An Interview by Diana Davidson

UNITFIVE is located on the first floor of the prestigious, purely residential, ‘Bondoola’ building in central Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland Australia. Just 400 metres from the main surf beach and entertainment precinct of Mooloolaba, UNITFIVE enjoys spectacular absolute water views across to the Mooloolaba wharf, yacht club, and the mansions of Minyama Island.

The owners, Interior designer Heidi and her husband Kim, live and work mostly in central London. In their spare time they can be found snow boarding in the French Alps, drinking wine in Italy and more recently, eating organic vegetarian food at the wonderful Kunara Cafe right here on the Sunshine Coast.

What made you originally buy UNITFIVE?

Kim: “I have been holidaying in River Esplanade since I was a very small child. I owned the penthouse apartment on the top floor of the building directly next door to Bondoola at Broadwater Quays. It was a three floor walk up (no elevator) and even though it was the penthouse, the rooms were as pokey as most units offered in the general area. 

When construction of the 'Bondoola' building began in 2003, I watched it from my tiny kitchen window at Broadwater and stood in awe as these huge open plan, 'house style', floor plans began emerging. I had to have one!

Why did you decide to renovate?

Heidi:  Ten years on the unit was serving us well as a brilliant holiday home but the interior had never received the attention to detail that some of our other homes had. We would soon be spending more time away from London and on the coast and we were keen to establish at UNITFIVE the same contemporary warmth and sophistication we experience elsewhere.

 The kitchen needed a complete re-design in order to cook and entertain our guests AND look out to the incredible water views. We also required a very well thought out office space where both of us could work and we needed much more storage. The laundry was a tiny disorganised space and that needed a re-jig too. The carpets were worn, the tiles were difficult to clean. The apartment needed modernising.

The works are very extensive. How long did the renovation take?

Heidi: Just on two years in between projects in London. It’s never an easy task to renovate so extensively within a high rise building. Access is very limited, there are other residents to consider and the majority of building materials, appliances etc have to be craned over the balconies and into the space. It takes a great deal of organisation, a large dollop of patience from one's neighbours, and a lot of stamina to realise the end result. We are thankful for our wonderful fellow residents who are a truly great bunch of people and were excellent in tolerating the works.

What was your inspiration behind the design?

Heidi:  Mooloolaba has always been our 'Fun' spot and so the inspiration was exactly that …"FUN!”  'Fun for grown ups' with a lot of worldy sophistication thrown in and a few unexpected  twists. 

Like a scene from 'Alice in Wonderland' we wanted it to feel like one had fallen down a rabbit hole, as did Alice, and arrived at the 'Mad Hatters Tea Party' entering a whimsical fantasy with breath taking views. Hence, colours pop, the walls talk, light cables swing and life is over scaled and large at UNITFIVE.

The views are made more stunning over the water by the depth of colour that frames them. Then night falls and we are caressed by layers of soft mood lighting, romantic elegance and a soft decadent 'New York Jazz Bar' feel.

Very fun indeed but alas very sophisticated and very serene. Importantly the interior canvas was designed to incorporate the most incredible 'timeless' materials, so that should one ever grow old and tired of the colour and fantasia, a pot of  boring cream paint can be swept over the Divertimento wall paper giving the ability to live like ‘adults’ once more.”