This is an ocean-inspired renovation to our client's 'city pad’. We sought to rejuvenate her Torbreck apartment: infusing personality and functionality, reconnecting with its sprawling views, and honouring the identity of the iconic building. Previously disjointed, the apartment’s living areas now flow easily and intuitively. The closed-in kitchen layout has been unfurled, with a bull-nosed counter stretching along the full length of one wall to provide abundant cabinetry and bench space. Floor-to-ceiling cabinetry borders the dining and lounge areas too, adding another much-needed injection of storage. With a south-facing aspect that overlooks Brisbane, its river and its mountains, the interiors are designed to highlight the view as well as maximise the inherently scarce natural light. Living and dining furniture that once faced inwards is now oriented towards the outlook, enabling it to become the deserving focal point of the home. A long mirror spanning the kitchen wall reflects the view, creating the feeling of having a kitchen window and letting our client enjoy her vista even when her back is turned to it. Together with subtly reflective tiles and textured glass, the mirror also catches the available natural light to add more dimension to the space. The interior palette is informed by our client’s love of the water, as well as the rich identity of Torbreck itself. Echoing the shades of the building's exterior, blue tones carry through the space, from the cabinetry doors to the bathroom tiles and light fittings. Greens are introduced too, in the textured glass and the handmade kitchen splashback tiles which were crafted from melted down computer chips - repurposing waste that may have otherwise ended up in the ocean. This colourful foundation is balanced by the warmth of the bamboo flooring, spotted gum timber and a curved section of cork that replaced the outdated kitchen lino. In contrast, the white taps and Corian benchtops of the kitchen and bathroom are a visual slice of freshness, enhancing the materials around them and evoking an unmistakeable reference to the apartment's modernist era.