Charles Sandford

Freshwater Place Apartment, Melbourne.

Situated on the 56th floor of Melbourne's Freshwater Place residential tower, this apartment presents its occupants with an incredible panorama encompassing the city skyline and Port Phillip Bay. John Wardle Architects completely redesigned the interior to accommodate the needs of their clients, a growing family, and Charles Sandford was tasked with fabricating two key elements they designed for the residence.

A custom timber table with its own custom-designed vessels.

The first of these was the oak timber panelling that lines living spaces in the apartment as well as balcony. The design of the panels reflects a theme of vertical textures that plays out throughout the interior, particularly in window furnishings and wall upholstery.

The fine detail of a timber table contrasted with the complex panorama of the city.

The second aspect we worked on was the extraordinary dining table. Also crafted from American oak, it incorporates two vessels, called Saturn and Venus, that can be moved around the circular groove in the tabletop. It's a testament to the beauty of bespoke, handmade furniture, but you also get the feeling that, if it were to be produced for sale, it would be an instant design classic. And if it looks familiar, you might've seen it on the cover of this book!

Photographed by Sharyn Cairns.