This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a harmonious blend of artistic, Oriental concepts with modern design. The environment, light and temperament of the space was designed to imbue occupants with a sense of calmness. Elegant materials set the tone while the design strives for simplicity with an undercurrent of Oriental influences. The furnishings are also simple in style, their lightness, outline and clean lines of the interior scheme achieves a perfect balance. The pure colours, rustic materials and changes in light and shadow are unique, graceful and restrained throughout. Together they combine a modern design language with traditional culture, infusing the Oriental artistry with the minimal aesthetics.
Sector: Show Flats & Developments Design
Company: INNEST Interior Design
Project: Foshan Green Island Lake Villa
Location: Foshan, China
What was the client’s brief?
This project was designed for our client, YANGO Group. Established in 1995 in Fuzhou city, Fujian Province, China, YANGO has now become the top 500 enterprises in the world, providing services in real estate, business operation and property management. It has now set up more than 30 branch offices around China.
What inspired the interior design of the project?
As designers, we think to convey a cultural temperament through a space is necessary for interior design. Every era has its own design language. This particular project brings an oriental artistic conception into each room with unique design techniques so as to enable more people to enjoy its artistic atmosphere, which us designers hope can also exert positive influence on the next generation with a nod to the heritage which inspires it.
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
Integrating all the design concepts we developed for the space to convey the right tone and impression for the interior. As the images demonstrate, in the shape of modernity, the project portrays Oriental connotations, integrates elements of nature and architecture, as well as cultivate an atmosphere of tranquillity and prosperity. With history and culture reflected in the details, it emphasises the simplicity and low-key oriental luxury. The overall space conveys a subtle and restrained temperament. The project also uses the changing natural light and shade in the space to achieve a balance between oriental perception and fashion.
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
The environment, light and temperament of the interior creates a supreme sense of calmness and underlying luxury. The materials used create the luxurious temperament of the space while the overall design strives for simplicity. Furnishings, which are also simple in style and structure to complement the minimal aesthetic, are placed in careful alignment together to create synergy; with amiable styling and the integration of oriental design features, we achieved a good balance so this is a key highlight for us.
Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?
To share our design concept with others around the world in the interior design industry and to better improve ourselves.
Questions answered by Yu Chao and Guanghui Zeng, Founder and Creative Director of INNEST Interior Design
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a fun family beach house with a vibrant, colourful aesthetic, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week’s design for show flats and developments! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
INNEST Interior Design | SBID International Design Awards
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a striking beach house, created for a family who expressed a strong desire for the design to be vibrant, yet contemporary; creating spaces for both adults and children to have their own private areas, without being too disconnected from each other. The bright colours and stunning views make for a wonderful place to enjoy some time together with family and friends as the open plan design ensures an unobstructed flow within the main area of the property. Particular elements, such as the introduction of polished concrete, was key to this project as it’s very easy to clean and hard wearing – important as guests will be in and out often. The feature stainless steel slide, which runs from the games room upstairs into the living room was a fun element to add and highlights the playful manner of this family and their new home.
Sector: Residential Design
Company: Iggi Interior Design
Project: UK South Coast Residence
Location: South Coast, United Kingdom
To create a fun, family holiday beach home on the UK South Coast.
The family spends a lot of time in this location as they are keen windsurfers. They often spend weekends here with friends which meant that we needed to create a large open entertainment space that satisfies the needs of both adults and children.
A contemporary feel throughout was requested – without appearing too ‘cold’. The family love colour and wanted this added into the project in an elegant way. As the house is right on the beach it was important that they be able to see the ocean.
Creating a fun, functional space for families that also looked clean, contemporary and relaxed all at the same time!
The entrance was particularly key to this project, a bespoke spiral staircase was created. This needed to look like a piece of art in itself. We added a mirrored wall to reflect both the curated artwork as well as the architectural sweep of the staircase.
At IGGI Interior Design, we believe that community is so important and design awards give us the chance to share our work with the wider community so that we can all learn and be inspired by each other too. Plus, it’s nice to win every now and then and be recognised for your work.
Questions answered by Susan White, Founder of Iggi Interior Design
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a blend of Hollywood glamour and Art Deco to create a luxurious feminine home, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week’s residential design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
IGGI Interior Design | SBID International Design Awards
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features the residential design for an elegant 3-bedroom apartment in London’s prestigious One Hyde Park development in Knightsbridge. The alluring combination of soft neutrals with accents of burnt orange, petrol blue and dusky plum melt together in a holistic blend of Hollywood glamour, balanced with Art Deco styles to create a luxurious and contemporary feel for this timeless, feminine home.
Company: Elicyon
Project: Project Vera, One Hyde Park
Location: London, United Kingdom
The layout, flow and final dressing of the apartment was hugely important to the client as this was the first time she was creating a home purely for herself. This is now her main residence and it represents a moment of self-discovery for her through design. The space needed to be multi-functional in order to work for her when she is there alone but also cater for when her children and grandchildren stay.
The exquisite residential space is designed in a Hollywood Deco inspired scheme of soft neutrals, enriched by strong accents of burnt orange, petrol blue and dusky plum. Central to the living area is an elegant twisted glass chandelier with polished 24kt gold. Striking geometric patterns and bespoke marquetry joinery flow throughout, creating a contemporary feel to this timeless and feminine home.
This is our seventh project in One Hyde Park and so we always have to truly challenge ourselves and push the boundaries in order to make each apartment we design in the building unique.
I loved working on the dining room in the apartment – it featured a silk wallpaper with an hexagonal print, referencing the art deco period, which was challenging to install but created a beautiful end result. I was also very happy with the glamorous glass chandelier we added to the reception.
I actually ran into the client recently and she told me how much she was enjoying living in the space – hearing such positive feedback and knowing we were able to deliver exactly what a client was looking for in their home is very meaningful.
Questions answered by Charu Gandhi, Founder and Director of Elicyon
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring an impressive Shanghai office design which focuses on the wellbeing of employees, click here to see more.
Elicyon | SBID International Design Awards
This week SBID interviewed Charu Gandhi, Founder and Director of the award-winning luxury interior design studio, Elicyon. Charu talks about her feelings of disconnect between architectural training and architecture in practice; particularly, how this influenced her decision to pursue a successful career in interior design. From just a childhood vision to become an Architect, Charu now shares her professional insight into the industry with concerns for the issue of waste within the interior design profession as a whole.
Can you describe your current job?
I am the Founder and Director of interior design studio, Elicyon. Based from our studio in Kensington Village, I lead an expert team of 21, working across ultra-luxury developments and private homes in the UK and around the world.
What is your background and how did you get into interior design?
I originally trained as an architect at the Architectural Association in London, which led to seven years of formal training. I went on to work at Allies & Morrison Architects in 2006, working with luxury residential clients, as well as contributing to large-scale projects like the Doha National Library and the London Olympics Masterplan.
Whilst the allure of architecture was certainly all-consuming during my training, in practice the vocation didn’t really give me the satisfaction I had expected. I was critical of the fact that everything had to be post-rationalised. Everything had to have a gravity to it, which I feel interior design doesn’t overly do. It doesn’t complicate. In architecture, you can’t say something is beautiful for the sake of being beautiful, it’s too blasé and surface-level and architecture tends to think more intellectually than that.
At that point, I thought I would leave design and become an investor. I was planning on going to business school, and I got into a school in France, but at the same time a friend of mine who worked at Candy & Candy had rediscovered her love for design and convinced me to apply. There, I worked on the private commissions team on projects in India and Africa, as well as residences in the prestigious One Hyde Park development in London. A connection at One Hyde Park was the catalyst for my decision to start my own interior design business, when I was offered a refurbishment project in the development.
Describe an average day in your job role..
Every working day is completely different, which I love but which can also be challenging in terms of time and diary management. During a ‘normal’ day, I catch up with the team to discuss ongoing or upcoming projects; I will then usually have one or more meetings with our suppliers in our new studio, going through their latest products and discussing how they could work for a project. Clients also love coming into our new studio as we have a very impressive sample library where they can take the time to look through all of our exquisite stone samples, carpet, furnishing fabrics and wall coverings. I will sometimes have a dinner or after-work function, but I do try not to go to more than two evening work events each week so that I can spend quality time with my family in the evenings.
Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most and/or find the most rewarding?
Our work is all about storytelling and taking the client on a journey. We want them to fall in love with design, with the craft, to have a sense of self-actualisation – when this is achieved on a project, it is hugely rewarding.
I also greatly enjoy working with our esteemed and trusted suppliers. The craftsmen and artisans that we work with – some of the world’s leading glass makers, crystal makers and innovative producers of plaster work, finishes and furniture – are my single biggest inspiration. Understanding how something is put together, the process it undertakes, the precision of the craftsmanship, lights a creative fire for me.
Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?
I am really looking forward to completing our first hospitality project – a boutique hotel in Sri Lanka – as well as completing our stunning penthouse project in Dubai later this year. We are also excited to be working on our second project in China – an incredible residential development.
In London, we are working on a number of very exciting projects including a lateral duplex apartment in Knightsbridge for a private client. Here, we are reinstating period features whilst creating a contemporary family home. Another private client project in Knightsbridge on Ennismore Gardens also involves working in a period environment – the two apartments we are designing are both set within a listed building. One is a duplex apartment with a beautiful feature staircase and the other is a large lateral apartment with expansive windows and stunning ceiling heights of 4 meters.
We are also working in the super prime Clarges development in Mayfair – our design for one of the apartments within the building celebrated the Art Deco theme of the wider scheme but adds a modern twist and focuses heavily on artwork with prints, photography and sculptural works dotting the property.
Whatever comes our way, we’ll continue our adventure with design, beauty, craft and innovation that enables us to take clients on an incredible journey of exploration and enjoyment. As we remain a boutique studio, it’s a pleasure to work with our select few discerning clients who are ready to go on the adventure with us.
What do you find the most challenging aspects of your job?
I always say that our biggest challenge is the next one. We are always striving to learn, grow and push the boundaries so that both our skills as designers and our projects are in an ever-evolving state.
I am constantly developing as a designer, a studio lead and businesswoman, and am very self-critical with both myself and the team on any lessons learnt. We are always questioning how we could do something more special, more groundbreaking with each project.
What do you wish you knew before working in the field?
I had already trained as an architect when I made the very conscious decision to move into the interior design industry, so I felt quite well-informed about the filed at that stage. However, before going into architecture, I was definitely unaware of how much the work of an architect is influenced by governmental legislation, policies and funding, as well as a myriad of conflicting stakeholders. Luckily, during my training I studied at the Architectural Association in London which fostered much more of a creative, idealist and visionary concept of architecture, which I rediscovered when I moved into interior design. I knew then that maintaining a strong sense of idealism was important in my career.
What would you tell your younger self if you had the chance?
I would have told myself that resilience and developing ‘scar tissue’ from enduring a few knocks along the way comes with time. I would have allowed myself to be a paranoid optimist sooner – which is what I am now. It means I am really particular about the design and execution work in the studio. I would have been brave enough to surround myself from the start with a team of people who are better than me. This can seem very scary at first, but it’s one of the most important things I’ve learnt in running a studio. When I come to self-reflect, I often refer to a line from a poem by Maya Angelou:
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
What has been your favourite project to work on?
All of our projects are significant to me, each for a different reason. We recently completed a three bedroom apartment in One Hyde Park in Knightsbridge, London – our seventh project there. The building holds a special meaning for me as it’s where Elicyon began – we did our first ever project there in 2014. I enjoy making each apartment we work on at One Hyde Park unique, even though the spatial environment and layouts are similar.
Having grown up in India and retaining strong roots, working in my home country had been a long-cherished ambition that I achieved through working on a new, luxury residential development in Mumbai. It was wonderful to combine my knowledge of the city, culture and way of living to the project with a strong influence from my design studies, which are European in origin. The project’s vision represents a moment in my personal design journey; a confluence of east and west, celebrating both without detracting from either.
What do you think is the biggest problem the interior design industry faces?
An article in the FT back in 2018 reinforced my view that we need to lend some common standards in our pricing models for the sake of clients. The article was titled ‘how to see through the smoke and mirrors of architects’ and designers’ fees’ and it very succinctly described what we often see; a lack of transparency, clarity and consistency which leaves our client base feeling baffled, unsure and in the worst case, cheated.
A shared sense of self belief so that we price our fees better and also pay our staff better. I hate hearing of a young designer who has invested into their education only to be told they have to work for free to get a foothold into the industry – that has to stop.
I also think we need to address the issue of waste within interior design. So often, designers sulk when a client wants to reuse or re-purpose an existing piece of furniture or a fitting, but I think this presents an excellent opportunity to restore and respect older, used pieces, rather than just throwing them away and starting afresh. It can take a lot more time and effort to do this, but it is hugely important. For example, when taking out an existing kitchen or bathroom, we try to salvage as much as possible to use in the new design or ask the owner if we can auction or donate the parts so that they are reused. I’ve never had a client say no to this when asked. When we build, we also build to last – longevity is a key part of our design process.
Which people do you admire the most in the industry and why?
When I was a child in India, my parents decided to build us a new home and worked with architect Sujata Kohli. I would watch Sujata walking around onsite, instructing construction teams and implementing her vision and I was very enamoured by her. For me, she combined a scientific, analytical mind with creativity and this became my goal for my future career.
Sujata is still my mentor and someone I greatly admire. She encouraged me to attend the Architectural Association in London, which was the beginning of my training and career, so she has played a big part in my life.
If you were inspired by Charu’s story and want to learn more about the role of an interior designer, click here.
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a contemporary and sustainable design for a family home in Mexico City. The project employed the concept of re-architecture; a concept that defines the re-use of buildings, through a contemporary and often environmentally-friendly design, to rescue architectural objects that otherwise would be obsolete. The ALD2 House project consisted of stripping an existing house, respecting a large part of the exterior due to rules of the complex where it is located, and from that skeleton rethinking the use of the materials and finishes in the design of the new version of this house.
The client, a lover of cars, art and literature, wanted a contemporary style but cosy, that would showcase his taste and those of his three children. A house where he and his children can enjoy themselves and grow. The project was planned with a variety of “monotone” materials and colours with a masculine emphasis in the use of colour and exploiting the use of iconic pieces of furniture like Barcelona chairs or Eames lounge chair.
Company: SpAce Arquitectura
Project: ALD2 House
Project Location: Mexico City, Mexico
It was important to the client that the house would strike a balance between modern architecture and a cosy home. With 3 small children, the owner wanted to achieve ‘transparency’ throughout the design so they would be able to see the kids all the times. The client also wanted a sustainable house, with emphasis on water and energy consumption. The design of the house therefore needed to be carbon neutral, with solar panels and work off the grid. It’s one of the first off the grid houses in the country that follow LEED standards. Part of the brief was also to factor in enough car garage space for the owner to store the classic cars they collect.
The inspiration came from the intersection of two volumes; one made of glass and the other one made of wood. Cuernavaca, the city where the house is located, benefits from amazing weather so we wanted to give the house the ability to be opened up, blending the interior and the exterior. As the owner has a love for cars and art, these two elements needed to be integrated into the interior design scheme. All design aspects, from the main elements to the smallest detail use the golden ratio as a guide, almost like there is an invisible grid connecting everything that is important in the house. In the same lines we decided to incorporate a mixture of finishes and materials. With all of this considered, the overarching concept of the house was to implement self-sufficient and sustainable initiatives. All architectural inspirations therefore had to merge with its concept of sustainability, from figuring out the correct angle to position the solar panels to designing a system to concentrate the rain water to be treated and used within the property.
The toughest hurdles we faced stemmed from the balancing of two differing ideals; designing very modern house without creating an environment which feels too cold as well as achieving transparency, whilst also maintaining a level privacy – all of which needed to be realised with a relatively tight budget. To design and build an off the grid house in a country where sustainability is not integrated as a standard on residential projects was also a real challenge. To combat this, a group of interdisciplinary experts were part of the team, to analyse the land, the sustainable solutions and the design. Fortunately, a positive aspect of this challenge became the client’s understanding in giving us enough time to the design which enabled us to spend time conceptualising and researching to ensure the right design and sustainable solutions could be achieved.
There are a few. One of them has to be achieving the successful integration of sustainable solutions which is a factor that much of the time, people don’t even see or notice. Another highlight to this, is that the house doesn’t necessarily scream that is ‘green’ meaning we were able to incorporate these solutions subtly and seamlessly.
We think that the project has exceed the client’s expectations in creating a cosy environment with a clear contemporary feeling; the house could act as a good example of how design can accomplish aesthetics and sustainable design with a relatively tight budget and in a country with an emerging sustainable design culture. Hopefully this project will be a source of inspiration for other designers wanting to achieve a similar outcome.
Questions answered by Juan Carlos Baumgartner, Founder and CEO at SpAce Arquitectura
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring the BBQ-themed restaurant design for a new dining destination in Dubai, click here to see more.
SpAce Arquitectura | SBID International Design Awards
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a luxurious residential extension and refurbishment in Sevenoaks for a young, growing family. SGS Design worked closely with the Client, Architect, Contractor, M&E designers and a Project Manager for approximately 18 months to turn an ugly duckling of a house into a swan with an elegant design scheme, focusing on clean-lines and touches of character; imbued with the client’s love of art. Raw and honest materials were utilised throughout to compliment the property’s beautiful surroundings.
Company: SGS Design
Project: Dell House
Project Location: Kent, United Kingdom
The Client had purchased a house which they really didn’t love. It was a bargain for the location and plot but the existing property was a bit of an ugly duckling, we were asked to work with the Architect (Open Architecture, Sevenoaks) to create curb appeal and find the inner-swan. The Client wanted a home which worked for their two children and newly purchased puppy but also a space which converted well for parties and their large extended families. The Client wanted to balance clean-lines with character and address some of the layout issues, so our starting point was to work on the interior layouts to benefit from the established garden and address the ‘two-wing’ structure.
One of the Client’s is an artist and takes much of her inspiration for her work from organic natural form. We worked to create a scheme to reflect her love of raw, honest materials whilst ensuring a level of polish and luxury.
There were a couple; firstly the windows. We inherited badly proportioned, dark-stained timber windows with lead-glazing. We proposed Architectural Bronze Casements in dark bronze with a horizontal glazing bar. It was a large chunk of the architectural budget but the bronze patina and fine-lines of the frames instantly transformed the building and the Client fell-in love with the property for the first time. Secondly, the ‘L’ layout of the building meant the flooring had to turn and travel in different directions from the centre point of the house. On the ground floor we used large format parquet panels which could be diamond-laid and worked whichever direction you walked in. At first floor level we used the same timber in wide-planks and made a feature of the floor turning direction with the boards pieced into each other on the corridor direction change. On both floors this floor treatment helped tie the two wings of the house together and improved the interior flow.
The Clients’ had an extended stay on site in the converted garage and art studio while the project was in process, they lived every moment of the build. There was such excitement when they moved in and having been in very close-quarters for the build period, the youngest daughter was so excited she locked herself in her bedroom and refused to come out she was so happy.
Questions answered by Sophie Stevens, Founder and Interior Designer of SGS Design
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring an inspiring and thoughtfully designed children’s educational centre and a picture book library, click here to see more.
SGS Design | SBID International Design Awards
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features the elegance, sophistication and simplicity of a family residence. The house is filled with colours and collectables from all over the world and paintings from the owner’s personal collection. Through the process of decorating, the designer created a truly individual style. Complex but unique solutions create a truly luxurious interior, while classical and modern features combine effortlessly and even the smallest details are brought to perfection. The interior style is largely contemporary and classic, but has an element of flexibility and fluidity. For example, the furniture and materials used are complemented by uplifting textiles from Hermès. These days it’s not enough to live in a beautiful space, a home needs to be imbued with meaning, and the completion of this residence is a vivid confirmation that perfect interior design must be based on thinking laterally and openly.
Company: Bolshakova Interiors
Project: Sunny Valley Residence
Project Location: Kiev, Ukraine
Individual style is emphasised in decorating the house – the result of client’s active participation. On this project we worked a lot with the client in the studio, at the facility and very actively shared information as the priority was to capture the clients personal style and incorporate their treasured belongings throughout the interior design scheme.
Today, it’s not enough just to live in beautiful walls! It is important to fill it with your own meaning, and this house is a bright confirmation. An elegant and refined house for a family with a child, where every detail matters. In the afternoon, the ceremonial living room is flooded with sunlight, the lounge area near the large window is allocated for family meetings. Here every photo, picture or piece of art from the clients personal collection has found its ideal place within the house.
We had to change the configuration of the house and forge a functional zoning of the premises. Thanks to this solution, our team was able to maximise the use of space throughout the property and make it comfortable.
A very interesting task was the installation and mounting of a chandelier weighing 250 kilogram – calculations were made and unique mounts were developed. When this chandelier was finally and successfully hung and lit, it really was a memorable highlight for our team!
For us, participation in the competition is a great opportunity to show Ukrainian design to the world. Our goal is to project and implement the best interiors of private and commercial facilities for customers from Ukraine and other countries.
Questions answered by Natalya Bolshakova, Olga Drachuk and Peter Gerez of Bolshakova Interiors
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a modern town apartment which showcases the inspiring use of colour, pattern and style, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
Bolshakova Interiors | SBID International Design Awards 2018
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a stylish town apartment which showcases how Bhavin Taylor Design turned a white box into a comfortable home that is packed with colour, pattern and style. Each space has its own design theme but still flows from room to room, turning a characterless apartment to one that is bursting with personality. With the client open to the design direction and asked for a ‘lived in’, full of life feel, the designer aimed to inject life into the space. In the open plan living space, the client wanted to keep an existing rug, which inspired the designer to select a bold patterned wallpaper that instantly changed the appearance of the space.
Company: Bhavin Taylor Design
Project: Wandsworth Town Apartment
Project Location: London, United Kingdom
The client was quite open when it came to his brief, however his main requirement was that I inject a shed load of personality into his modern new build apartment so that it would have that full of life / lived in feel that he had seen from my previous projects.
When a client gives you such an open brief it allows you to let your imagination run wild, however you do need to have a starting point. Here it was the mustard and charcoal colour scheme of the client’s existing rug. Knowing that the apartment benefited from lots of natural light I could really run with this colour scheme and introduce bold patterns and solid blocks of colour to create that lived in feel. It would have been easy to continue this colour scheme throughout the apartment, however I wanted each space to have its own identity so the hallway wallpaper subtly picks up on the mustard tones and introduces the blue tones that follow through to the bedrooms.
As I was going with quite a bold design here I thought that there was going to be a lot of persuading to get the client to agree, however I was pretty lucky as I had gained his trust pretty early on and was allowed to roll with the creative madness that was inside my head, which as we all know is pretty rare! Just wish all projects went like this…
I think the biggest highlight was that this project allowed me to showcase my true design style of “Love Colour. Embrace Pattern” to add the warmth and personality that the client was after in his home.
I am now in my fifth year of running my business and thought that it would be a good time to see whether it would be recognised by an International Design association. In full honesty I did not think that anything would come from it but to my surprise I was selected as a finalist, which made all the highs and lows of the past years worth it.
Questions answered by Bhavin Taylor, Founder of Bhavin Taylor Design
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring the first ever flagship store for British womenswear label The Fold, click here to see more.
Bhavin Taylor Design | SBID International Design Awards 2018
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a modern-day luxury home that manages to combine both old-school opulence and contemporary cosiness under the same roof. Superior air ventilation incorporated into the interior of this property allows it to feel larger and more spacious. A stark contrast to the dark and cramped image of a pre-war house. The house is equipped with three bedrooms, which are hosted on the upper levels. Sticking to the modern European theme, the first bedroom features a soft, neutral palette, enhanced with soft blue furnishing & a semi open wardrobe. The second bedroom comes with a softer, baby blue accent, a sleek, custom-made wardrobe / dressing table as a nifty space saving highlight, as well as a hotel-like bathroom with arabescato marble feature wall. Warm, earthy tones blanketed the final bedroom with a restful atmosphere, a clear glass door wardrobe and an en-suite bathroom.
Company: NEVERMORE
Project: The Irrawady House
Project Location: Penang, Malaysia
For this project, our objective is very clear, we wanted to make the 15 foot wide pre-war terrace house open plan, to break away from the traditional pre-war house layout. Therefore we divided the space into 2 zones; the common area for the ground level and then personal and private spaces for the first floor. With this chosen layout we were able to maximise the usage and fulfil all the needs and requirements of the clients.
On the ground floor, as we enter from the main entrance, we are greeted with the pantry and bar counter clad in beautiful Italian marble, complete with a pair of Reza Feiz’s Bride’s Veil bar stool; the space serves as a pantry / bar to offer space for storage and entertainment as one of the client’s needs and requirements for the design.
The living space is housed further in the middle of the house; to be some distance away off the main road. The dining is located beside the living space right under the skylight; where ample day light is cast into the interior; perfect for energy saving through-out the day. As for the kitchen, all necessary facilities of a fully equipped kitchen are held within the smallest possible footprint at the end of the open layout. A hidden door leads towards the back yard which consist of the laundry and powder room. The room also features a sculpture-like spiral staircase fabricated in mild steel and finished with special rust.
On the first floor, with the chosen layout, we are able to maximise the bedroom sizes, equip with bathroom for each room which typical pre-war houses do not have. Generous panes of glass are utilised to turn ordinarily opaque walls transparent, providing generous views in some surprising places. In one of the bedrooms, the bath is rendered in the manner of a boutique showcase, with generous stretch of windows putting the freestanding tub on display in the air-well with a fully imported Italian arabescato marble feature wall as the backdrop. For the guest bedroom, we wanted created a sense of privacy, it is located 10 feet away from the other bedroom and can only be access via the spiral staircase located at the far end of the house. The monochromatic basis of this bedroom is enhanced for eye pleasing variety with the introduction of greater range of wood tones in fabrics and architectural finishes.
The elongated living room is connected with the kitchen, dining area and open bar area as the decor features a modern twist to classical European designs. Fitted with a daring open staircase, this bold design is further enhanced with the selection of large circular pendants & imported Italian marble counter. Gold finishes are thrown in to the interior design to elevate the overall look with a hint of glitz. Meanwhile, the living room, dining area and kitchen enjoy the warm glow derived from the skylight feature, giving the space a natural comfort, bathed in natural light.
Dealing with structural issues which related to the creation of the column-less, open plan interior within a typical pre-war terrace house; to resolve this, we came up with an “i” beam steel support to withstand the weight of the cast concrete flooring on the first floor. Also, the spiral staircase was not installed without difficulty as it had to be pre-fabricated at the workshop and then reinstalled at site.
For me this is definitely the results of the open plan layout! Also other elements of the interior design like the cantilever bath tub, the use of skylights throughout, the spiral staircase finished in rust paint, and a gorgeous moooi smoke chair!
We wanted to see where would stand on an international level and thought the SBID Awards would be the best platform for this!
Questions answered by Chuah Say Yang, Creative Director and Chong Su Min, Design Director of NEVERMORE
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a unique and inspiring home that pushes boundaries with a sophisticated balance of layers, click here to see more.
NEVERMORE | SBID International Design Awards 2018
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a unique and inspiring home that pushes the boundaries with a sophisticated balance of layers. The interior design introduced exciting layering, intriguing textures, contrasting materials as well as sophisticated finishes and fine detailing. Each space features bespoke furniture pieces, designed and finished in luxurious velvets, flocked velvets, fine wools and antiqued leather. These were complemented with timber and high gloss tables, European rugs, mirrors and accessories. The use of beautiful exquisite chandeliers in various rooms is prominent, along with accent tables and floor lamps. The careful and experimental layering of this projects injects the home with interest, detail and timeless elegance.
Company: Trenzseater
Project: Prosser Residence
Project Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Our brief for this prestigious project was to present something that was new and exciting, something that had not been seen before or expected. To bring intriguing layers of texture and design to all elements of the interior whilst creating a space that was useable, not precious and could easily be lived in by the clients. As part of our brief we were to present a full interior design package which included some architectural elements with a marble entrance wall, we were to offer design on the kitchens and bathrooms, door hardware, lighting, flooring, window furnishings, wallcoverings and obviously the furniture and interior furnishings.
We delivered an interior which was inspiring, it was layered with intriguing textures & materials, sophisticated finishes and details which offered the client something personal and curated. To achieve this, we featured throughout our design the use of natural stones in flooring, bathrooms and kitchen, brushed brass tapware and door hardware, Oak parquet flooring and the use of dark chocolate American oak timbers were used in the joinery, doors and furniture. We also featured a lot of natural seagrass wallpapers from Ralph Lauren with metallic backgrounds along with flocked velvet and glass beading details. In all spaces we designed bespoke furniture pieces for, finished in luxurious velvets, flocked velvets, fine wools and antiqued leather, complimented with our timber and high gloss tables which all were then finished with our extensive use of European rugs, mirrors and accessories. The use beautiful exquisite chandeliers in various rooms is prominent, along with accent table and floor lamps.
With all our projects we ensure we have a sophisticated balance of layers to give interest, detail and timeless elegance. We believe it’s the details which offer refinement, personality, balance, character and luxury.
I am continuously inspired each day by design, through architecture, interior design and classic furniture design where there classic detailing provided a signature style. I also enjoy, and are inspired by fashion, art and antiques. Natural materials inspire me for their uniqueness. The classic qualities of marbles and stone and the character you get from solid timbers. All of which contribute to this projects inspiration.
The most challenging part of the project was pushing the boundaries for the client to challenge them to do something unique and different.
Presenting to the client our proposal as a full presentation and watching each step evolve on site to the finished result which the client absolutely loved!
I believe such a competition as prestigious as this is, celebrates those who excel in interior design and gives inspiration to those who are new to the industry, a competition like this fosters growth and excitement.
Questions answered by Ben Lewis, Interior Designer and General Manager of TRENZSEATER
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a contemporary three-bedroom home with an idiosyncratic style, click here to see more.
Trenzseater | SBID International Design Awards 2018
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