30th January 2018 | IN PROJECT OF THE WEEK | BY SBID ShareTweetPinterestLinkedInThis week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire series features the retro flamboyance of the Surrey Fun House. With a minimal brief which requested the inclusion of a video game/chill out room, a gym, sauna and outdoor basketball court, Clare Gaskin Interiors transformed a Georgian lodge into a truly unique and mind boggling fun house, designed to entertain the client’s children and teenage friends whilst retaining a charmingly quaint exterior facade. The client stated ‘surprise me’ and that’s exactly what Clare Gaskin did! Like a mysterious secret wonderland, no-one would suspect the kaleidoscope of colour hiding behind the doors of this quaint Surrey residence. All bedrooms were removed, the kitchen minimised to essentials. Clare Gaskin commissioned graffiti artists to create a space invader themed den, a wet room with mosaic tiles in homage to pac-man, and a neon artist to create a multicoloured neon gaming room. A full-spec gym and sauna were installed, and in place of the basketball hoop, a multipurpose court was created – with lines that change colour to allow different ballgames to be played. The finished project was a realisation of every teenager’s fantasy ‘play’ house – a myriad of colour, neon lights, games and cultural references. Company: Clare Gaskin Interiors Project: Surrey Fun House Project Location: Greater London, United Kingdom What was the clients brief? The brief was simple, to maintain the exterior of this charming lodge but to create a playful den inside, suitable for entertaining the client’s children and their teenage friends. Surprise and playfulness were the watchwords, with the client referencing fantastical spaces from his travels, such as the neon extravaganza of Burning Man and Tokyo’s Robot Restaurant. As well as the video games room and chill out rooms for his children, the client’s only request was for a gym and sauna to be included for himself. What inspired the design of the Project? The client’s son had asked for a basketball hoop in the back garden. Instead, as a surprise, the client bought a Georgian Lodge adjacent to the main house with the idea to install a full basketball court in place of a hoop. What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project? Perhaps leaving behind our heritage designing family homes with their characteristic requests for clever storage and instead, to create a unique, fun and surprising space tempering the traditional with the crazy. It was challenging to start with a blank canvas and re-imagine a perfect entertaining space for teenagers with a hint of Dad thrown in. With regards to the lodge, it had been subjected to some ugly rear extensions – including unattractive uPVC windows – we decided to use Crittel style doors and windows to improve the rear façade – they work perfectly unifying the traditional elements of the property whilst blending with the contemporary style of much of the interior (and exterior) design. What was your team’s highlight of the project? The Graffiti room – watching CEPT, the graffiti artist at work, the tiling of the PacMan bathroom and ultimately the final handover to the client – At his very trusting insistence, he wanted to be as surprised as his children and was kept in the dark as to the final designs. This led to a very nervous grand reveal… Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards? The SBID International Design Awards give designers, like ourselves, an opportunity to celebrate our industry whilst acknowledging a large range of projects, budgets and styles. Our hope was to submit a different type of project from our usual work that could be showcased to our peers. Questions answered by Clare Gaskin of Clare Gaskin Interiors To ensure you are kept up to date with the latest inspiration sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media. If you missed last week’s Project of the Week with the striking interiors of the Berkshire Show Home created by Barclay Interiors. click here to see more Entries were received, finalists deliberated and the winners of the SBID International Design Awards 2017 have been announced! Click here to see the full list. We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire Clare Gaskin Interiors| SBID International Design Awards 2018