Consult by FD Renovate a City Apartment

Consult by FD were appointed to renovate this city apartment in central London, Angel N1.

Our clients approached us during the whirlwind of purchasing their new/old apartment tucked away from the bustling streets of central London.

Having previously rented the same home in former years they returned to buy it already armed with a vision and understanding of how it can be transformed to better suit their lifestyles.

As the purchase ambled on, we got busy behind the scenes developing the brief, especially lots of bespoke joinery to best serve our busy clients and their space.

After assembling our dream renovation team, and suppliers, our clients got the keys and we got busy project managing the build.

We’re super pleased with the results and can confidently vouch that the new layouts and details make it feel like a haven.

Step inside the bathroom and the verdant green wall tiles will have you thinking you’re in Morocco.

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Rachel Usher Interior Design were commissioned to design a large contemporary family kitchen and open plan living space.

The multi-disciplinary interior architectural team re-defined the existing format, opening up apertures allowing an abundance of natural light to fill the property and playing to the scale of the buildings vernacular.

Synonymous with a Rachel Usher Interior Design is the interaction of materials evident throughout all of the bespoke hand-crafted joinery, including shadow gap detailing and hidden light sources to highlight texture and contrast.

The final scheme was brought together with the appropriate application of light, texture and materiality.

If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

Innovative design and enhanced technology meets form and function with the new Creo and Vito 25mm sustainable shower trays from Crosswater. Whether the goal is to make a design statement or create a minimalist silhouette where the shower blends seamlessly into the wider bathroom, these will elevate any shower space.

Crafted from 100% recyclable Dolomite engineered stone and hand finished to perfection, Creo and Vito are expertly designed with comfort and efficiency in mind. Smooth and warm to the touch, engineered stone is soothing underfoot and creates a sleek, seamless feel.

Designed with high-flow central or linear drainage systems for faster drainage and almost invisible gullies and edges, shallow pools of water are a thing of the past. And with no hard, uncomfortable ridges to step on, the designs allow continuous flow from the rest of the bathroom floor.

Using natural materials embraces relaxation and wellness principles that instil a sense of natural tranquility. Brilliantly resilient and hard-wearing with exceptional impact resistance, engineered stone retains water thermal temperature for longer, creating a warm and luxurious showering experience.

Manufactured in a zero-emission factory that uses 100% solar energy, using engineered stone considerably reduces the energy required to make each tray and excess materials are simply repurposed. The trays are finished with a permanent Nanocoat gel, ensuring the surfaces are non-porous, anti-bacterial and easy to clean.

Creo is available in rectangular and offset quadrant options – prices from £260. Vito is available in square and rectangular options – prices from £311.

If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a glamorous bathroom design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, Jasmin Reese Interiors.

What was the client’s brief? 

The brief of the Project was to create a hip “powder room” in this industrial loft space that also doubled as a guest bathroom.

What inspired the design of the project?

At the beginning of each project, I meet with clients for a “Style Session” meeting, it is a meeting to determine the programmatic requirements of the project, budget, and I also try to see how high octane the client would go. In this case the client responded to a lot of sexy hotel interiors, black chic rooms, and moody interiors, so we went in that direction.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

Our biggest hurdle was getting the materials, it was during Covid so information was not as fast as we were used to and reselecting materials when they became out of stock was challenging to keep the project moving forward.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The wallpaper was the biggest highlight! It was really fun to be able to wrap a large scale print on the walls and also the door in a small space.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

I think the SBID awards showcase designs that are unique, colorful, and fresh.

Questions answered by Jasmin Reese, Owner, Jasmin Reese Interiors.

In this week’s interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Residential Apartment Under £1M category, JL Studio, Jenya Lykasova discusses achieving a balance of roughness and cosiness, using natural materials in a design, and mixing nature and architecture.

The JL STUDIO team has implemented a completely unique interior design project for a two-level apartment in a historic building.

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

The main idea behind the interior is naturalness, going beyond the ordinary and outgoing trends. It was important for us to create an interior that would be relevant even in 10 years from now.

We met some difficulties while started working on the project, because the local authorities imposed strict requirements on the renovation of the building. We wanted to emphasize its historical value and show pure modernity in the same time, as well as demonstrate how harmoniously this interior fits to the human nature and people’s lifestyle.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

I was happy to realise, that we have reached this perfect combination of cosiness, natural roughness and uniqueness. Art objects in the interior are ordinary things that we see in nature, but do not see in our apartments. That is why they are not perceived as something catchy and do not turn the house into a museum.

At the same time, these interior elements perfectly reflect the bright individuality of the owners. Guys are happy and delighted with their new interior for 100 % – that is very important for me and my team.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

We have always been totally in love with what we do, but SBID Award gives a definite understanding that our projects are professional and competent. It means that we understand high standards and trends of the interior design in the UK and worldwide as well. We had been participating for three years and finally got an award we wanted so far.

The design creates a cosy and warm space while using wildness and rough textures in an ancient building. How did you achieve such an effect, without the apartment looking cold and stiff?

Textures make everything, especially when they are so different and extraordinarily tactile. Everything matches perfectly in this symphony of comfort and function. Linen plays with woods and bricks as well as day-and-night lighting compliments every single detail of this interior composition.

This space is full of natural light which is duplicated by lamps of soft lighting at night. Greens play a key role also: it fills the interior not only with freshness and life, but also helps to absorb sounds and eliminate echo.

What would you say is most important to keep in mind / the correct approach when using lots of natural materials and textures in an interior design?

Its important to find out a nice combination between materials, this relationship is a key note. By choosing material samples we always place them all together and check if there is something to ruin the whole idea.

I don’t like much color but i enjoy rotating textures within a composition of the same color. For example, total grey interior architecture looks smart and expressive only when all the textures are different.

And of course all the materials should be tactile and cause this incredible touch-desire. If they are not, something has to be changed immediately.

There is quite a mix of straight-edged and organically shaped furniture. Tell us more about your choice and approach to using it.

This is one of my favorite techniques. While combining straight-edged shapes with natural ones I can emphasize each of them correctly. Straight forms of the podium are highlighted by soft couch pillows. Look at this unusual bathroom with its strange shower and a stone sink which is supposed to be an accent itself.

It seems like we mix nature and architecture, human impact on the entire world and the origins of human being. The key idea of this interior – is our communication with nature because we are a strong part of it.

Questions answered by Jenya Lykasova, Founder & Director, JL STUDIO.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a contemporary family home design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, RS Interiores & IDA SRL.

The inspiration of this Project came from the very first call with our clients, it’s a design inspired by Mid century décor. In Marba Haus we implemented much warmth of the environment to instill peace and serenity within the design.

The use of wood is shown in the many elements of the design, for example, the wooden ceilings, or in the many modern pieces of furniture. The color coordination of the greens and terracotta inspires organic design. We used textured techniques for the wall finishings creating different dimensions and earthy sensations.

All these combinations in the design have created a warm, peaceful and serene home, a true space for a family to live.

What was the client’s brief? 

The clients wanted a family home that reminded them of nature.

What inspired the design of the project?

The inspiration came from a phone call when discussing the project with my clients, they were speaking about how they loved to be outdoors and nature. Colors like greens and earthy tones, textures all came into place.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

The toughest hurdle for this project was creating new texture techniques on the walls with plaster and sand. We used a brush in order to create arched movements and patterns on the walls. After completing this process we decided to paint over it. The overall aspect of this organic creation was a true work of art.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The highlight of this project has to be the combination of the materials and finishing and how they all come together in design. We were able to mix furniture, textures and fabrics to mesh the mid century feel with contemporary design.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

As a SBID Member and past winner of the 2020, I believe in sharing and competing in design. It makes us stronger as designers and inspires others in our field to grow as professionals.

Questions answered by Rosadela Serulle, CEO and Founder, RS Interiores & IDA SRL.

In this week’s interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the CGI & Visualisation category, II BY IV DESIGN, Dan Menchions talks about working on sustainability-focused projects, integrating sustainable initiatives into the design, as well as making wellness the main priority of the space.

In a world threatened by the climate crisis, The Residences at Central Park offers a better future. Nestled between Toronto’s protected ravine and one of the city’s hip urban areas, it is a vibrant nexus—focused on wellness and sustainability.

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

Central Park is an ambitious 12-acre master-planned neighbourhood in Toronto that promises a connected, healthier future. Focused on wellness and sustainability, it connects the urban and natural worlds, raising the bar for design excellence. Green initiatives are integrated throughout the complex. We worked collaboratively with the entire project team to align the interior design with the development’s vision: refining the contemporary lifestyle, using natural materials and framing views of the ravines, extending the harmony of the natural world inside. This strategy is also implemented in the design of the permanent Presentation Pavilion, where a composition of natural materials and future-forward immersive experiences emulate the proposed lifestyle for the prospective inhabitants of Central Park.  

Designed holistically, the Presentation Pavilion for Central Park is built as a permanent space with the potential to transform into a multi-purpose cultural hub for the community. Wrapped in a soaring 4-storey window façade, this architectural glass box is positioned on the site as a billboard to sell the development and its breathtaking views. With an orchestrated, powerful retail experience, we weaved culture and lifestyle stories, thoughtful moments of theatre, and a series of vignettes, creating the forthcoming environment at Central Park for the prospective residents while they visually merchandise the selection of future-forward finishes, furniture, and products. 

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

Witnessing the positive reaction of those who visit the site—and the pavilion—has been a joy for us since completing the project. We are pleased to see the formation of a community that cares about wellness and sustainability; and have come to appreciate how significant the integration of nature and natural elements (including natural light) plays a part in creating a healthy, future-forward residence. It is also encouraging to gain insights about how much the prospective residents of Central Park delight in someday living where they have ease of access to the nearby ravines, urban living, public transit, and robust indoor/outdoor amenities. We aim to incorporate these insights into our future projects, designing healthy, wellness-focused, and connected residences for our clients.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

Since its inception in 2009, SBID has been instrumental in propelling the interior design industry forward. As a global platform—attracting entries from across the world—it is truly an honour to win an SBID award. It is a sign of industry recognition for our project to get evaluated by leading experts for technical content and aesthetic creativity. Together with our clients, team, and collaborators, we get the boost of encouragement to continue designing beautiful spaces that connect and elevate people. We also love that the design-conscious public has a say in voting for the most inspiring projects.

What is the most important thing to keep in mind when working on sustainability-focused projects?

When designing a sustainability-focused project, the design principles of functionality, accessibility, and aesthetics revolve around environmental considerations, so in a way, the project is both eco-centric and human-centric, which includes humans too. The longevity and durability of the finishes are key, especially for high-traffic areas. It is also important to work collaboratively with the entire project team to accommodate for systematic Green features that are new in residential developments. For Central Park, we reached further and emphasized the significance of integrating the natural world into everyday life by incorporating natural materials and views of the surrounding ravine areas and using energy-efficient technology throughout the interiors.   

The development’s vision is to refine the contemporary lifestyle. What does contemporary lifestyle mean to you? How do you think our lifestyles and, therefore, design choices are changing?

To mitigate the climate crisis, we need to refine our current lifestyle as a global society. We need to become more efficient and eco-conscious, mainly for our benefit.

The Residences at Central Park connect the urban back to nature. The design and development team has integrated Green initiatives like reflective solar panels, Green roofs, and a thermal building envelope. A next-generation mechanical system incorporates advanced airflow and filtration for the entire building. Moreover, there is direct access to public transit, on-site bicycle/car-share service, and EV (electric vehicle) charging stations for every spot in residential and visitor parking spaces, promoting safe, clean travel—free of emissions. As interior designers of Central Park, we decided to reimagine how we can live better: what aspects of today’s lifestyle could be refined for a better tomorrow. We then reflected our insights onto every part of the project and delivered a robust amenity program, spa-inspired bathrooms, energy-saving light fixtures, and everything in between. The Presentation Gallery for this development even confirms the team’s commitment to sustainability, designing it as a permanent building. Envisioned as a multi-purpose cultural hub in the future, it is suited up in a composition of natural, enduring, high-quality materials and high-tech features for posterity.

What makes an interior design project wellness-focused? How do you account for it as a designer?

By its nature, interior design projects are always focused on wellness as we create spaces that improve the human experience through ergonomics, style, light, layout, and finish palettes/materiality. When designing vertical living projects, like The Residences of Central Park, we include activities for wellness in the amenity program. Moreover, a timeless composition of elements, materials, and furnishings in warm tones and delightful textures creates a harmonious feel for wellness. The attention to detail and quality cohesively begins at the entrance, continuing to the resort-like amenities and offering an urban oasis in each suite, including low water—and electrical—systems/appliances. There are also available provisions for cutting-edge automation, enabling residents to control temperature, lighting, or other items from their smartphones that make life more efficient and convenient, contributing to the quality of the residents’ everyday experience and, therefore, their wellness.

Questions answered by Dan Menchions, Partner, II BY IV DESIGN.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a luxurious residential villa design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, Emara Design.

We still remember the joy of the customer and his family when they saw the design; only then did we feel that we did what we had to do. Emara Design worked on the architectural design and the interior decoration of a residential villa with a 250 m2 total floor area in the heart of the Dyar park compound, which consists of a reception space, a living area, a master bedroom, and three bedrooms for children. We used natural materials such as wood and marble and mixed them with warm lighting in addition to using simple straight lines on the ceiling that gives a sense of luxury mixed with warmness. Our philosophy is that design is not just a piece of art but it should represent the house owner and meet his needs.

What was the client’s brief? 

The client’s requests of the re-design of the villa were so that it contains 3 bedrooms for the children and the expansion of the living area on the last floor, as well as creating a roof garden for summer sessions and barbecues.

One of the most important requests which the client focused on was the use of natural materials such as wood and marble with the addition of luxury and warm lighting in the place.

What inspired the design of the project?

After some sessions and discussions with the client, we have agreed on using marble on the floor and on some walls and bathrooms, and grafting wood in the ceiling and on walls with hidden warm lighting which gives a sense of warmness for the family members.

The use of large glass surfaces in the main reception area on the ground floor overlooking the landscape gives a sense of spaciousness and visual connection with the landscape of the villa and the compound.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

One of the most important parts that we have taken into account is the use of technology to achieve a sustainability criteria. From the use of the power generation system to solar cells and the use of the smart systems to control all power sources, to water sprinklers and irrigation of trees and grass in the garden, where Smart systems work according to set times of the day to save energy and reduce electricity consumption.

The smart systems also helped solve the customer’s problem of traveling abroad. He can fully control the villa and the garden through an application on his iPad. He can not only control the power and the garden, but he also has full control of the surveillance cameras and door locks.

Questions answered by Ahmed Fathi, Designer, and Osama Eltaweel, Site Engineer, Emara Design.

In this week’s interview with 2022 SBID Awards’ Overall Winner, Clara Lleal Interiorista, Clara Lleal explains how they achieved displaying a number of different art pieces in a cohesive design, and discusses the experience of working on a space for an artist.

Art Gallery House is located in the historic centre of Badalona, a city near Barcelona. The brief was to strategically place the sculptures created by the owner of the house himself, the artist and sculptor Juanma Noguera. In short, an Art Gallery house.

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

One of the challenges when it came to the layout of the project was to strategically place the sculptures created by the owner of the house himself, the artist and sculptor Juanma Noguera. In terms of general aesthetics, the idea was to give the whole space an industrial atmosphere, maintaining and recovering the building’s original materials. The solid brick walls were uncovered, the vaulted iron-beamed ceilings were respected, and areas with the original hydraulic pavement were maintained.

The materials used subsequently also follow this industrial premise, concrete, black iron sheet, herringbone floor of recovered wood, and teak wood furniture to break the cold of the greys.

The construction of the house dates back to the 19th century, coinciding with the industrial period in Catalonia. Therefore, the house has many architectural elements typical of that period, which we wanted to maintain and even restore. The walls were chipped to leave the brickwork exposed, the original cast iron columns were restored, the hydraulic mosaic floor tiles of Mediterranean origin were kept, and the Catalan vaulted ceilings were left exposed. In short, we wanted to recover the industrial essence of the house and give it value.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

One of the main challenges was to gain natural light. It must be said that in an area of 200m2 there was only one window. Skylights were opened in the roof and in the inner courtyards, as many openings as possible were made so that the house would be bathed in light. We wanted to convey the feeling of wellbeing and warmth that natural light provides. In addition, from the beginning we wanted to include a lot of natural vegetation that can only live with light.

Another challenge was that the spaces were very large and there was a risk that they would not be welcoming, which was of paramount importance to the client. With the combination of materials such as teak wood and dark colors, a cozy atmosphere was definitely achieved.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

It was a big honor and symbolic for me. It was the first big international contest where I had taken part, and I can confirm that is also one of the few contests that is honest and where it is very difficult to get an award. That is why I cannot describe how happy I was when I heard my name. It was amazing!

For my business, winning this award represents an excellent opportunity to take a leap to grow and be able to access more interesting projects, and perhaps even have the opportunity to expand my business abroad.

You managed to display a lot of artworks of different mediums, while also using a few open storage units. How did you achieve this without the space looking cluttered?

The placement of the art pieces was well thought out from the beginning, and in fact the distribution was based on the strategic placement of each one of them. Initially we knew which pieces were going to be exhibited, so we only needed to determine where each one was going to be placed and design a setting and lighting to make them stand out. In this way, even though they are of different formats, the paintings and sculptures keep a visual order within the space as a whole as part of the same design.

Have you, as a creative, learned anything new from designing a home for an artist?

Perhaps I have learned to better appreciate works of art in general, but especially sculptures. Personally I have always liked the world of art and crafts and whenever I can I try to include works of art in the projects. Since I was a child I have practiced artistic painting in different techniques and ceramics is one of my hobbies.

In the case of this house, I have been able to work with some sculptures that I really like, pieces created exclusively to be observed and beautify the place where they are located. It is clear that the design, without these sculptures and paintings would not have the same result.

How did you find the process of working with an artist? Did they have their own vision of the space? Do you think the design process is easier or more difficult, if a client is set on a specific design concept?

The design process with the artist Juanma Noguera, the owner of the space, was very easy. This was the third project I had done with him, and not by chance, because aesthetically we speak the same language. Working with a client with this profile makes the work of choosing colors and combining materials and textures much easier, because his aesthetic sense is highly developed. I would insist, then, that part of the success of this project is due to his good taste and the inclusion of his artwork, which, by the way, is beautiful.

Questions answered by Clara Lleal, Creative Director, Clara Lleal INTERIORISTA.

In this week’s interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Residential Fit Out Project of the Year category, Laila Interiors, Laila Shour discussed how the team uses design elements to separate open spaces into different areas, talks about designing spaces to suit any taste and lifestyle, and the power of light colour palette.

Kensington court was a neglected mix of multiple vacant flats that were in a state of disrepair for many years. It lays in a conservation area within the borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

A complete refurbishment was carried out that transformed this prestigious building into 10 high ceiling luxury apartments and the key idea was to develop a unique design concept of living that aligns with the majority’s style, preferences and functional requirements in keep with the surrounding neighbourhood.

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

When and during the refurbishment, the contemporary style which our design team introduced in the interiors was to incorporate modern design elements, such as choosing metallic accents, geometric shapes, neutral color palette to complement wooden flooring and wall finishes.

Our goal was coordinating the interiors with developers and managing most aspects of the project, to ensure a successful outcome for the client.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

The biggest highlight of completing this project was the transformation of the space into a functional and aesthetically pleasing environment and feeling like we have exceeded all expectations.

The biggest takeaway of the completed project was the satisfying feeling in creating a unique empty space that reflects the style, personality, and lifestyle of everyone and anyone.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

Winning the SBID award was a great honour that gave our company recognition in the UK and on an international level. It elevated the credibility and reputation of the business, making us stand out in a competitive market while attracting new clients and opportunities.

This award boosted the morale of the team and instilled a sense of pride and motivation for us to maintain high standards in future projects and to continue pushing towards creative and design boundaries. We felt highly rewarded and valued for our achievements and hard work in this project from the public and SBID.

How do you design rooms that have lots of open space? What approach do you use to separate those spaces into different areas?

Separating a space that has lots of rooms can be achieved by using furniture such as sofas, armchairs or ottomans to create separate seating areas and define different functions within the space. We also use colour to differentiate between spaces, introducing textiles such as curtains, cushions, or throws to create a visual separation between different areas.

Bringing in nature with indoor plants, natural wood flooring, natural stone, sustainable rugs and lighting added to the separation within areas too. By using a combination of these techniques, it is always possible to create a functional and visually pleasing space with clear divisions, while still maintaining an open and airy feel.

How do you ensure the properties you design will be suitable for all occupants?

In order to ensure that the properties we design are suitable for all occupants, we incorporate universal design principles, such as easy to reach controls, ergonomic design, to make the space usable for people of different ages, abilities and to meet the needs of all occupants.

By following these steps, we promote inclusiveness and comfort for all occupants with adequate lighting, multi-functional spaces and furniture that could be flexible and adapted to accommodate changing needs and requirements over time.

What was the inspiration behind choosing a light and neutral colour palette?

The inspiration behind choosing a light palette in this particular project was due to a few reasons:

a) The 19 century building has an elegant red brick exterior, therefore a neutral palette was chosen for the interior to contrast yet complement the outside. Its purpose was to also draw attention to other design elements, such as textures, patterns, and artwork, and make them the focal point of the inside space.

b) To create a calm and serene atmosphere throughout the interior of the flats we enhanced natural light that seeped through the Kensington gardens to create a cohesive look.

c) The Neutral colors is an additional backdrop for more statement pieces throughout an interior.

d) The property is timeless hence light and neutral colours are seen as classic and timeless, and this was a versatile choice for our design to stand the test of time.

Questions answered by Laila Shour, Founder, Laila Interiors.