TSAR Carpets Design Office and Residence Spaces for Lyons Architects

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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There is a saying in China – ‘Children’s money is money earned most easily’. This is an interesting expression that has held true even through the recent upheaval of Covid, where we see that in many up-and-coming consumer territories, for example, in Asia, spending on children’s lifestyle and luxury products has gone through the roof.

As one of the worlds’ premier manufacturers of children’s furniture, with a presence in 77 countries, Dragons of Walton Street serves as a barometer for international trends in children’s luxury. We believe that for today’s savvy interior designer, there is a unique opportunity act in partnership with HNW parents to create elevated spaces for their children. Here are the key trends which are motivating parents to invest in interior design for their children.

Metamorphosis and Long Life

The practice of creating hardwearing furniture for children and furniture which has a dual-use is well-established. Amazing carpentry feats of the Georgians and Victorians in this vein included cots that convert to sofas and tables and chairs that become highchairs. These pieces were so well made that years after their creation, exhibited pieces still look sturdy enough to go nine rounds with a bowl of Cheerios. These days, the demands placed on children’s design pieces to ensure they have longevity built into their DNA is usually as much down to space-saving needs as it is to ensure that the planet is used as gently as possible.

Dragons of Walton Street has been at the forefront of the long-life children’s furniture movement long before it was on trend and in fact one of Dragons’ most popular key furniture pieces is the Dragons’ Cot Bed. Its major USP is that it is built with such an attention to detail that it will last through a cycle of at least 5 babies. Right on the metamorphosis trend, the Dragons Cot Bed transforms into a toddler bed, which will serve children up to four and a half years.

The idea is that generations of children would benefit from the bed, which appeals event to a HNW clientele as they wish to ensure that furniture pieces may be passed down to others, rather than ending their lives in a landfill.

Re-imagine and Re-use

Companies which truly care about the environment now take ownership for the life cycle of their products well past the point of sale. This has re-invented the luxury game – for example, brands like Mulberry are vanguards of this ethos with their strategy of offering lifetime repairs for over 10,000 bags a year and maintenance of a materials and hardware archive which goes back 35 years. Similarly, Dragons of Walton Street recently launched its ‘Earth Matters’ campaign. This service guarantees that Dragons will repaint and resell any children’s furniture pieces bought from Dragons. This service has been particularly well received by interior designers, as families with young children have been particularly receptive to any inventive initiatives around sustainability and their children’s furniture choices.

Murals – The Ideal Non-Polluting Wall Treatment

Wallpaper is wonderful. However, in many cases they are not the most sustainable – or healthy – choice for childrens’ rooms. Children can spend endless hours in rooms with wallpapers, which designer may utilise for an opportunity to add drama one simply cannot achieve with paint alone. It is worth noting, though, that not all wallpapers are created equal and that a child’s skin is constantly absorbing various substances from the air into their respiratory system and skin, including from decorative finishes. In some cases, if the chemicals being given off from these finishes are nauseous allergies may develop as well as skin irritations, nausea, headaches and asthma attacks.

Dragons’ world-famous mural service offers clients an opportunity to create spectacular wall effects for children with non-toxic paint. Also, only limit to what may be painted is the imaginations of designer and parent. From Monaco to Marrakesh, there is barely a major city where a Dragons’ mural has not been used to add serious wow factor.

Furniture as Art

As interior designers working with clients with high expectations, you’ll be aware that ‘uniqueness’ is a value which is often strived for amongst your clientele. This value also extends to children’s bedrooms and indeed accounts for why Dragons’ out of this world themed beds are a big hit with the parent and child who has everything.

Two other extremely popular solutions for those seeking something extra special is bespoke hand painted furniture with one-of-a-kind motifs and having self-sourced furniture pieces painted by Dragons.

Want to source a playset which would be at home in the Amazon? In this below example an interior designer briefed Dragons to take a fresh jungle approach, using a large-scale motif which makes a bold and dramatic impression. One of Dragon’s interior designers ran with the idea and undertook a collaborative process with Dragons’ in-house artists, who created detailed sketches before a delighted client signed off.

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The SBID International Design Awards finalists for 2022 have been revealed, boasting an impressive shortlist of award-worthy entries across Interior Design, Product Design and Fit-Out. From the design scheme, materials used and products specified through to the final fit-out installation, the SBID Awards champion design standards across the supply chain in the design, procurement and execution of outstanding interiors!

To complete the third and final stage of judging, the online Public Vote is now open! Worth an influential 30% of the final scores, it’s your chance to sway the results and decide which finalists you think deserve to take home a prestigious SBID Award! You can only vote once per category, so choose wisely and vote for your favourite designs!

Voting closes at 5pm (BST) on 24 August

Voting closes at 5pm (BST) on 24 August.

Visit www.sbidawards.com to find out more!

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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This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a residential design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Ana Engelhorn Interior Design.

St George’s Hill is a 964-acre (3.9 km2) private estate in Weybridge, Surrey, UK, with golf and tennis clubs and approximately 420 houses. The Hill became a leisure location and home to celebrities and entrepreneurs when the land was divided into lots in the 1910s and 1920s and Walter George Tarrant built its first homes. Ringo Star, John Lennon and Sir Cliff Richard are a few of the notable people who have lived there.

Harwood House is one of the original homes; at just under 500 square metres, it sits on about 1.77 acres of land. Late Victorian in style, the house was last renovated 20 years ago and was not done to a very high standard. New rooms were added, like the conservatory; the kitchen and lounge area were opened up; and the use of rooms was changed.

What was the client’s brief? 

Prior to our renovation, it was empty for three years, which meant that damp and other issues where left unattended. The main issues to sort out before moving on to the interior design were the electrics, the plumbing and the building works.

The clients wanted to use the existing floor plan, with some changes to door openings and a new kitchen and bathrooms. The old library was turned into a girl’s bedroom – we were able to use existing carpentry and change door openings. The house had five bedrooms, but we turned one into a shower room as the master bathroom didn’t have a shower. All bedrooms except one have their own bathrooms and there are two guest toilets on the ground floor.

What inspired the design of the project?

Interior design-wise, in line with the Ana Engelhorn signature style, we aimed to achieve a perfectly imperfect mix of antiques and contemporary pieces that suited the clients and the house. The clients had a lot of eclectic art, as well their own pieces from Africa, which complemented the design perfectly.

We were given free rein to choose colour and, fortunately, the clients were happy with our suggestions. Two of our main paint suppliers were Francesca’s Paints from the UK, who make bold and strong colours, and Bauwerk from Germany, who use a more washed-out, uneven look.

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

The biggest job was the kitchen. We overhauled it completely as the owners are avid cooks and wanted to have adequate cooking and prep areas. The two outbuildings were converted into a gym and an office, with the same style flowing from the house to the outside rooms.

There was extensive work to do with curtains and upholstery. Some of the older pieces we were able to reupholster and reuse. The furniture was a mix of what the client brought from previous homes and what we supplied from the UK and abroad.

All the lighting was new and signed off by a trusted lighting supplier to ensure that, with the daring colour scheme, the lighting effects inside the house were effective.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Overall, the project went smoothly, without too many hiccups. Amazingly, considering the renovation took place during the first Covid lockdown, the clients were able to move in on time and everyone was happy with the final result.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We entered the awards to see people’s reaction and shine a light on our work. We loved doing this project and are very proud of it. Sharing it with other interior designers hopefully inspires them in their own projects or homes.

Questions answered by Ana Engelhorn, Founder, Ana Engelhorn Interior Design.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features modern and fun bathroom designs for a contemporary apartment by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Studio Modha.

What was the client’s brief? 

The client wanted a complete refurbishment of his flat, opening up the space as much as possible, drawing inspiration from hotel suites and nature around it.

This flat had not been updated in over 10-15 years. We completely refurbished the flat, transforming it from a two bed, one bathroom and one wc to a three bed property with two full bathrooms. The client requested a modern and fun scheme, which we layered with complimentary colours and features. We revamped the whole apartment, from the kitchen to sanitary ware, flooring, lighting, window treatments and hardware.

What inspired the design of the project?

The Project was based in the docklands, surrounded by so much nature, e.g. river Thames and local parks. We wanted to bring in the earthy tones and textures, for example with the terrazzo effect tiles and the warm greys, browns and blues throughout. In addition, the client wanted to feel like he was in a different space through-out the property so we used different colours and textures in each space, including dead salmon from farrow and ball. Not a colour we get to use often and definitely a brave one!

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

We had a soil pipe that was really far off the ground in the guest bathroom, and because it was in a flat we couldn’t move it!  This created a huge issue as the client had his heart set on a wetroom shower. We ended up having to raise the floor significantly (a whole 25cm)  which brought up the issue of ceiling height (which wasn’t huge in the first place). We ended up having to increase the height of the shower head and create 2 step ups instead of 1 to make it look like the ‘step up’ was intentional. Luckily it all worked out in the end and made the shower area feel even more lux!

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

It’s got to be overcoming the hurdle I described in the previous question, we went back and forth for weeks thinking of a solution so you can imagine the joy when we finally came up with one. Another thing to mention is that our client didn’t want to see any of the progress on site, so the look on his face when he saw it all finished was really rewarding to see.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

Honestly, it was Studio Modha’s first year running and one of the first projects we completed. I have always admired the caliber of designers/studios and projects within the awards and only dreamed of being a part of it. It was a huge shock when I received the congratulatory email!

Questions answered by Neha Modha, Director, Studio Modha.

In this week’s interview with SBID Awards Product Design judge and Associate at SHH, Tony Duesbury discusses the nuances of designing for commercial and residential spaces. He shares his insights on designing guest experiences and how hybrid ways of working are changing the interior design scene.

How does interior design help to curate greater guest experiences within the hospitality industry?

Every hospitality project is unique and a distinct design narrative allows the opportunity to curate a guest experience. Interior design can help generate interest by creating “a narrative” that helps people engage with the space and learn more about where they arrived creating a ‘sense of place’. This placemaking curates the experience and makes the guest experience more personal.

We have done this in a recent brasserie where the details of the wall panelling took inspiration from the 1970’s façade of the building that was removed, enabling the staff and guests to talk about where the interior inspiration came from. This design curation helps discussion and the engagement between staff and customer to enable a unique personal experience.

When considering the future of the built environment, how do you incorporate sustainable design principles into your projects, from design to procurement?

Our priority when considering the future of the built environment is to look at all aspects of the environmental issues that may affect a particular project and determine what best fits the project. Whether it is creating more greening, checking the carbon footprint of materials procured or considering the MEP to be implemented. As a first step towards achieving that we will look into forming collaborations with consultants and suppliers who have a relevant approach that is beneficial to the process. We will look at individual suppliers and the principles they have in sourcing and manufacturing their materials. Buying local materials and finding unique local craftsmanship within the project vicinity is obviously a huge consideration in order to reduce the transportation carbon footprint.

When it comes to product specification, how does your approach differ between commercial and residential spaces? What are your key considerations?

The selection of materials will be different when it comes to addressing a residential project compared to a commercial project. This is due to two aspects, firstly, cost is a huge factor in. Residential schemes are led more by the heart, whereas commercial projects are led more by the purse. Secondly, it’s about the traffic of a space. Residential schemes can have more luxurious materials that don’t need to take the same wear and tear that commercial projects do. The high footfall in commercial projects, however, means that the durability of the base palette has to have longevity and accents that are easily replaced can have that more luxurious touch.

With new consumer lifestyles and hybrid ways of working, how do you see the design of workspaces evolving in the coming years?

This is something like everyone we have been keeping an eye on as it is an evolving discussion that has yet to settle and likely to be a debate for years to come. Most recently the hybrid way of working has changed by introducing more technological elements that enable a seamless change from working at home and then back in the office. The largest shift is really going to be about creating staff retention by giving those unique offerings within the public office space to engage people to want to be in the office. For instance, in a recent project we have been looking at weaving in the local community and creating more opportunities for social interaction. Additional opportunities for offering amenities within communal space benefits peoples busy life styles and will have an increase in staff retention. As well as a way of attracting new talent.

Finally, what advice can you give to designers entering the SBID Awards?

My advice would be to remain very concise about their design proposal and communicate all aspects of the idea, story and design detail as clear as possible. It is important that the descriptive narrative conveys the same message as the visual design and both are coherent with each other.

Questions answered by Tony Duesbury, Associate, SHH.