Aveo Newcastle
Shortland Waters Independent Living Community Centre
A little interview about my recent project for Aveo, Newcastle.
Tell us a little bit about the project?
It’s started out as the Shorland Waters Golf Club Restaurant , but its part of a larger high end independent living complex which has a Community Centre, a club for the residents, a cinema, library, bar and restaurant. The Community Centre was opened in November this year and has been one of my biggest projects to date. The finishes are really beautiful quality, top of the market, it really makes you feel at home.
How did you get involved in the project?
The client was looking for a local interior stylist based in Newcastle, who could design the interiors for the club house and community centre. They found me via my website and I started project in March of this year [2017].
Let’s talk first about the Golf club Restaurant…
For this particular part of the project there was a very strict budget and this was my first project of this scale in Australia. The restaurant seats 80 inside and has an outdoor seating area and bar areas. It is a large space to try and visualize. We were not able to go and see the experience the space because it was under construction. So that was an additional challenge.
How do you begin the creative process with a client?
The project manager had an initial mood-bard from the architect. They also had a floor plan. Then we started to select fabrics, colours, art works and furniture. We were of course working within a budget and quantities were defined. We then start to style the sections of the floor plan, looking at the layout of the furniture and how the space will evolve.
And where to from there?
I visit to the supplier showroom and start to build the collection from there.
Where do you source the products from?
I usually use local products where possible to support the community. For this project I was so thrilled to be able to use the works of local artists, Brett McMahon, David Middlebrook, Annie Everingham.
I try to create a little team around me and work with the community. They in turn help me back and we start to create a community of artists and collaborators.
What was your favourite part of the design?
In the Aveo Community Centre the orange and blue colour pallet, chosen from the sample of the carpet, worked so well. I also loved the use velvet textures. I also liked the challenge of the some of the functional restrictions of the brief. Things like stacking chairs and folding tables were essential to the design, it took some searching to find the perfect fit.
What’s the approval process like?
The approval process with the board is very hands on, making sure that the quality and functionality was perfect. Samples of fabrics were approved in person so that materials and furniture could be tested. For most decisions two options were presented with the final choice being made by the team.
How long did the project take?
The project took around 6 months to complete.
Interior Styling: Juliana L Marin
Architect: Jackson Teese
Client: Aveo