Interior Design Story

From the first meeting with LSC Security Solutions in North Melbourne, I was overjoyed by the old key cutting machines they wanted to highlight in their locksmithing museum. The machines were exquisite. Oozing craftsmanship you just don’t see anymore. Once I was officially engaged in the project and got to know the clients and the history of LSC my excitement at creating the FIRST locksmithing museum in Australia was palpable.

Goal: A proud (achieved through objects) space communicating the evolution of locksmithing in Australia and LSC as industry leaders in this evolution.

Key Words: Humble, subtle, master locksmiths, history of trade, stand-alone space, homage to Armaguard, secure/security, unique, ‘series of firsts’, museum as point of difference, corporate hospitality, trustworthy.

Interior Style: A mix of Mid-Century Modern and Industrial. A touch of Art Deco.

Colour/Materials: Black, timber, grey, glass, metal, white, brick.

Interrior Design Strategy

Mix vintage pieces with newer items for authenticity and depth. As well as planning a space purposefully but with flexibility to allow for an organic curation process. As such display pieces are in stock and available.

The space was zoned to ensure a good flow of movement, encourage ‘dwell’ time and allow for the organic curation of the pieces. From the entrance you are met with a warm hearted neon sign. The juxtaposition of the warmth of the words with the bright blue neon sign immediately adds impact and interest. For the middle zone I included gorgeous vintage work benches. These benches would also have objects on display, pieces for guests to interactive with.

So, for the main wall the key elements include industrial style shelves for the stunning key cutting machines, a timeline, and vintage key boards and padlocks that demonstrate the evolution of the industry. I also included a lounge zone and another display zone but this time glass display units for padlocks, keys, safe locks and automotive objects.

Another key feature to the space was a hidden bar. Hidden behind a garage style door, the aim of the bar was to faciliate corporate hospitality events. The wow factor in this zone is the Art Deco style splashback with arrows, which direct the eye to the neon sign. A subtle way to direct flow of movement.

Special Interior Design Elements

Furthermore, there are many elements to the space that have meangingful signficance. Such as the vintage Art Deco door which is a nod to the style period the business was founded in 1926. The green vintage industrial style pendant which pay a homage to the previous occupants of the space, Armguard.

Australian native preserved flowers were also an important addition to communicate and cement this space as an Australian locksmithing museum.

A beautiful project I loved working on and am super proud of the final space.

Drawings: Interiorscape

Artwork: Chuck Mayfield

Photography: Rebecca Newman