In this article, we look at the latest addition to Brisbane River, the riverfront apartments ALBA in Bulimba. Sareen Stone has supplied porcelain tiles for all the exterior, common, and bathroom areas in the project.
Then, we learn more about DVB projects and talk to Dean and Joel about the design brief for the development and the way in which Sareen Stone’s product selection contributed to the stunning final result.
Introducing the Location: Bulimba
We’re excited to be presenting the latest project that we’ve collaborated on with DVB Projects and Condev Constructions, the riverfront apartments in Brisbane’s sought-after suburb, Bulimba.
Located in close proximity to the city, while enjoying the calm village atmosphere and the serenity of the river location, Bulimba is one of the trendiest suburbs in Brisbane.
Apart from amazing views, this location offers an elegant lifestyle and attracts many people on the weekends of its bustling shops and cafes.
Peaceful yet invigorating, Bulimba residents enjoy all the perks of the village pace of life while only being 4 kilometres from the city, accessible through a majestic ferry ride.
The majority of homes in Bulimba take advantage of the river location and feature verandas, balconies and bay windows.
About ALBA Apartments
The mission of ALBA apartments was in line with the existing vibe while adding a modern twist to the lifestyle. The vision of ALBA apartments was the construction of contemporary residences with sophisticated finishes while nodding to the design of a traditional Queenslander.
ALBA offers an opportunity to live on a rare north-facing reach of the Brisbane River at Bulimba. The residences include 2 and 3-bedroom apartments that enjoy stunning views of either the river or city skyline.
Design Brief to Match the Majestic Surroundings
One of the focuses for the residences was to connect the stunning views of the river and magnificent city skyline to the indoor space and integrate them into the daily life of the residents.
“The location dictated the level of finishes that was selected for the internal fit-out. The level of finish needed to match the area, position and expectations of the purchaser looking for a high-end luxury apartment in a prime location,” explained Dean.
Connecting to the Outdoors
The oversized wide-frontage balconies and rooms mirror the craftsmanship and splendour of a traditional Queenslander and a seamless transition between inside and outside provides space for entertainment and brings people together.
The beautiful views of the surroundings are mirrored by the luxurious finishes found inside, including VJ panelling, herringbone oak floors, natural stone walls, floor to ceiling glass doors that allow in plenty of natural light.
Joel explains the choice of finishes: “The selections both internally and externally were drawn from the warm earthy colour notes surrounding the river.
The finishes were deliberate in providing the opportunity to sit back and relax in a beautiful location surrounded by high-quality fittings.”
Sareen Stone Product Selection
Sareen Stone provided a selection of porcelain and ceramic tiles to be installed on the balconies, common areas, and bathrooms.
Joel expands: “The selection of products supplied by Sareen stone was flawless. Each individual piece brought a modern textural element to the beautiful interior palette of soft earthy tones which was designed by local interior designer Georgia Cannon.”
The porcelain tiles selected for the outdoor floors and the common areas had an organic look reminiscent of Marble, combining the white and calming light grey colours to create a relaxing luxurious atmosphere.
“The outdoor tiles complimented the joinery, Limestone benchtops and oak timber floor finish to the apartments,” said Dean.
Balcony Installation
For the balconies, custom-made 20mm thick external porcelain tiles were installed on polypads. The enhanced thickness ensured that the tiles achieved satisfactory load testing with the Australian standards for tiles supported by the poly pad system.
“The reason for selecting the poly pad system was to provide seamless flush floor finishes deleting any steps in the apartments as well as providing a higher level of finish than other apartments in the area,” explained further Dean.
Polypod installation has many other benefits, including easy maintenance and reduced remedial costs, better water drainage, making them a popular choice, especially for balconies.
With installed pedestals, there is no need to redo and replace the whole job if something goes wrong underneath the tiles. Hence making most of the maintenance challenges more manageable.
Porcelain Tiles for Bathrooms
For the bathrooms, DVB selected our handmade ceramic tiles in crisp white. The bathroom design was aligned with the same objectives of the whole project, matching the stunning surroundings with the sea of luxurious finishes inside.
From the freestanding bath, crisp white tiles and marble splashbacks, the bathrooms aim to embrace a sense of space and comfort.
About DVB Projects
A privately-owned property development company based on Sydney’s Lower North Shore specialises in High-End Residential, Commercial and multi-use property developments.
The Managing Director, Dean, has more than 25 years of experience and knowledge in both construction and property development.
After securing the site, the DVB Projects team collaborates with the construction firm and continues to be extensively involved in complete control and overseeing each stage of the development.
The process commences with the engagement of architects and contractors right through to the interior design selection for each project.
They present exceptional projects, including Northbridge, Broadbeach, Queenscliff and Bellevue Hills. They strive to maintain an exceptional relationship with their clients based on transparency and trust, always delivering high-end products with state-of-the-art finishes.
DVB Projects is working on some exciting developments in various locations, what is the mutual vision for all DVB developments?
“Our goal is to deliver high-end luxury apartments that people will call home for many years to come. We pride ourselves on not only being a developer but also on having put in the hard yards within the building industry for many years.
Our vision is to provide innovative, well-thought-through developments that are tailored to the current climate in which people live. Our Broadbeach project will provide communal office space, with a private meeting room so people can carry out business from within their homes.
We are providing a health and wellbeing space for people to exercise and have a very unique board store area which opens up to the street frontage, almost appearing as a retail shop,” said Joel.
What are the aspects you look for when securing the site for your next project?
“When sourcing possible locations, we look for factors surrounding people’s lifestyle. Whether it be riverfront, beachfront or nearby to the beach, we believe people’s lifestyles almost dictate to us where we need to be sourcing sites.
People work hard and we believe when looking to invest or secure a home they look outside of the proximity to work and are often happy to travel that little bit extra to afford the luxury in location and the quality of DVB development,” stated Joel.
How important are the relationships and collaborations with your suppliers? Do you have a selection of trusted partners you bring into various developments or does it change depending on the project?
Joel explained: “Relationships in building and development are extremely important to us at DVB. We are from a building background with our father only just recently retiring. Many trades were used by our father for over 30 years.
We believe in placing trust in the right people as do they when it comes to working collaboratively. “
“Forming relationships with our supplies is important especially in the design phase when selecting materials and finishes for the internal details for our apartments. We rely on trusted partners’ feedback when choosing materials and products,” added Dean.
