Snug Club By Alessandra Smith Design
Alessandra Smith Design transforms a studio apartment into Snug Club, an intimate retreat shaped by a sunken conversation pit and grounded in comfort, pleasure and human connection.
Words HANDE RENSHAW Interiors ALESSANDRA SMITH DESIGN Editorial Styling ETHAN WAIRAU Photos DYLAN JAMES
Snug Club is a self-contained studio apartment in Fitzroy, Melbourne.
The design brief began with the idea of an intimate, layered and slightly moody space that felt relaxed and welcoming.
‘Because Snug Club sits alongside my client's primary residence, it wasn't burdened by the practical expectations we usually place on our homes. Instead, it was free to become something entirely its own: a room designed around atmosphere, pleasure and human connection,’ says Alessandra Smith.
“We’re living in a time where our homes are expected to work incredibly hard for us. Snug Club deliberately moves in the opposite direction.”
The design scheme is built from layers of mostly vintage and vintage-inspired pieces, including a Murano glass pendant suspended above the conversation pit.
Upholstered by Jimmy and Jane of Narrow Window, the conversation pit features a removable centre ottoman allows it to shift between lounge, daybed and informal dining.
Designed by Alessandra Smith Design, Snug Club transforms a self-contained Fitzroy studio into an intimate retreat shaped by vintage lighting, a sunken conversation pit and the freedom to gather, listen to vinyl and lose track of time.
The 23-square-metre apartment sits alongside owner Kelly’s primary residence, but was conceived as something entirely separate from the home next door. Part guest retreat and part entertaining space, it gave principal designer Alessandra Smith the freedom to create an interior led by atmosphere rather than routine.
‘Because Snug Club sits alongside my client's primary residence, it wasn't burdened by the practical expectations we usually place on our homes. Instead, it was free to become something entirely its own: a room designed around atmosphere, pleasure and human connection,’ says Alessandra.
The room takes its cues from the idea of a ‘snug’: intimate, layered and slightly moody. A custom conversation pit by Ahmad Abas of Grounded Studios, upholstered by Narrow Window, anchors the interior, while a removable centre ottoman allows it to shift between lounge, informal dining setting and daybed.
Burgundy, blue, gold and amber give the room its depth, balanced by exposed concrete and pale timber. Patterned velvets, vintage furniture and collected objects add texture, while chrome, glass and glazed finishes catch and reflect the layered lighting throughout the space.
Of all the elements within Snug Club, it is the lighting that Alessandra considers most important to the way the room feels. ‘If I had to choose just one element, it would be the lighting. Snug Club is, at its heart, an atmosphere project and the lighting became the primary tool for shaping that experience,’ she says.
A Murano glass pendant hangs above the conversation pit, joined by ambient wall lights, vintage table lamps, an Akari floor lamp and a softly illuminated 1960s mirror. Concealed LED lighting traces the pit’s perimeter, creating the impression that the seating glows from within. Positioned at different heights, each source draws the eye around the room, while reflections across chrome, glass and mixed metals add further depth.
Artwork introduces another layer to the interior. Michael Vale’s The Wicked Messenger, featuring a solitary clown, contrasts with a large vintage painting by Tina Sammassimo depicting a gathering in full celebration. Together, the works echo the room’s dual nature: a place for retreat that becomes equally animated in company.
For Alessandra, the strength of the finished space came from the trust established with Kelly from the outset. ‘She came to me with a bold vision, and from our very first meeting she gave me full permission to push the concept further, to make it richer and more unexpected,’ she shares.
The result is what Alessandra calls ‘an anti-productivity room’, a space shaped by mood, connection and the freedom to lose track of time.
Location: Fitzroy, Victoria/Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Interiors: Alessandra Smith Design
Photography: Dylan James
