For Field Office Architecture director Nicolas Gutierrez, renovating the converted factory apartment he shares with his partner and now two-year-old son in Richmond, Victoria, was an exercise in patience, experimentation and making bold, architecturally artistic choices. 

For many architects, interior designers and those who appreciate design, there is a peculiar pull towards living in warehouse and factory conversions. Perhaps we’re drawn to the inherent contradiction of living in a building that was never intended to be a home.

Field Office Architecture director Nicolas Gutierrez.

Perhaps the pull comes from an innate understanding of the design challenges of converting a Victorian textile factory into a residential apartment complex. Perhaps it’s the fact that in Melbourne, and in many Western cities around the globe, factory conversions give a city soul. They’re cool.

On a cold, early autumn morning, inside visited Gutierrez at his warm, welcoming, light-filled home. Among mid-century furniture, sculptural light pieces and a tight yet impressive contemporary art collection were the tell-tale signs that this exquisite home is exactly that – a home.

Cute little toddler shoes, a few toys here and there, yet everything was in its right place.

Tucked behind the custom-made cabinetry, the kitchen was one of the most challenging aspects of the renovation.

Gutierrez has become known for his sensitive approach to design, which is best described as composing rather than simply designing. Here, he talks about the conflicting priorities of renovating your own home as an architect, his sources of inspiration and the importance of stripping back to reveal what really matters.  

Designing your own home can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s a playground where you can push the boundaries of your design thinking and test ideas. On the other hand, it’s your family home, which naturally carries deep significance and emotional weight. What was the process like for you?

Being your own client presents unique challenges but also distinct rewards. In a typical project, the client’s brief serves as a key anchor guiding the design. We interpret their vision alongside site constraints and project specifics through the lens of our Field Office Architecture (FOA) ethos to deliver a successful outcome. 

Beyond purely functional, a single slab of Fascino marble reads as an abstract artwork. Paired with sleek black mirrored overhead cabinetry, monolithic black timber joinery and a matching benchtop, the act of preparing a family meal transforms from functional to experiential.

In those scenarios, we are not asking ourselves, “What do we want?” which can be quite freeing. Instead, we focus on creating, designing and problem-solving within someone else’s parameters.

Designing for myself, however, was far more open-ended. While limitations like budget, function and existing conditions still applied, creatively, everything felt possible. Taking on the project as owner-builder further widened that scope.

Having control over so many aspects of the process was as daunting as it was rewarding. It demanded more but also gave us the freedom to push the project further than we otherwise could have.

When did you start planning the renovation? Did the design vision come together instantly, or did it evolve over time?

We were designing and scheming from the moment we moved in, which was in mid-2019. The original plan was to live in the space for a year, get everything lined up and then renovate. 

The rich warmth of Laminex’s kalamata finish, used on the full-height custom shelving and cabinetry, runs through the centre of the home like a pulsing, life-affirming vein.

Then COVID-19 hit, and we also welcomed our first baby in 2023. Before we knew it, four years had passed. Looking back, I’m grateful we didn’t rush into it. Over the four-year period, we had a lot of fun coming up with ideas and iterating. Planning and designing and sourcing materials was something we looked forward to each weekend. 

Once the dust settled with our little one, and 40 design revisions later, we realised it was now or never for the renovation. Having those years living in the space allowed us to truly understand it, and that experience deeply informed many of our design decisions.

What or who were your sources of inspiration?

As a designer, I believe inspiration comes in many forms. It is not just about grand gestures or singular influences. It is a collection of experiences and sensory interactions that shape and inspire.

Gutierrez designed the bedroom mezzanine to be large enough for a double bed when their son gets older. In the meantime, it’s ideal for storing toys and other kid-related paraphernalia. When not in use, the ladder disappears into the cavity between the cabinets, leaving the room uncluttered.

For this project in particular, we were inspired to amplify the apartment’s inherent qualities through materiality, form and texture while staying true to our studio’s ethos of simple, meaningful and enduring architecture.

What was the most challenging aspect of the project? And the most unexpectedly rewarding?

The biggest challenge was wearing the hats of architect, client and builder all at once – while also running a practice and raising a young family. 

Balancing the competing priorities of each role and keeping the project moving forward cohesively was no small feat. It was the first time I had taken on all three roles to this extent, and the complexity definitely took me by surprise.

Fascino marble appears again in the bathroom, which also features a very cleverly designed sunken bath. As the only bathroom in the house, it was essential for it to serve the needs of busy parents and little people.

At the same time, having that level of control allowed us to push the design further and extract as much value as possible from the process. Working closely with all contractors meant we could develop creative, cost-saving solutions during construction that stayed true to the design vision. That was incredibly rewarding.

Do you have a favourite room or area in the home?

That’s a tough one. It really depends on the time of day and what we’re doing, as every space has been carefully considered to bring joy throughout. Each room is tied to a daily ritual and experiencing those moments so seamlessly is a real pleasure.

If I had to choose, I’d say the Fascino marble is my favourite design element. Its texture and colour are endlessly captivating. It has a calming and beautiful presence, and allowing it to take centre stage in the kitchen and bathroom has made those spaces especially meaningful.

A perfectly formed work or study alcove occupies what was once a dead circulation space at the end of the entrance hall, leading to the rest of the apartment.

Have you taken any lessons or design innovations from this project and applied them to your client’s projects? 

Clients come to us for the kinds of spaces we create, which are grounded in FOA’s ethos of simple, meaningful and enduring architecture. That often translates into soft, subdued textures and finishes.

In this project, the existing bold forms and materials allowed us to be more adventurous with colour and form, while still maintaining a sense of restraint and clarity. It reinforced that simplicity doesn’t have to mean minimalism. It can also mean intentional, bold choices made with care. We hope this sense of exploration inspires our clients and continues to influence our future projects.

Designing my own home also sharpened our thinking around how spaces evolve with their occupants over time. Living in it has reinforced the value of adaptability – rooms that flex, thresholds that hold meaning and materials that age gracefully. These lessons, both lived and learned, continue to shape how we approach every project with care, clarity and a willingness to see what emerges when you strip things back to what really matters.

Photography by Pier Carthew.

This article originally appeared in issue 121 of inside magazine. Grab a copy here.