It’s natural, and often unavoidable, to downsize as one gets older. Designing a small space – which offers both freedom and assistance – requires a mindset of ‘quality over quantity’. And this is exactly what architects VittoAshe did with the interior renovation of a one-bedroom apartment in Perth.

The ‘Adelaide Terrace’ houses an elderly woman downsizing from a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a swimming pool. She desired a space which would allow her to age gracefully in place.

A 45-square-metre apartment in the city – originally designed by architects Krantz and Sheldon – was picked as the destination. It just needed a little bit of work.

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A single piece of blonde timber cabinetry is the key design element of the renovation. The joinery is used to unify and divide the four primary spaces, and is used instead of dividing walls. The curved surface contains a central cupboard, encloses the laundry facilities, and incorporates a handrail, and an integrated light source.

The materiality of the joinery is used to separate and differentiate it from the structure and shell of the apartment, which has been left intact and painted white. It also shares a similar tone to the new cork flooring.

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