Murray Barker & Esther Stewart’s Brunswick Apartment.

Murray Barker and Esther Stewart have executed a functional and flexible renovation of a two-bedroom 60s apartment in Brunswick. The project was an exercise in restraint as the team looked to learn from and rework the existing building conditions in order to celebrate the atmosphere of the original home while adapting to meet the contemporary needs of its owners.

The original layout is typical of many apartments of this era, with a clear division between living and private spaces. The duo reconfigured the plan to increase the connection between the living room and kitchen. To do this, dividing walls between the two spaces were partially demolished as inserted joinery elements reorder circulation paths in lieu of original walls.

The new layout takes the form of an L-plan, open to the living areas, and anchored by a custom made table and fixed banquette seating. A bank of full height joinery divides the private areas of the apartment from the kitchen and accommodates for utilities such as the new laundry, fridge, pantry and ample storage. Visible from the living room, a long working bench completes the ‘L’ of the kitchen plan, running parallel with the entry circulation.

The design of the joinery references the original 60s-era kitchen, with visible framing around doors and drawers, and custom finger pulls. The material palette seeks to unify new and retained elements. The original bathroom is a key reference—terrazzo flooring and colourful finishes and fixtures show signs of age in a beautiful way, strengthening the character of the home as new materials celebrate the enduring qualities.

Salvaged from excess stock from a larger project, tiled terrazzo floors unify the spaces of the apartment and add depth. Introduced colours pick-up on the greens and pinks found in the new marble flooring. The soft pistachio green of the cabinetry is a striking contrast to the red marble of the working bench, splashback and dining table. True to the project’s mission the original tapware is re-used, just one of many original elements retained.

By reworking the untouched foundations through a contemporary lens Murray and Esther have added a new layer to the space that builds on the apartment’s existing narrative—rather than tearing it down.

Related: Concrete Ping Pong Tables by Murray Barker & Laith McGregor.

[Images courtesy of Murray Barker. Photography by Benjamin Hosking.]