For the design of a minimalist apartment in First Light, a new Melbourne development by DCF Property Group, interior designer Léo Terrando looked beyond the usual tropes of Melbourne apartments to “really do something different. I started with what I do not like in a typical apartment – too many finishes on the floor.” After discussions with a local stone supplier, Terrando opted to cover the entire apartment floor with the beautifully nuanced Pearl vein-cut travertine stone.

It’s a clear signal that First Light skews different. Located in South Melbourne, with stunning views over both Albert Park and the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, the 26-storey building comprises 44 luxurious apartments and a Nu by YOO hotel. “I love the name First Light,” says Calvin Huang, founder of DCF. “It brings a lot of firsts to Melbourne.” This includes the first Oceania hotel by Philippe Starck’s YOO hotel group – with a restaurant by Scott Pickett – and the first Miele Matte Black appliances to be installed worldwide. “Having the restaurant underneath means you can have this wonderful cuisine, pre-cooked, then bring it up to your apartment and put it in the ovens. This is what we want to deliver with First Light.”

Léo Terrando was the perfect choice for the design of a minimalist apartment that also exudes luxury. In the pursuit of excellence, Terrando – director of one of Australia’s largest interior design firms and with more than two decades of experience – examines not only the meaning of premium quality but also the conventions of luxury design. First Light is the triumph of unique, thoughtful expressions over the expected.

Inside the home, a contemporary fireplace and cocktail bar form two of the most uplifting functional elements, set within view of a comfortable study with a dark timber wall. The distinction between communal spaces in his design of a minimalist apartment – including a chef’s kitchen – and private spaces is created by the entryway: “We’ve got a … chef’s kitchen on one side of the apartment while on the other side we’ve got all the bedrooms.”

In the kitchen design of a minimalist apartment, luxury takes the form of integrated Matte Black series Miele appliances and a system by iconic Italian design brand Boffi. Designed by creative director Piero Lissoni, the Combine Evolution Island enables residents to select and arrange function modules according to their kitchen needs. A cleanly minimal piece, the worktop showcases a bevelled edge that turns inwards and seamlessly integrates an induction cooktop.

“The MDI surface is a man-made stone and it has a great sustainable message because it’s [created using] a lot of recycled products,” says Edwina Withers, director of Boffi in Australia. It combines with the integrated Miele appliances to create a “tailored, elegant and unique look.” In line with the rest of the design of the minimalist apartment, the kitchen’s colour palette is intentionally restrained to foster a relaxing ambience.

Evidencing the great impact of the thoughtful design of a minimalist apartment, First Light is experienced not as an accumulation of objects and finishes but rather as a tranquil luxury home. By taking time to analyse and test the ruling ideas of the industry, Léo Terrando has crafted a residence that justifies its premium status.

00:00 - Introduction to the Minimalist Apartment
01:09 - The Design Process
02:09 - Collaborating with Boffi
03:07 - Highlights of the Miele Appliances

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Photography by Timothy Kaye.
Interior design by Léo Terrando.
Appliances by Miele.
Filmed by The Local Production.
Edited by Selina Miles.
Production by The Local Production.

Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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