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Portal House Manly
An open, airy apartment
Interiors, Residential
The main challenge was the apartment’s original layout, which featured a compartmentalised design with numerous walls, service areas, and corridors that chopped up the living space. To address this, we removed the walls surrounding the kitchen and integrated the dining area into the kitchen, creating a more fluid and functional space. A suspended open shelf with copper tube supports subtly delineates the lounge area from the kitchen and dining areas, while still allowing clear sight lines throughout the home.
A continuous wall of built-in plywood shelving extends from the entry hall through to the dining and living areas, serving multiple purposes along the way. It transitions seamlessly from surfboard storage to a bar and media cupboard, adding both functionality and aesthetic cohesion.
To maximise usable space, we designed a central utility core that houses the laundry, kitchen storage, and bulk storage, freeing up the rest of the apartment for living. The result is a home that feels open, spacious, and well-suited to modern family life.