Inspired by the interiors of Le Corbusier’s Unite d’Habitation, the Balmain apartment celebrates the intimacy and immediacy of the everyday. Functions overlap in this tiny renovated space, 7m x 9m in plan and only 2.4m high. A dado line is introduced at 900mm above the floor, weighting the base of the room with dark and lustrous materials, form ply and dimpled rubber. Above the dado, the walls and ceilings are chalk white, coved to soften corners and junctions. This centres the eye at the dado line, increasing the perceived height of the room.

Reflections and secret views connect the spaces, creating complexity and depth. Drawn from the clients’ love of birds, brightly coloured moments flash into view, a bright blue desk, the red alcove, a yellow door edge, the coloured inside of a door handle.

Photographer: Anthony Browell