for darker tones, different grains and timber varieties. Sweetland applies his designer nous in the subtle differences we see between kitchen and floor, furniture and decorative pieces using the authentic tactility of Laminex AbsoluteGrain® to fit into the spaces’ textural mix.
“I think the hardest thing about the kitchen was trying to complement it with the floorboards, that it wasn't too similar. I didn’t want to match it with the floorboards. I wanted to have a little bit of colour and separation between the two.”
“I think it is nicely cut up with the stainless steel,” Sweetland says of his decision to use Laminex Spotted Gum. “Light bounces off and lightens it a little because it is a pretty dark and bold choice, but I think how the light hits the mosaic splashback and bench top, it works out nicely.”
Growing up with an artist mum and engineer dad in nearby Kew, Sweetland fondly remembers going through 5 renovations of the same house. With his first place in Ivanhoe, he takes on the mantle set by his parents. That he was able to gut and rebuild for such a price is a credit to both his determination and grit. For four months straight he, along with family, friends, trades and experts applied their skills at times that were possible; after work and weekends. He trimmed rates by labouring and doing much of the work himself to keep it in check, only “blowing-out” an extra $5000 to the final $65000, by the time he moved in around July.
“I’ll be on to the next one for sure,” he says when asked if he’ll do it again.
The final element, and a huge contribution to the apartment’s feel, is styling. Saying more than just an architect’s awareness of great pieces, much of it was found on marketplace or second hand, speaking to the other great element of the project; repurpose, reuse, recycle. Choosing to buy and renovate in an old block was no mistake, just as the furniture and pieces Sweetland chooses to live with is purposeful and deliberate.
Surrounded by trees and the birds chirping sounds like a great way to be in this world. That Nick Sweetland gets to do it in a house of his own making is a wonderful story.
“I went for run this morning along the Yarra, where the kangaroos are. That’s hard to beat.”
Discover the full Next Generations Woodgrains range here.
Architect: Nick Sweetland (Cox Architecture)
Builder: Tom Duffy
Photographer: Amelia Stanwix
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