Melbourne warehouse gets chic, industrial makeover

Under the direction of Italian interior designer Tommaso Spinzi, of Spinzi Design, this Fitzroy warehouse was transformed recently from a dated 80’s space to a stylish, contemporary abode.

“The property is housed inside an old warehouse in the Melbourne hipster suburb of Fitzroy,” says Tommaso who used custom joinery, Italian tiles and accents of black throughout the renovation.

“The owners were willing to put a bit of money into the project and were keen to respect the origins of the building,” says Tommaso who designed a concrete-look benchtop in the kitchen alongside matte black cabinetry for a masculine finish.

“Not everyone would want a black kitchen for example, but it’s unique and reflected the style of the warehouse surrounds. The subway tiles in the bathroom also go hand in hand with the industrial feel. For me it conjures the feel of a hip Chelsea apartment in New York,” says Tommaso.

Apart from the on-trend black Phoenix tapware, Italian marble hexagon floor tiles and blonde wood round feature towel hooks, the bathroom also had a skylight installed as part of the overhaul. “The owners wanted a lot of light so we cut the roof to bring light into the bathroom,” says Tommaso.

One of the bigger aspects of the renovation was the renovation of the existing timber floor. “The main floor covering was a yellow, gold timber. It was very 80’s and glossy so we stained the original floor with a black stain. It was difficult to kill the yellow,” says Tommaso.

“I like to look at people’s lifestyle as a whole,” says Italian-born Tommaso, who is hosting a group tour to Salon del Mobile in Milan in April.