A Minimalist Apartment with Incredible City and Park Views (Apartment Tour)

A minimalist apartment offering panoramic views of Melbourne, Aerial balances a sense of openness with that of comfort and intimacy. Crafted by Nexus Designs, the home uses subtle shifts in colour and materiality to propose “shades of experience” in the context of a minimalist apartment.

Set on the traditional lands of the Boonwurrung people of the Kulin Nation, Aerial is a minimalist apartment overlooking parklands, the Botanic Garden precinct and the Melbourne CBD. From the outset, the home presents as a luxurious retreat, beginning with the lobby. Neutral tones and subdued lighting accentuate both the fine texture of interior finishes and the contours of a dramatic artwork – echoing the line of the horizon, the artwork is a sign of the vista to come. “Something we [the interior designers] inherited is that when you enter the apartment, your first view out to the extraordinary skyline is through a bathroom,” says Sonia Simpfendorfer, director at Nexus Designs. “That's something that we wouldn't normally do, but we fully embraced it.” Compared with the lobby, the bathroom celebrates a lighter version of a neutral colour palette, highlighting the generous size of the space.

In the primary bedroom, neutral tones allow focus to remain on sweeping views to the east. The restful character of the space is developed using understated artwork and furniture. Separated from the bedroom by a wall, the largest section of a minimalist apartment is divided into zones. In Aerial, the zones consist of the dining area, main seating group and library. “We created a threshold so you enter it [the library] through a timber-lined corridor and when you're in there, the materials are quite different,” says Simpfendorfer. While most of the core interiors feature soft greys, gentle blues and muted greens – subtle references to the cityscape – the library captures a rich colour palette, the warmth of which is enhanced by timber-clad walls. All spaces are visually united by wide oak flooring and woven rugs of a similar colour.

Using Blum motion technology, Nexus Designs ensures that the practical element of Aerial’s experience is infused with luxury. The solutions, well-suited to a minimalist apartment, allow items throughout the home to be opened effortlessly and closed silently. “We've worked with Blum for a long time and starting a project with them is always our preference,” says Simpfendorfer. “This kitchen was designed very specifically for this client and for this brief. As soon as we knew the shape of it, we gave the plans to Tommy from Blum and he mocked up the kitchen for us at one-to-one scale in their test-drive kitchen. It just took all of the guesswork and any uncertainty out of the equation for our client.”

A minimalist apartment near the Melbourne CBD, Aerial provides a place to retreat from the bustle of the city. “We've given this apartment a whole new life and purpose for our client,” says Simpfendorfer. “It's their home, it's their haven, it's the place they miss when they're away.” Through the considered use of colour, Nexus Designs achieves a tranquil vantage point and effortless living environment.

00:00 - Introduction to the Minimalist Apartment
01:19 - A Walkthrough of the Apartment
02:27 - The Blum Collaboration
03:17 - Creating an Intimate and Cosy Space
04:05 - A City Inspired Colour Palette
04:20 - The Materials

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Photography by Timothy Kaye.
Interior design by Nexus Designs.
Styling by Bea Lambos.
Furniture fittings by Blum.
Filmed and edited by Dan Preston.
Production by The Local Production.

Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.

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