Penthouse Vivace by Telha Clarke
The bright and joyful Penthouse Vivace by Telha Clarke has won the inaugural Blum Design Award for Materiality and Detail with its bold aesthetics and smart functionality.
Set in Melbourne’s Caulfield North, Penthouse Vivace by Telha Clarke is a project that shows that downsizing can, in fact, be an upgrade. Designed for clients transitioning from a large family home, the apartment’s smaller footprint doesn’t mean settling for a smaller personality. “Penthouse Vivace is described as unapologetically vibrant, and this is a true reflection of the client’s personality and their appetite for life,” says Amy Byrne, associate at Telha Clarke. “There was an opportunity to create a space that was leaning into boldness, playfulness.”
Behind the spirited finishes lies a highly considered functional framework, where Blum’s integrated systems play a central role in supporting a downsizing lifestyle.
This bright personality is clear from the moment of arrival. The entry opens directly into a colour-drenched wine and whiskey lounge, where concealed joinery supported by the Blum REVEGO duo pocket system reveals a rich, high-gloss bar. “It’s bold and makes a statement and is very much the way our clients experience the home on a day-to-day basis,” Byrne explains.
A colourful and curated approach to materiality drives the project. The generous entertaining area revolves around a five-metre-long, green, leathered granite island, which was “the key to unlocking the rest of the material palette”. “With such a vibrant choice for the island, we had to select materials around it – like travertine – that are equally beautiful but not competing,” she notes. The result is a palette that balances restraint and drama to remain striking yet cohesive overall.
This effortless integration of performance and design is what ultimately sets Penthouse Vivace apart.
Behind the spirited finishes lies a highly considered functional framework, where Blum’s integrated systems play a central role in supporting a downsizing lifestyle. The apartment incorporates AMBIA-LINE inner dividing systems throughout, ensuring every item has its place. “The Blum systems really allow us to ensure everything has a home,” she says, noting the importance of organisation for clients accustomed to a larger space.
Accessibility is equally important. Blum’s SPACE STEP are used to maximise storage in high cabinetry, allowing easy reach without compromising on the design. “The Blum SPACE STEP really allow us to capitalise on storage in a downsizer typology… it is a wonderful inclusion to allow access to all joinery in the home.”
The project’s extensive use of stone across the joinery presented a technical challenge, requiring hinges and drawer systems capable of supporting significant weight. “All the joinery is highly customised, and we really had to consider the weight of the stone on drawer fronts,” she says. “The Blum hardware really allows us to have a lightness of touch when opening these drawers.”
This effortless integration of performance and design is what ultimately set Penthouse Vivace apart in the Blum Design Awards, which celebrates the often-unseen elements that elevate everyday living. “It’s not just about how the project looks, it’s how it performs,” says Byrne, “and it’s all of these hidden technologies behind the design that make this such a successful project.”
