Wakefield Quay Apartment

Location: Nelson

Designer: Klaus Todt

Photos by: Virginia Woolf

Architect: Arthouse Architects

The Approach

Central to this apartment renovation was the desire to create open plan living – kitchen, dining and living in one space. The client had already given much thought to this, and their many great ideas and input, working closely with the architect Helena Alexander, made for an effortless, successful collaboration of design and functionality.

Floor to ceiling slider doors laminated in Furniture Linoleum with stainless steel pull handles stretch across the whole length of the apartment, opening onto the deck. The panorama view of Tasman Bay is so close, you feel you could reach out and touch the water.

As with any apartment project where maximizing utility is critical to creating a sense of spaciousness and flow, clever design and clean lines plus material selection came to the fore.

In the kitchen the stylish palette of brushed oak veneer cabinetry, silverTouch stainless steel, Furniture Linoleum on cupboard and drawer fronts and a statement sandblasted black granite island come together in a way that doesn’t dominate the living space. Instead, the kitchen blends into the room almost as a piece of furniture in its own right. Beautiful lighting puts it to bed at night.

Practically, the kitchen features many unseen storage spaces for cooking and grocery items, including a double door pantry with recessed detail, doubling as the door handles. Every small detail has been carefully considered, down to crafted stainless steel grips for hanging hand & tea towels while cooking. Flush mounted power and USB points in the stone benchtop and a scarcity of handles in general create a flawless modern finish.