Minimal Maximalism: Piccolo Palazzo in Melbourne by Julia Cox.

This inner-city home in Melbourne by Julia Cox has become a sanctuary for one lucky owner. The designer delivers a maximalist effect through minimal means to transform a compact two-bedroom apartment into a comfortable retreat with major glam energy.

Superfluous elements were stripped away, enhancing essential qualities of comfort, amenity and style. Mixing high and low, new and old, the effect created is far beyond the resources consumed, creating a luxe yet light-hearted space. “Enhancing the wonderful natural light, the combination of the considered materiality and adventurous colour palette transports you to a summer holiday in Venice,” Julia elaborates.

In the kitchen, Julia made use of existing appliances, integrating them within off-the-shelf joinery—saving the tight budget for new Italian marble benchtops, custom brass details and noteworthy lighting that effortlessly elevates the space with minimal intervention.

Italian terrazzo tiles were laid in an unexpected pattern, leading you from the intimate entry into the open kitchen and living spaces and from there to the saffron-coloured library and darker, moodier, rich-cinnamon sleeping space. Above, ceilings are painted the same as the walls, creating a cocoon-like feeling of being enveloped within the spaces.

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The client’s collection of vintage furniture and art drove the design from the outset, “curating the right pieces of furniture and lighting was crucial in such a concentrated space,” Julia explains. With a large Stephen Ormandy painting visible from all rooms, finding a complementary colour palette and the right tint was essential to the project.

“The client trusted us to provide her with a truly individual space that reflected her style and allowed flexibility for her growing collections, serving as an informal photography studio where she could work and rest, enjoying cups of tea while being surrounded by her favourite books, belongings, and friends,” Julia concludes. In the afternoon sun, the apartment glows— a warm, restful immersion in light and colour.

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[Images courtesy of Julia Cox. Photography by Sean Fennessey.]