The Invisible Bar by Studio Minosa and Panache Kitchens
More than meets the eye, The Invisible Bar by Studio Minosa and Panache Kitchens has won the Blum Design Award for Innovative Integration, with cleverly concealed hardware allowing for layered functionality.
True to its name, The Invisible Bar disappears entirely into the architecture at first glance. Sitting within a penthouse apartment in Sydney’s Alexandria, this project was conceived as an architectural intervention rather than a piece of furniture.
“We really wanted this to disappear into the language of the architecture rather than be a real stand-out piece.”
“One of our main philosophies in the studio is design for people and their place,” says Darren Genner, co-founder of Studio Minosa. “This place was quite special in its architecture.” The penthouse, located within the Teracôta Apartments in Alexandria, already carried a strong material identity that spoke to its industrial location. The challenge was to integrate a fully functional bar into this refined living space without disrupting that balance.
“The client didn’t want alcohol to be a main focus of their interior,” Genner explains. “So we really wanted this to disappear into the language of the architecture rather than be a real stand-out piece.”
In the corner of the open-plan living and dining area, what appears to be a seamless wall panel opens up to a carefully crafted interior. That reveal is the project’s ‘wow’ factor. “The whole purpose of this bar was to make it look invisible,” says Ashley Little, managing director of Panache Kitchens. “But when you do open that door… you really can’t beat that moment.”
The interior finishes were chosen to align with the existing design language of Teracôta Apartments, while Blum products allow for effortless storage, function and usability. “As far as invisible engineering goes on behind the scenes, the hardware really solved problems for us,” Little says. “We needed a lot of adjustment… to get those lines from the outside being perfect.”
Blum’s CLIP top BLUMOTION hinge system in onyx black supports the full-height mirrored cabinetry doors. Inside, LEGRABOX drawers in carbon black create a dual-layered storage system, paired with the AMBIA-LINE inner dividing system that keeps everything – from barware, glassware and accessories – orderly and accessible. Movement is smooth, controlled and deliberate, reinforcing a sense of quiet luxury and ease.
“It had to feel like it was an integrated thought process of the original design,” Genner notes. “We really wanted the innovation of the hardware just to simply sit in the background.” Blum products do just that. “The true legacy of the invisible bar,” he adds, “is that complexity can be invisible.”
