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Lavender Bay Home by Alexandra Kidd Interior Design and Elton Group
The contrasting tones and textures of Elton Group’s timber veneers bring depth and tactility to an inspired project in a highly coveted Sydney harbourside suburb.
Hard and soft surfaces and dark and light materials coalesce to create a subdued sense of luxury in Lavender Bay Home, an apartment on Sydney’s Lower North Shore renovated by Alexandra Kidd Interior Design (AKID). The rejuvenation has brought the previously tired apartment back to life, with subtle maritime influences inspired by its harbourside location. A neutral palette sweeps through the residence, with dark timbers and dramatic swaths of stone providing sharp counterpoints.
Central to AKID’s vision for the apartment were three Elton Group timber veneers, which not only created a natural elegance but added contrast, texture, depth and warmth – with a luxurious finish. “Our concept pivoted around the idea of a light, soft veneer used largely to line the hallway walls and joinery throughout, and contrasting this with a dark timber veneer on the inside of the joinery,” says project designer Morgan Reid. “There is a beautiful dialogue between the cold materiality of the stone elements and the warmth of the timber that also provided the base around which the design details were imagined.”
Elton Group’s light Eveneer Raw veneer in Milkwood is used lavishly throughout, working in tandem with herringbone-style timber flooring to complement other design features, such as stone skirting boards. But the unique use of the veneers also sets a new standard for their application in the design process. Elements of surprising luxury are hidden throughout the apartment, where drawers and doors concealed in the walls spring open to showcase Elton Group’s Eveneer Raw Ristretto veneer that beautifully contrasts with the lighter timber fronts.
The intimate, closed-off lounge room is the antithesis of the predominantly neutral palette, acting as a go-between for the light and dark tones. It harnesses the organic patterning of Elton Group’s Eveneer Raw Maritime Pine veneer, which replicates the thick, cracked bark of the pine tree and was designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.
“We aimed to make this room more decorative and with a distinctive edge, setting it apart from the rest of the apartment while maintaining a consistent colour palette,” says Reid. “The Maritime Pine veneer allowed us to create connections between the light and dark veneers used throughout.”
AKID’s holistic approach sees each element thoughtfully complement the other. Bespoke furniture is perfectly in tune with the cabinetry and joinery, which in turn complements the unique details of the timber walls. “The blurred line between built-in joinery and freestanding furniture, and being able to use the same materiality to connect the two, was a key element in the design,” says Reid. It also influenced the selection of Elton Group’s veneers, which bring both a design-forward element to the space while offering the durability and longevity necessary for a home occupied by an energetic family. The expansive Eveneer colour range ensured the designers could be precise when selecting the right tones to complement the space.
The result is a tribute to not just the veneers themselves but to Alexandra Kidd Interior Design’s long working relationship with Elton Group and the project’s joiners and furniture makers. “The seamless application of the timber veneer across walls, doors and joinery showcases its versatility,” says Reid, “while the flawless execution by the joiner stands as a testament to local craftsmanship.”
Interior design by Alexandra Kidd Interior Design. Build by Highfield Building. Veneers by Elton Group.
