Kurraba Point by Mr & Mrs Elias
Kurraba Point, a dated ’70s apartment, has been rebooted by Mr & Mrs Elias into a luxurious residence that proves the power of downsized living.
When Mr & Mrs Elias’s clients downsized from a three-storey house in Mosman to the 150-square-metre apartment they wanted to maintain the standard of living they had enjoyed in their previous, larger space. No new work had been done on the apartment in more than 20 years; the existing layout didn’t maximise the apartment’s harbourside location. Mr & Mrs Elias – which was contracted as designer and builder – undertook a complete structural overhaul and implemented a new design approach that took inspiration from old Hollywood glamour. Every room was reconfigured to maximise the apartment’s luxury and functionality.
Before the renovation, rooms were divided and blocked the harbour views. Mr & Mrs Elias devised a new approach, with an open-plan layout spanning from the entrance to the balcony. To establish flow and open the space to its views, walls were removed and full-height aluminium stacker doors were installed. “This renovation wasn’t about transforming the space, it was about refining how the space is used,” says Jan Elias, director of Mr & Mrs Elias.
Organic forms and materials dominate the space, instilling a sense of tranquillity that’s enhanced by the neutral colour palette. In the kitchen and living room, Fantasy Lux Honed Quartzite from Lux Marble comprises the bench top and a striking architectural fireplace. The blue veins that web through the stone nod to the harbour that lies just beyond. Natural stone is also a feature in the bathrooms, where dolomite is used for the benchtop and Bianco Carrara marble tiles the floors. In the main bathroom, Concave stone tiles from Skheme in Superwhite are used on the floor. The overall effect is a grounded luxury enhanced by the bespoke joinery used across the fireplace, bar and bathroom vanities.
Other luxurious elements show how sophisticated living can be distilled into a smaller space. Tongue and Groove’s Hekke herringbone timber flooring elevates the living zones and underfloor heating is emblematic of the functionality built into every element of the apartment. Functionality is also woven in elsewhere; integrated LED lighting hidden in tray ceilings alongside subtle air conditioning vents is emblematic of this approach, while the Ecosmart ethanol burner from MAD Design Australia – wrapped in curved stone – combines both form and function.
The renovation of Kurraba Point is a paragon of restrained luxury and reveals the role thoughtful design can play in elevated apartment living. Through careful structural changes and a layered design approach that combines both textural touches and a clean, neutral colour palette, Mr & Mrs Elias prove the benefits of downsizing.
Design and build by Mr & Mrs Elias.
