Looking out over Terrigal at the corner of a mixed-used building; this new design aims to provide a relaxed, tranquil office space, bathed in southern light.

A scheme rich in texture and layering was chosen to reinforce a family business with a very personal history. This is strengthened with a considered use of colour steeped in sentiment; a family name and the original core business calling were drivers for a tonal theme. A soft, sophisticated base is accented with muted greens, tying back to the history with a restrained use of colour. Echoing the core values of the business with a welcoming and calming space.The client brief was to create a new office for the next phase of their business. They chose a location close to their heart and tasked the designers with crafting a space that was a change in direction from their previous corporate headquarters. The new office space was to have a more relaxed feel, like a home office with a calm style that was more authentic to the ways that they work and use their environment. Through the brief development process, it was identified that the owners of the business no longer wanted to be in individual offices, instead being closer to their executive team in an open plan format. Thus enabling them to collaborate and share ideas easily. Due to the changing needs of the business in its new format, a formal reception was also no longer needed. Instead a waiting space was to be created as a welcome to the office.  

Our immediate response to the space was that the beautiful southern light needed to be celebrated and used within the design. This brought rise to the idea of glazed screens rather than walls, with reeded glass bringing a slightly retro feel and loft style to the design with the added benefit of privacy from the lift lobby. The waiting space is transformed into an informal chat space with a soft semi-transparent curtain fabric separating it from the lift lobby. Carefully detailed concave battens play with the light and gently flow around the corner. Natural sisal flooring leads from the entry to the meeting room, with acoustic paneling and relaxed linen curtains forming a quiet and homely backdrop. stepped ceilings in the meeting room and main office cleverly step around the services, helping with acoustics and offering higher ceiling heights where possible. These and the concrete floor tiles exude a "refined loft" style appearance that the clients were after. Executive desks have been custom made to look less like a workstation whilst still having the technology built in. A staff kitchenette and copy area were built in to the main office space as backdrop elements, adding to the residential feel of the space. The subtle tones and curves creating a calm and easy to use environment.

Photography: Mike Bell - Raw Life Studios