Making Peace
Real Living Australia|April 2022
Living in the centre of a busy city didn't stop one creative couple from turning their dark apartment into a supremely serene family retreat
Bron bates
Making Peace

Perfect illusion Interior designer Sandra Keja Planken opened up the home through her generous use of colour. Soothing sage flows from the ceiling and on to the door frames that lead to the sunny interior courtyard. Custom-made curtains in matching green linen complete the unified effect.

Down to earth in the sun-drenched bathroom earthy tones make for a welcoming place to bathe. Sandra designed the walnut cabinetry and tiled flooring, then completed the space with a soft dacron Sinclair lounge chair from Fest and a Berber rug from HK Living.

Warm welcome The distinctive entry wall was designed by Sandra, made by Arno Hoogland and finished with Orange Coloured White paint from Farrow & Ball.

Entry point Charlotte and her partner Vincent made a Pinterest board to show interior designer Sandra, who used it as a jumping-off point for her design. Sandra suggested they touch objects to gain a sense of how it would make them feel.

IT STARTED, as many good things do, with a Pinterest board. Charlotte and Vincent had lived in their inner-city home for close to two years before they took their ideas to designer Sandra Keja Planken of Studio Noun. The brief was to give their poky 1860 Amsterdam apartment a complete makeover. As their home sits in a heritage building, there were limitations to the changes they could make. "We weren't allowed to do anything on the outside," says Charlotte, “but we kept lots of original interior beams."

This story is from the April 2022 edition of Real Living Australia.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the April 2022 edition of Real Living Australia.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM REAL LIVING AUSTRALIAView All
turn to the left
Real Living Australia

turn to the left

Whether you covet couture or just love to escape into pretty pages, this curated opus to fashion will add glamour to your space. Here we offer our top 10 must-have, must-read tomes

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2022
where I shop
Real Living Australia

where I shop

Naomi Mae Wilson, new creative director of Australian leather goods brand, The Daily Edited, shares her hot shopping spots at home, Australia

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2022
THINK SPRING FLING
Real Living Australia

THINK SPRING FLING

Itty bitty balcony or expansive garden, make any outdoor space sing with these simple style tips for spring

time-read
1 min  |
September 2022
magic mushroom
Real Living Australia

magic mushroom

Attracting worldwide attention, the Murano mushroom lamp can be found adorning the homes of celebrities and influencers from around the globe, attaining a second round of success nearly 50 years after its creation

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2022
TRUE BLUE MUSE
Real Living Australia

TRUE BLUE MUSE

Influenced by different styles and eras, this home showcases through the lens of colour, shape and pattern heritage architecture

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2022
window wisdom
Real Living Australia

window wisdom

Flex your creative flair with real living's top tips for window dressings that will suit your home perfectly

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2022
colour code
Real Living Australia

colour code

Journey down the colour road to discover the Emerald Green city of your dreams

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2022
INTO THE LIGHT
Real Living Australia

INTO THE LIGHT

After 70 years in the shadows, this mid-century home in Melbourne has been brought into the light - and the present - with a sympathetic renovation

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2022
WABI SABI CALM
Real Living Australia

WABI SABI CALM

A stylist's eye brings a curated vision of balanced neutrality, soft curves and a pervading sense of peace to this inner-city terrace retreat

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2022
GREEN DREAM SCENE
Real Living Australia

GREEN DREAM SCENE

When fashion icon Pip Edwards decided to turn over a new leaf, she chose a fresh garden apartment in Sydney's beautiful Rose Bay to call home

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2022