The Story Behind Pia Design: Residential Designs from Clients’ Dreams

Can you describe your current job?

My current job is Creative Director at Pia Design – my own design studio. Our studio is currently myself and two full time interior designers. I oversee all the projects and present designs to our clients and set the creative direction of each project – my team are super talented at creating 3D visuals and detailed specification documents to deliver our ideas to the client.

What is your background and how did you get into interior design?

I had quite an academic start to my education and career – I completed the International Baccalaureate and then did a Foundation course in Art & Design and then a degree in Interior Architecture at Kingston University. I knew from my teens that I wanted to be an interior designer – my family moved country every two years throughout my childhood so I quickly learnt the importance of ‘making a house a home’. I was also interested in psychology, and interior design allows me to combine my creative passion with my interest in understanding people. One of my favourite parts of the project is interpreting the brief and developing a design tailored to the client’s taste.

Describe an average day in your job role.

My days can be varied but typically I start the day with a team call to review project progress and our to-do lists for the day. I’ll then catch up on my emails and urgent payments / invoices before heading out to site visits – sometimes I have two or even three site visits in a row. Then it’s back to the studio to review the work of my design team from the day, catching up on more emails, and occasionally I’ll have evening calls with my clients who are in different time zones or too busy to speak during the day time. After dinner, I’ll usually sit down with my iPad and browse Instagram or Pinterest or read magazines for an hour or two, saving inspiration ideas for our current projects.

Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most and/or find the most rewarding?

I love the conceptual part of the project the most – working out who our client is and what they like, often reading between the lines or drawing inspiration from what they already own or from their artwork. It’s great to see their reactions to the initial concepts and then build the designs up from there – the most rewarding part is of course seeing the finished result of our designs and a happy client!

Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?

What do you find the most challenging aspects of your job?

Keeping all the plates spinning! We typically have between 10-15 projects at any one time, all at various stages, and we take on project coordination for many of our projects as well… so a lot of what we do is organising and keeping on top of timelines to make sure projects run efficiently and on time. There can be a lot of unknowns during the building works stage so often we have to be quick to rethink ideas and find solutions on the spot if things don’t pan out how we intended on site.

What do you wish you knew before working in the field?

What would you tell your younger self if you had the chance?

Trust your intuition and knowledge, don’t be discouraged by disagreements and stand up for yourself! There are a lot of big egos in this industry and it’s important to believe in your vision and sometimes you have to stand your ground to see your vision through.

What has been your favourite project to work on?

We recently worked on the redecoration of a large country manor in the North Downs which was in dire need of updating. The client owned a lot of heirloom furniture pieces that they wanted to bring back to life and was excited to work with us from a sustainability perspective. We were careful not to rip out anything that was still in good condition, choosing instead to repair, reupholster and rejuvenate everything from existing joinery to the furniture. The client was so happy when she saw her home of many years and inherited furniture pieces lovingly restored that she cried tears of joy.

What do you think is the biggest problem the interior design industry faces?

Construction is one of the most polluting industries in the world and interior design is unfortunately a guilty party to the waste created. I think the industry needs to adapt and change quickly to focus on more sustainable ways to refurbish and I believe that designers are not only responsible for implementing this change but that we have the power to set the direction of change by helping our clients make more planet-friendly decisions during their renovation project.

Which people do you admire the most in the industry and why?

I am a huge admirer of the Finnish Architect / Designer Joanna Laajisto – I love the way her designs are a contemporary take on classic Scandinavian design and her focus on sustainability in her material selection. I am also in awe of Sophie Asbhy and how she has built a successful brand and business, as well as her involvement in setting up the United in Design initiative.

Why did you decide to join the SBID?

I decided to join the SBID to feel a sense of community within the interiors world and to be involved and connected with new suppliers and trade events. It’s also really important for the types of clients that we work with that we can demonstrate a high level of professionalism, which being a member of the SBID’s international community provides.

Questions answered by Pia Pelkonen, Founder and Creative Director, Pia Design.

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This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a modern and minimalistic family house design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, ND Studios.

Natascha Dartnall, Founder & Director of ND Studios: We completely reconfigured an existing property, retaining only the listed front façade while building a modern house behind. It was important that we had lots of options when it came to marbles, stones and woods. For our client, the materials were just as important as the furniture, fixtures and fittings themselves.

Our clients shared our own commitment to sustainability and wanted to, where possible, make environmentally conscious decisions during the design, build and install. ND Studios will always seek to employ sustainable practises where possible. One of the main ways we achieved this on this project was to install a ground-source heat pump which is more environmentally friendly than alternative options because it recycles heat between seasons and it releases fewer carbon emissions.

What was the client’s brief? 

Our client wanted their new house to be a family home suitable for both relaxation and entertaining – with a spa, cinema room and home café all on the client’s shopping list. We were asked to create fresh and contemporary interiors with a nod to minimalism. Our clients were keen that we embraced an aesthetic that had longevity and that would age well while also ensuring that it was as sustainable as possible.

What inspired the design of the project?

Given that this was to be family home but with a modern, minimalist aesthetic a main priority was to ensure the house would work, practically speaking. How could we ensure there was a sense of home while staying true to the very pared back concept?

The bedrooms are an ode to modern comfort: clean lines, muted shades and plenty of light thanks to floor to ceiling windows. The guest bedroom includes a plump, fabric headboard which extends all the way across one of the walls, serving as a backdrop to the nightstands as well as the bed itself. This adds some softness to the room. The abstract paintings above the bed with vivid cerulean blue and scarlet red markings also adds vibrancy – just another example of how we made this modern house a family home.

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

The first hurdle for us was ensuring we had planning in place to knock down much of the existing property and build its modern replacement. The façade of the original property was listed and as a result it had to remain intact. This didn’t jeopardise our client’s vision or our execution of the project: we all felt it added character and a sense of history to the new home. While this held us back, it was only a matter of time before we got the go-ahead. It was a chasing and waiting game.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

One of the most exciting spaces to work on was the home café which has an industrial vibe with a sculpted slab of White Fantasy marble serving as the bar area. We kept it neutral but monochrome with lots of angles and lines which made for a contemporary socialising space you’d expect to see in a busy metropolis but is a brilliant surprise to find within a leafy suburban home.

The cinema room was another exercise in making a space both relaxing, physically comfortable but also chic. There is plenty of softness thanks to the silk carpet by Loomah and the abundance of cushions, but we ensured the space has plenty of hard lines and angles too, so that the room has a sense of structure.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

To have recognition for our work from an established industry body is an honour, and one which we hold in high regard.

Questions answered by Natascha Dartnall, Founder & Director, ND Studios.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a complete refurbishment of a family home by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, Novo Design.

Abbie Smith, Founder and Creative Director of Novo Design: We started discussing this project back in 2018, the masterplan was designed and the planning applications commenced. Knock back after knock back and 2 years later approvals were finally given and we could start working on developing the interior concept and specification. The family would be moving in with clothes and toys only and everything from bed linen to champagne flutes and potato peelers had to be specified and procured. The building was stripped back to the shell and then put back together meticulously, no corner was cut on quality of finish and the client continuously pushed for unique bespoke items so the home would be truly unique.

What was the client’s brief? 

To create a beautiful family home and maximise the potential of the space by reconfiguring the internal layout, converting the unused loft space and adding a large kitchen extension and orangery to gain more space that can be enjoyed and utilised.

What inspired the design of the project?

Contemporary styling fused with lots of texture and natural materials. Vibrancy was brought through in artwork and furniture to represent the characters of the family living there.

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

Obtaining planning permission. 2 years of rejected applications were hard for morale but the client wasn’t willing to compromise so kept persisting and it finally paid off.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The grand reveal, welcoming the family back into the home once we had completed (they didn’t come to site during the build). There were lots of tears of joy and disbelief around the transformation and finished results. It exceeded their expectations and they couldn’t have been happier.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We feel this is by far our most considered and most beautiful residential project we have ever delivered. The client gave us complete ownership of the design so it represents our company style perfectly. A great project to showcase what we can deliver and would be amazing for the team to get recognition for all the hard work that went into this project.

Questions answered by Abbie Smith, Founder and Creative Director, Novo Design.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features an expansive seven bedroom villa design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, LW Design.

What was the client’s brief? 

LW Design was tasked to redesign an expansive seven-bedroomed villa in an exclusive neighbourhood of Dubai. The owners wanted the designers to create an extraordinary space for their family and create a seamless flow from each room onto the large terraces and gardens beyond. The space was to be soft, feminine and understated so that the family felt at ease and comfortable at home.

What inspired the design of the project?

LW Design was tasked to create a soft, light and inviting scheme with neutral colours, warm timbers, and soft grey marble mixed with subtle accent colours to create the ultimate retreat. The spaces were designed to link and connect to the vast landscape. In particular, the majlis and formal dining feel like contemporary garden rooms as you are surrounded by full-height glazing with immaculate landscaping beyond. This connection to the outdoors also continues throughout the inside, with large plants placed in the corners of the rooms and some ground floor areas open onto the terrace giving an indoor-outdoor experience.

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

The main challenge was the sheer scale of the property, not just the number of rooms but also the various ceiling heights ranging from 4 metres to 9 metres in some key areas. The main goal was to ensure that all rooms felt comfortable and warm, each having their own identity but ensuring the design flowed from space to space. With the space being so vast, LW hand-selected and carefully placed unique pieces of furniture that filled the space rather than selecting additional furniture and accessories that would have caused over cluttering. The design team had to coordinate with multiple furniture suppliers who delivered their own finishings and fabrics to ensure they were all coordinated and aligned to maintain the eclectic and considered feel. With a property of this size, it was essential to identify the character of each room and ensure nothing too themed or obvious.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The general ceiling height around the villa is 4 metres while the entrance ceiling height is an impressive 9 metres. The sheer height creates a grand first impression when walking into the villa. The hallway leads into the living spaces that consist of a soft colour palette that creates a serene and bright feel throughout the villa and seamlessly connects the rooms to the surrounding landscape, adding life and depth to the space.

The his and hers master bedroom has oversized artwork shaped like a screen which acts as a headboard and provides a focus to the room. The master bathroom has wall-to-wall soft grey marble complemented by bronze metal screens and a feature freestanding bath. Intimate seating areas, a workspace, and a TV zone help fill the room with beautifully crafted pieces.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

To showcase the project on an international platform and get the recognition this project deserves.

Questions answered by Rachel Kidd, Partner & Design Director, LW Design.

In the 30 years since it was founded, TSAR Carpets create holistic compositions that empower its wide range of clientele — from commercial, hospitality, and residential customers — to achieve a cohesive architectural expression from the ground up. Born from a passion for textiles and enchanted by the hand-tufted technique, TSAR Carpets is continuously inspired by the German concept of the “gesamtkunstwerk,” meaning “a total work of art” — with TSAR Carpets founder David Sharpley describing the handtufting process as “painting with fibres.”

Known for their design work in both the public and private sector, the award-winning Melbourne-based architecture firm Lyons enlisted TSAR Carpets to install approximately 104.34 m2 of its signature freeform hand-tufted carpet in its office space, providing a colour-forward palette full of flair and panache.

Firm founder Carey Lyon chose to work with TSAR again to outfit the office after his immense satisfaction with the custom hand-tufted carpet he sourced for his private residence, proving that TSAR Carpets’ unparalleled flooring proficiency can be applied to a variety of applications, functions and environments.

Private residence design

The home of Carey Lyon required exceptional hand-tufted flooring for four various spaces in his home, including a hallway, sitting area, lounge and study. Carey turned to the TSAR Carpets team for its expertise and honest advice. As a brand that is not afraid to take risks, TSAR’s company-owned value chain allows the team to continually experiment and perfect a multitude of construction techniques.

Working closely with TSAR’s team, Carey designed the carpet’s pattern, which is based on standard cartographic symbols for a swamp. (Used on maps, cartographic symbols are coloured lines that serve as legends to denote areas of vegetation, water, and contours, etc.) The aim of the design was to summon the history of the old wetland landscapes of the Yaluk-ut Weelam people of Port Phillip Bay who were lost under the ‘reclaimed’ swamplands of Elwood. To bring the swamp landscape to life, colour was another thoughtful consideration and Carey and the team reviewed several different custom poms before settling on brown and blue shades that best matched the carpet’s marshy theme.

The challenge of flooring the irregular shape of each of the four unique areas within Carey’s home presented the team with an opportunity to achieve custom solutions — the exact placement of each blue swamp-like “pond” was a highly meticulous and diligent feat, which the team was able to execute in a timely and thorough manner.

“Optimal performance and product longevity is the impetus for all of our designs and projects. We understand the custom process thoroughly and treat every project with care,” says Sharpley.

Office design

With the office, Carey and the Lyons team returned to TSAR as they were seeking a flooring partner who could provide a cohesive, durable and innovative design for its highly-trafficked lobby, library and four meeting rooms. Like Carey’s home, the team gravitated towards a hand-tufted solution due to its high-quality utility and material ability to produce stunning patterns.

“TSAR Carpets treats every custom project with care and detail. We were excited to once again partner with the team thanks to the company’s incredible technical proficiency and emphasis on performance,” says Carey Lyon.

Originally the design brief called for a continuous rainbow appearance featuring more than 58 colours, but due to budget constraints TSAR and Lyons teams joined forces to find a happy solution that balanced aesthetics, budget and performance, ensuring Lyons received the most desirable product. In the end, the client was overjoyed with the final result: An original selection of energetic and colorful flooring compositions featuring a one-of-a-kind point of view.

“Comfort and connection don’t just belong in the home. I was thrilled to incorporate TSAR’s exquisite flooring into our office environment to provide our employees and visitors with a sense of optimism and day-to-day joy,” says Carey Lyon.

“Clients continue to work with us because we value performance and value, just as much as we appreciate the incorporation of bold colors, patterns, and forms,” says Sharpley.

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This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a spacious feng shui-inspired house design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, 7K Design.

What was the client’s brief? 

The client wanted to change the lifestyle of their home because it had not been changed in over 20 years. Their home was not built with the intention of maximizing space functionality and flow. The client desired a change and wanted to revitalize their spaces not just to make them more practical and flow better, but also to ensure that each space was created with feng shui in mind to bring the family good fortune.

What inspired the design of the project?

As the circle was an important cultural symbol, feng shui was an important component that we wanted to incorporate into the design. It represents yin and yang harmony, as well as the balance of nature.

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

There are precise feng shui principles for each house, and we must incorporate those criteria into our design while still maximizing space, flow, and staying within budget.

Feng shui goes beyond comfort and aesthetic. We had to have a very good understanding of what elements to bring into the space without causing the project’s integrity to be disrupted.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The team’s highlight of the project is designing the custom spiral stair bookcase. The bookcase incorporates important elements of feng shui: the garden that signifies the growth of life, and the book case signifying growth through knowledge.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We are hoping that SBID will aid in raising awareness of the importance of incorporating cultural identity into designs.

Questions answered by Fianne Zi-Yan Yu, Principal Designer & PM, 7k Design.

When it comes to challenging the limits of what materials can do, Ledbury Studio is building something of a reputation. The latest design, the Camden Kitchen, is a textbook example of this, combining beautiful materials and artisanal techniques to stunning effect. Ledbury Studio founder Charlie Smallbone talks through how the Camden Kitchen was realised.

What was the project brief?

Our client has a strong sense of style, so was already full of ideas when she came to see us. I really like that because the design process should always be a collaborative one, and is personal to each client. In this case, the room was being extended into the garden beyond, and we were tasked with designing a relaxed and informal space for cooking and entertaining.

How did you design the furniture?

I had decided to use English and European oak throughout the kitchen, and we took particular care to select oak all from the same batch. The result is that the grain matches perfectly and can be seen to run across the width of all the drawers, it’s a really satisfying detail. And for the full-height cupboards, we introduced a design motif that completely belies the practical nature of the fridge, freezer and larder concealed behind.

What can you tell us about the worktops?

The show-stopping island top is a work of art by Lara Bohinc of Bohinc Studio. It’s a selection of Italian marbles, inlaid into an aged-brass edge trim, in a selection of shades that elegantly complement the muted colours throughout the rest of the kitchen. For the long runs of worktop, we specified Ambra quartz, for natural-looking veining in a hard-wearing manmade material.

How have you used pattern and texture in this kitchen?

We’ve employed our signature use of metal with patinated zinc panels on the cupboard to the left and on the extractor hood, where it’s trimmed with aged brass. There is an antiqued glass panel surrounding the extractor, which reflects light from the garden around the kitchen. And possibly my favourite detailing is the delicate fluted oak on the ends of the island, which is echoed in the fluted Ambra quartz splashback.

Any other design highlights?

As this was to be a room for entertaining, our client particularly requested a screen she could pull across to divide the dining area from the kitchen when required. I was inspired by a ‘70s design the client found in an antiques shop, to create this screen of brushed and polished stainless steel in a striking geometric pattern. It’s a great finishing touch to this beautifully eclectic kitchen.

Ledbury Studio kitchens start from £50,000.

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Exclusive supplier of Corian® Solid Surface in the UK and Ireland, CDUK, has launched the new Corian® colour range. The collection adds eight new colours to the existing range. Designed to integrate high-level beauty into the existing Corian® collection, the new collection features natural, muted tones, with new textures to give a contemporary look and feel.

The range

Carrara, inspired by marble stone with prominent veining, gives a simultaneous modern and classic effect, and the four Artista colours, combine smooth effect, intricate vein patterns and neutral tones to produce a contemporary finish. Sparkling Granita contains translucent and sparkling particles to create an effervescent effect in the white surface and the swirling movement of Sand Storm creates a beautiful depth to the colour and completes the new colour range. Inspired by nature, the new Corian® colours take the range in a new direction. Combining high performance and high-level beauty, the collection is ideal for architects and designers seeking to enhance their designs.

Material characteristics

At a time when hygiene is critical, Corian® offers designers and architects a hygienic solution to create beautiful designs. The non-porous, durable, and easy to clean composition of Corian® Solid Surface makes it ideal for surfaces and spaces in high-intensity touch zones. These qualities make Corian® particularly applicable in healthcare settings, hospitality, public and office spaces, and high-end residential settings. Designers can focus on creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind environments, knowing that the properties of Corian® Solid Surface allow Corian® to perform beyond expectations.

Corian® Solid Surface can be joined seamlessly to give a continuous flow and allow large designs to be fashioned from a single element. The resulting seamless finish ensures there are no crevices to trap dirt and bacteria.

CDUK help in finding design solutions

Having built a strong reputation as the sole distributor of Corian® Solid Surface in the UK and Ireland, CDUK has the expertise and knowledge to help support specifier and fabricator customers. CDUK can advise on design-led solutions using the material and provide expert training to designers and fabricators to ensure customers’ design ambitions are brought to life.

Andy Noble, Divisional Managing Director, CDUK, commented: “We are delighted to bring the new Corian® colour range to the UK and Ireland markets and are excited to work with leading designers and fabricators to deliver imaginative solutions using the new range. Our experience of working Corian® Solid Surface is unmatched, and our design-led approach to collaborating with our partners means that we can help our customers achieve the most beautiful, high-quality designs.”

Diversity of application

Additionally, CDUK provides complementary products to integrate seamlessly with Corian® surfaces, delivering solutions for designers.

Thanks to its versatile applications, Corian® can be used to produce striking designs – wall claddings, shower trays, vanity tops and bowls, countertops and work surfaces – and can be thermoformed, engraved, and backlit, offering designers the opportunity to experiment with luminosity and form. Intricate designs can be embossed and engraved into Corian® Solid Surface using CNC machining technology, as well as molded to create raised textures and patterns on its surface.

CDUK’s partnership with Applelec, also provides best practice techniques to backlight the translucent Corian® colours range, enabling designers to highlight Corian® surfaces to their best standard.

To ensure easy installation, Corian® Solid Surface is available in various thicknesses and can be fabricated with conventional woodworking tools into virtually any design.

A selection of Corian® colours are produced with recycled content (up to 20%), including the new Artista collection, which contains 6% pre-consumer recycled content.

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