Soft and Ethereal – Athea House by AM Interior Studio with Tongue & Groove

Sparked by the client’s desire to create an atmosphere reminiscent of living at The Calile Hotel in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Interior Designer Ashley Maddison of AM Interior Studio worked alongside Monster Ideas Architects to craft Athea House. Arched curves, a refined palette of mosaic tiling, finely grained travertine and natural toned Tongue & Groove timber floorboards helped to form the desired experience, which exudes an art deco style with a modern sense of airiness and comfort.

The interior of Athea House features elements that reflect personality and movement in a sophisticated and confident manner. In selecting the stone used, Ashley and the client chose three boldly textured and coloured pieces. “Travertine lends itself to more of a feminine look with its soft lines and cream tones, while the other green and pink toned stones were selected to create a point of difference in each of the rooms. The travertine in both natural and porcelain remains the grounding material, alongside the timber,” she says.

This bold arrangement of textures and colours called for a refined, yet neutral timber, making Tongue & Groove’s Freado, with its Classic Grade and character of European oak, the best choice for the downstairs flooring and walls.

This bold arrangement of textures and colours called for a refined, yet neutral timber, making Tongue & Groove’s Freado, with its Classic Grade and character of European oak, the best choice for the downstairs flooring and walls. “We had a bigger space to work with, so we installed the wider Grande board, which worked well alongside the 20mm crazy paving in the kitchen,” says Ashley. The same format board was specified for the powder room wall to hide it from view in the open-plan space. Upstairs, a narrower Piccolo board was chosen for the hallway, media room and master bedroom suite to better align to the more delineated spaces.

With references to an art deco style and the arched forms of The Calile Hotel, the kitchen and bathrooms of Athea House feature curved mosaic tiling and rounded internal walls. The arched motif creates a sense of continuity throughout the home as well as a touch of distinction. Bulkheads are also curved as a continuation of this design theme and work to soften the space.

“The colour Freado complemented the rest of the finishes. I didn’t need a statement timber colour, but rather one that enhanced the other statement pieces in the rooms.”

When it came to furniture choices, Ashley selected pieces that balance the material palette. For the wine bar, a green Cristanza natural stone splashback with bold agave and burnt caramel tones inspired the lush velvet seating and contrasting slick, white table. In the living area, the textured rug reflects the varied tone of the bricks outside. The bedrooms make use of a soft palette, injecting tones of terracotta and pistachio green along with subtly integrated cabinetry. These bold colour choices are thoughtfully balanced by the neutral backdrop of the timber floorboards.

“The tiling and natural stone creates movement and character within this home. They are statement pieces,” says Ashley, “and this made the Tongue & Groove flooring a strong foundation for my design throughout. The colour Freado complemented the rest of the finishes. I didn’t need a statement timber colour, but rather one that enhanced the other statement pieces in the rooms.” Another reason for this choice was in the quality of the Tongue & Groove product, which Ashley sees as superior to many others on the market. “The triple layer oak and the lengths of their boards is enough to set them apart, but their colour range is refined as well,” she says. “This product is versatile, and I feel comfortable specifying it to pieces of furniture, walls, and ceilings, as well as the floor.”

With references to an art deco style and the arched forms of The Calile Hotel, the kitchen and bathrooms of Athea House feature curved mosaic tiling and rounded internal walls.

To complete the design and enhance the retreat-like atmosphere, an outdoor area lined with bench seating connects closely to the living area, lending a sense of flow between indoors and out. Other sheltered and poolside al fresco spots connect to the other side of this open-plan area. Spacious and airy, this level of the house presents many options for entertaining guests, which is added to by the sweeping and curvaceous cream sofas inside. Whilst it might not have all the services of The Calile Hotel, this Brisbane home delivers a hotel-like luxury and a deep sense of vacation-level relaxation.