This Yarra’s Edge apartment fit-out evolved from a long-standing relationship with the client that began years earlier with two bespoke furniture commissions for their Tower 3 residence — an entertainment unit and custom cocktail cabinet. Following the success of those original pieces, the client later moved into Tower 5 and once again engaged Special Things to help reimagine their new apartment with a more integrated and refined approach to living.
Designed high above the Melbourne waterfront, the apartment balances warmth and restraint — creating a calm and highly functional retreat within the energy of inner-city living.
The brief centred around creating a clean and cohesive interior that softened the apartment’s architectural shell while maximising storage, practicality and visual clarity throughout the space.
Rather than introducing disconnected standalone furniture, the design direction focused on creating continuity between each area of the apartment through custom joinery, floating forms and carefully considered detailing. Warm timber finishes were balanced against a restrained monochromatic palette to create depth and softness throughout the interior while maintaining a clean architectural feel.
A large custom entertainment and storage wall became the centrepiece of the living area, incorporating furniture pieces from the client’s previous apartment into a newly designed architectural wall system. This approach not only retained the history of the original commissions, but also introduced a more purposeful and cohesive solution tailored specifically to the proportions of the new residence.
Throughout the apartment, underutilised spaces were reworked to improve functionality and everyday living. Storage solutions were introduced across the kitchen, bathroom and wardrobe areas, while a custom home office and study nook created a refined workspace that complemented the surrounding interior rather than feeling visually separate from it.
Floating joinery elements, concealed storage and clean horizontal lines helped maintain a light visual presence throughout the apartment while still delivering practical day-to-day functionality. Each intervention was designed to feel resolved, intentional and connected to the overall architectural language of the residence.
The result is an apartment that feels tailored, calm and enduring — designed not only around aesthetics, but around the way the client lives within the space. The continued relationship with the client across multiple residences reflects a shared appreciation for timeless design, thoughtful detailing and furniture crafted to evolve alongside changing homes and lifestyles.
