Moody Colours and Small Cosmetic Changes Turned a Plain Sydney Apartment into a Cocooned First Home

# Project snapshot Jacob Muller (managing director at Kiln Residential) and his wife Kerrin (civil celebrant) bought an 86-square-metre apartment in Marrickville and engaged Studio Shields to personalise it. The apartment arrived as a standard off-the-plan white box. The brief: make it feel like home on a tight budget and capture the mood of Sydney nightlife—intimate, low-lit interiors such as wine bars.

# Design approach Ruby Shields, principal of Studio Shields, focused on cosmetic interventions rather than demolition. The strategy relied on colour drenching, selective soft furnishings, lighting, artwork and a few considered purchases. The goal was to change how the apartment felt without ripping anything out or spending an enormous amount of money.

# Where the colour went

• Living room: spiced-brown walls paired with a deep red ceiling to encourage low lighting and showcase figurative paintings.
• Bedroom: floor-to-ceiling burgundy red paint and velvet curtains to create a cocooning sleep space.
• Hallways: colour-drenched to visually separate zones and add personality.

These choices created distinct atmospheres for each area while keeping the apartment coherent.

# Kitchen strategy Instead of replacing the white joinery, the team used colour, artwork and furniture to pull the eye outward. Studio Shields left the existing fit-out intact and introduced colour to black island legs, plus complementary furnishings, so the white cabinetry reads as one element within a richer composition. This saved on cabinetry and joinery costs while aligning the kitchen with the new palette.

# Client involvement and timeline Jacob painted parts of the apartment himself while Kerrin was pregnant with their son, Billy. That hands-on approach shortened the schedule and reduced labour costs. The focus on cosmetic work enabled the couple to complete the transformation quickly and on a tighter budget than a full renovation would require.

# Materials, pieces and styling Furniture, lighting and art were selected to reinforce the moody palette and provide texture: velvet curtains and upholstery, layered rugs, figurative artworks and low, warm lighting. Bespoke curtains and a mix of pre-loved and new pieces helped keep costs reasonable while making the space feel personal.

# What this project shows This project demonstrates how a clearly defined palette and targeted cosmetic changes can convert a generic apartment into a personalised home. Colour applied intentionally across walls, ceilings and circulation spaces, combined with curated furniture and art, created drama and intimacy without structural work or major expense.

# Quick takeaway If you have a plain off-the-plan apartment and a limited budget, consider a colour-first plan: paint to define zones, invest selectively in window treatments and lighting, and use art and furniture to integrate existing fittings into the new scheme.