Alistair at Secret Design Studio's Profile

Display Name: Alistair at Secret Design Studio
Personal URL: http://www.secretdesignstudio.com/
Member Since: 6/23/11

Latest Comments...

While the rest of the room is certainly colourful and comfortable there is too much happening above and around the fireplace. The biggest issue is the offset chimney flue to the fireplace, which unbalances the wall. I would dry wall the end of the roof gable in line with the projecting shelf (with the downlights) above the fireplace to hide the offset chimney flue and the dark, cobweb collecting, triangular recesses either side of the flue.

The glass knick knack shelves are too much and will add to the visual busy-ness, so strip them out. Double up the thickness of the left-hand side return wall as visually it is too slender for the mass above.

Paint the red wall to match the other walls, which will probably take about 10 or so coats! Make the ornate fireplace the feature, not the wall surrounding it.
Get some custom made cabinetwork either side of the fireplace to conceal TV and electrical, perhaps with an internal TV lift, so the cabinetwork finishes at table height.

Use the space in the recesses above the new cabinetwork, and either side of the fireplace for some artwork that will complement, and not compete with the fireplace.

Best of luck with the work - Alistair at Secret Design Studio


Hivemind Designer: What Would You Do With This Wall?
1/25/12 8:09 PM

Glad to see an Apartment Therapy post about Australia - very interesting to see the differences.

The water-saving dual flush cistern is standard practice now, and I don't think that you can buy a single flush cistern anymore. I think that these well designed, smaller cisterns look less obtrusive, especially in more compact bathrooms. Here in Melbourne we have had water restrictions for a number of years with limitations on lawn watering, car washing and hosing down concrete.

This has seen an increase in large rainwater tanks to collect rain from the roof, and garden landscaping which is less English (fewer lawns) and more Mediteranean (more rockeries). With a Melbourne population of 4 million people we can't afford to run dry.

Thanks again for posting about Australia, we should see more postings from our corner of the world!


Cultural Exchange: Lessons to Learn from Australian Homes
1/17/12 4:58 PM

Let me know if you need any help, contributions, follow-ups, photos, house visits etc, from Melbourne, Australia. I love AT


Chapter 8 - Blogs Changed Everything
Ten Things You Need to Know about Apartment Therapy
11/28/11 6:52 PM

Thank you for posting such a charming home, uncluttered without being spartan, comfortable without being twee, love the house and the garden spaces.


Mara & Alex's First Home as a Married Couple
House Tour
11/28/11 6:49 PM

Thankyou for a charming MCM home without pretensions that looks very livable and comfortable, well done. Good to see the dogs at home as well.


Michael's Mid-Century Modern Abode
House Tour
11/22/11 2:25 AM