This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a glamorous and modern California-esque show house in Poole with three storeys of striking angles and imposing architectural features. From a blank canvas finished in a palette of neutral grey and white tones, Nykke Jones Interiors injected the property with splashes of vibrant colour and contrasting materials in their choice of art deco soft furnishings, contemporary artwork and retro inspired furniture. The interior scheme brought the property to life with an abundance of colour, personality and character - no mean feat for a soulless and (temporarily) un-lived in show house!
Sector: Show Flats & Developments Design
Company: Nykke Jones Interiors
Project: Ceres
Location: Sandbanks, Poole
What was the client's brief?
The brief was very simple. And serendipitous! But long story short…I was contacted by Dimitri with the furniture company MY Furniture, based in Nottingham. He had a marketing idea that he wanted to run past me. ‘’How would I like to design and stage a showhouse using his furniture collections?’, and he would lend it to me for free! The only stipulation was, I had to let him take photos of the property for marketing, print and social media purposes. And have a big open day. It was a no brainer! I contacted Shan at Amirez Developments, in Poole, and asked if he had a show house in need of designing & dressing. Sure enough he did! The timing was sheer perfection! Ceres is based in the superb Sandbanks area of Poole; and simply needed dressing with furniture - and lots of it - it’s a big house. I wanted to fill it with contemporary pieces, and lots of lush soft furnishings. It needed warmth, colour and character. I wanted to create a home.
What inspired the interior design of the project?
Ceres is stunning. Three storeys of striking angles, and imposing architectural features. Typically modern for the area, with a nod to that California hilltop facade. The property is surrounded and almost hugged by trees, tall, tall trees, and it’s just beautiful. Upon first inspection inside the property; which at this stage was already done as far as the finishes were concerned. It was essentially a blank canvas. Ready to go!
Instantly your attention is brought to a generous sweeping staircase that winds up the three floors to the master bedroom, which bestows the best sea views. Rain, hail or shine, the views are wonderful, in any kind of weather. I knew I wanted to add colour. I didn’t want to be safe. I wanted to create a space that said, ‘this is a happy joyous place’. I took my initial inspiration from the actual house. The style, and architectural features said a hint of art deco, coupled with 1950s retro. The trees outside, the colours of the leaves, and bark, the sea in the distance. The changing colours of the sky. A house talks to you if you listen. All the surfaces were perfect shades of grey, which was the ideal backdrop for my colour scheme, which quickly became Peacock Blue, Blush Pink, Navy Blue, Moody Grey, and Mustard Yellow. They don’t sound like they’d work, but they really did - I wanted to stay away from just grey.
I believe the colour scheme in a home should marry in with each other from room to room. Each should in some way, connect to the other. That way the house flows, and there’s unity in the design. Each room compliments the other without being the same. It’s a pleasant transition from space to space. It's calming and comforting. It brings it all altogether.
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
The main hurdle with a project like this, is how to ground the design. Even with a big grown up serious property such as this, I wanted the design to be joyous, happy, fun even. And to ground it I had to ensure the theme of the furniture, along with all the colours, were working together as one. So I added deco style pieces, and retro 50s pieces together. This included the use of materials, so lots of silk and velvet were used in the fabrics. They're both very tactile materials, you can’t help but reach out and touch them, especially the velvet which has seen a massive revival. One can’t help but caress the fabric pile. It’s so warm to the touch and ever so relaxing and sumptuous. I like the idea that an interior can stimulate all your senses. The visual, the touch, the sounds, the smell and taste. All this should be home. Instantly recognisable and safe.
Another hurdle, is how to pull the scheme together? It's one thing to introduce a beautiful selection of furniture to a space, it’s another tying it altogether to make it pop and come alive. This is simply done by adding all the little elements that create a home. Personality. Character. Whilst it’s often difficult to do this in a show house, as there are no personal items as such, one can still achieve this by cleverly adding lots of accessories that bring the design together; cushions, artwork, books, candles, treasured pieces from your travels, antiques, recycled items, upcycled items.
I added what seemed like a ton of cushions to the sofas. They brought together the colour scheme in the big family room on the first floor perfectly. Resting with pride position on the plush grey modern chesterfield style sofas are the most gorgeous, big feather filled, flame stitch design cushions in cut velvet. The base colour is black with blades of teal, yellow, orange, pink, and turquoise. Grouped with soft velvet peacock blue cushions, and the rectangular accent cushion is mustard yellow. These simple cushions bring all the colours of the room together in one hit. The large area rug is awash with all the colours. like a painting. and sitting all alone by the window is the grooviest, big bright mustard yellow chair, that says ‘’yes I'm the statement piece’’ ‘’aren’t I fabulous!’’. On the far side of the room there’s a big, beaten-up, washed grey oak dining table, teamed with funky 1950s style dining chairs in soft teal velvet. Silk yellow cushions adorns the side chairs, and all sitting pretty on a rug that is like a beautiful piece of abstract art.
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
Difficult to pinpoint any one area that highlights the project, however, I do love the kitchen dining area. The big beaten-up grey oak table works so well with the 50s velvet chairs, it shouldn’t…but it does. And I like that. Mismatched pieces. I don’t like ‘matchy-matchy’. I don’t want anything I do to look like something out of a catalogue. What’s the point of a show house? To sell it of course. But in the process, by dressing and staging the property to look and feel like a home, visitors can glean some inspiration of their own. And ultimately go away and think about their own interior design ideas. The best highlight of the project, Ceres sold, and the icing on the cake it that it sold with all the furniture too! So a job well done by everyone.
Questions answered by Nykke Jones of Nykke Jones Interiors
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a timeless residential design inspired by classic, art deco architecture and interior style, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's show flats and developments design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
Nykke Jones Interiors | SBID International Design Awards
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a timeless residential design for a young family of three. Inspired by 1930's American luxury interiors, the apartment incorporates stylistic Art Deco influences as well as classic New York city design qualities throughout in light of the family's vision after returning from a recent trip to NYC. Alexandr Shepel Architecture and Design worked closely with the client to create a design scheme which complimented their needs, requirements, lifestyle and tastes, whilst also reflecting Alexandr's signature style as an interior designer.
Sector: Residential Design
Company: Alexandr Shepel Architecture and Design
Project: Private Apartment
The project was designed for a young family of three. At that time, the owners of the apartment had recently returned from a trip to New York and were still fresh in the memory of the impressions, designs and inspirations found in the local interiors, architecture and atmosphere of this fascinating city so naturally, they wanted us to capture this ‘New York city vibe’ in the design of their new family apartment.
Based on the client’s travels, the inspiration for the project was found in the American luxury interiors of the twentieth century, namely the 1930's and the rapid flowering period of Art Deco with bright memories of Manhattan and New York.
The client's fully shared and provided us with their stylistic vision and gave us full freedom to its realisation that in result was embodied in a perfect and verified, modern but classic interior.
I had a goal to create a timeless interior within my signature style as an interior designer. I worked closely with the clients to ensure the process from initial concept to final completion were both easy and to their requirements.
We were given very short time frame to implement the design of the project. We had only one year from project's inception itself to develop the concept, designs, logistics, implementation and final fit-out.. Just 12 months and a 200 m2 space in which also needed some repairs before proceeding to implement the final interior design scheme.
Our task was to develop a design project and place orders at all factory contractors so that they could produce products and deliver them on time. All departments of our bureau worked cohesively and together, so that we coped and delivered with the task on time!
Luckily, despite the time constraints, our client trusted us completely so our work was easy and successful. To me, it is very important when the customer can fully trust the creative flow of the designer and not make adjustments during the implementation of the project. I think this is the greatest achievement!
Throughout the design process our priority is always to exceed our client's expectations and to ensure that they enjoy the journey as much as we do. And with this project, we certainly achieved that!
Questions answered by Alexandr Shepel, Chief Designer at Alexandr Shepel Architecture and Design
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring stunning CGI visualisations for an apartment building near the sandy coastline of the Baltic Sea, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's residential design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
Alexandr Shepel Architecture and Design | SBID International Design Awards
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a typical Cape Dutch style house with a traditional thatch roof in the village of Franschhoek with a quirky, residential design. The vast white walls in this sunny Cape Town home takes full advantage of the abundance of sunlight to create and accentuate the feeling of space, letting the light flood throughout the property. With the bright, white freshness of this stunning holiday home, ACID+ integrated the client's love of street art to inject the property with personality. Using authentic South African artworks and hand painted murals by South African artists to punctuate this white-washed home with vibrant splashes of colour.
Company: ACID+
Project: Franschhoek Cape Winelands
Project Location: Cape Town, Africa
To create a comfortable, creative interior and make good use of the fabulous outside space and views. The house was purchased on a whim by the clients when they visited Cape Town and the Western Cape for the first time and saw it advertised on their way to the airport to fly home. They fell in love with the area.
The house is a typical Dutch Cape style house with a thatch roof in the village of Franschhoek - beside the fabulous DeLaire Graff wine estate and extraordinary Babylonstoren wine farm in the Cape Winelands. The house also comprises of a separate guest suite with its own entrance, garden, terrace and even its own kitchen for guests to use, so they are able to enjoy privacy and meet up with other friends for sundowners [South Africans are avid Sundowners. Meeting up to drink the fabulous local wines and craft gins in the evenings while the sun sets]. The house is named ‘Rehoboth’, meaning a place to flourish. It was therefore important to balance social spaces whilst also offering privacy throughout the interior design scheme.
It’s really all about the views and the garden. The garden was designed by the previous owner and the renowned, late landscape architect Anne Sutton when the house was built 12 years ago. Fragrant Lemon blossom, lavender, Iceberg roses, Murraya exotica, rosemary and snowdrift Thyme make for a perfumed Mediterranean garden.
The weather lends itself to almost year-round alfresco living, and that's exactly what appealed to the clients; a Mediterranean climate in beautiful surroundings with excellent food and wine. The garden wraps around all sides of the house with various sitting, lounging, sunbathing and dining options to be used at different times of the day. The owners inherited the full-time gardener whom has cared for the garden since its creation. The house and gardens get sun all day from early morning to sunset and the separate entrances to the bedrooms means there is no post pool dripping through the house.
The client is a lover of street art, so we wanted to integrate this into the design of the home - bringing this concept throughout the interior, as well as on the exterior. The mural in the front garden was executed by a local street artist Wayne Becks. The mural in a guest bedroom is by Ana Kuni, a Ukranian model and artist living in Cape Town. Both artists works captured the owners eye instantly.
The time of year the interior fit out was being done was over the Christmas holidays which was - unknowing to us - the only time of the year when everything closes down. It's like Europe in summer when factory orders close. Everything closes down in October to February. It was their summer holiday! The time when everyone goes home to visit their families. This meant we had to ship furniture into Cape Town from Hong Kong which was fraught with difficulties and not something we would wish to repeat. This caused an ongoing saga for about 5 months!
When the furniture finally arrived it was in perfect order. Not a single scratch and everything fitted in perfectly. All the art used to punctuate the property with pops of colour was purchased in South Africa and is by South African artist, filling the home with unique and colourful art which they loved. Again - everything came together in the end and worked together perfectly!
Questions answered by Anji Connell, Design Director at ACID+ Anji Connell Interior Design
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a contemporary and environmentally-friendly design for a sustainable family home in Mexico City, click here to see more.
ACID+
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.
Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?
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 neutral and luxurious city apartment, designed to accommodate frequent stays in London with the upmost comfort and style. The elegantly designed, three-bedroomed duplex apartment located within a development moments from the Thames, catches your attention from the second you enter with its impressive floor to ceiling panoramic views of the City. The neutral design scheme is punctuated with elements of colour using tonal accessories, brass features and the client’s own collection of artwork.
Company: Onyx London
Project: Duplex Apartment
Project Location: London, United Kingdom
The client’s brief was a neutral colour palette, complimented by brushed brass details, statement lighting and Carrara marble. The joinery creates a distinctive look, with dark veneers mixed with nude wallpapers and fabrics, giving a contemporary and luxurious feel to the space.
The client lives in China and travels to London regularly. The brief was to create a space that is both practical and comfortable for their stays, but also a place they can entertain friends. The interior scheme had to be both neutral and luxurious - the mixture of statement pieces, rich textures and comfortable living create exactly this.
I worked on a similar scheme in One Hyde Park, Knightsbridge which is still one of my most favourite projects, this project also used neutral tones and dark veneers to create a contemporary luxury in a city apartment.
It is always a challenge having international clients. We only met the client once in London for a morning, from this meeting we were able to grasp exactly what the client wanted to achieve and deliver it within a couple of months. The client had a confidence we were the right designer to work with them and we surpassed their expectations, which made for an incredibly successful handover.
The daughter of the family is moving to London to study and she wanted somewhere she could write. We created a study area for her on the upper floor of the Duplex, on the 17th floor, with the desk positioned between three walls from floor to ceiling in glass, with the most spectacular panoramic views of London.
Questions answered by Elizabeth Cook, Director of Onyx London
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a sales centre designed to revitalise the traditional aesthetic values of Chinese architecture, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
Onyx London | SBID International Design Awards 2018
February has been packed with product news across the industry, specifically focusing on innovations in the realm of KBB (Kitchens, Bedrooms and Bathrooms). From the latest innovations launching in intelligent water management and SmartControl technology; new ranges of paints, units and exquisite marble materials for uplifting kitchen interiors; to new colourways of quirky dinosaur-themed wallpaper to ignite the imagination within children's bedroom designs. Browse what's new this month to give your KBB designs a competitive and design-led edge.
Mark Taylor Design launch MeThD
Mark Taylor Design has launched a new kitchen collection, MeThD, consisting of three beautiful custom kitchen ranges, all of which are available with a number of bespoke adaptations and in standard or special paint colours. MeThD combines the quality, beauty and aftercare of bespoke with the affordability, speed of production and ease of installation that befits a custom range. With MeThD, we are also leading the trend for movable island units.
Find out more
Heritage Bathrooms test the trend by making a monochrome statement with the new Granley Suite
Monochrome styling is a timeless and versatile trend, and as 2019 hails the return of geometrics and bold matte black accents, Charlie Williams, interior designer at Heritage Bathrooms, uses the Granley Suite range to test the trend for creating a standout monochrome bathroom; from using statement tiles and matte black features, to adding subtle, warmer coloured accents to ensure a softer feel without comprising the sleek monochrome styling. The Granley Suite from Heritage Bathrooms is designed to provide the perfect backdrop for a bold monochrome bathroom.
Click to shop
PaperBoy launches new colours to match your dinosaur to your decor
Dinosaurs. But not as you know them. ‘D’ya-think-e-saurus’ was PaperBoy’s first wallpaper, lovingly sketched by as a gift to Jurassic-minded twins. For 9 years it’s been their best-selling design: what dinosaur nut doesn’t want to imagine the exhilaration of flying through the air with the pterodactyls or beating the T-Rex in a running race?
This March they're introducing three soft new hues to fit into even more design schemes. ‘Confetti’ – if only pink will do, this version will make the room blush; ‘Warm grey’ glows with subtle colour while still being a neutral option; and ‘China blue’ for a cooler tone, without the dullness. As in all their papers, the inks are non-toxic, sustainable, made in England and lovingly hand-crafted in Accrington.
GROHE is set to shape the future of water with record number of innovations at ISH 2019
GROHE will showcase a record number of innovations at ISH 2019, the world's leading trade fair for the responsible use of water and energy in buildings. For the first time, GROHE will position itself as a leading global brand for complete bathroom solutions, kitchen systems and intelligent water management. The brand will reinforce its philosophy; Water. Intelligence. Enjoyment by bringing the element of water to the forefront of its new innovations.
The GROHE Blue water system provides filtered and chilled water that is either sparkling, semi-sparkling or still, while GROHE Red delivers kettle hot water directly from the tap. The SmartControl technology, which has already been successfully launched in the bathroom, will also make its way into the kitchen...
New for 2019: Introducing Empira White by Caesarstone
For a thousand years marble has been appreciated and desired as one of nature’s most luxurious stones, immediately adding grandeur and glamour wherever it is used. As a material, it is timeless. Today marble is as desirable as ever, albeit with a somewhat more relaxed, softer and more organic appeal; a chance to bring nature into urban interiors, a connection to the earth around us and a natural contrast to other man-made materials. Of all marbles, Calacatta is perhaps the best known and Empira White is Caesarstone’s newest interpretation of this most famous material.
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.
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
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 bespoke contemporary three-bedroom home, which replaced a double garage on an 80 square-metre site. The idiosyncratic style serves to enhance the context of the street-scene with a bold architectural statement, contrasting with the context of traditional Victorian houses. Filling the footprint of the site and set over three floors, the project was delivered on a limited budget but exceeding the client’s brief. The three-bedroom home, bathed in natural light, uses a minimal palette of materials to unify the design language internally and externally. The materials used include dark brickwork, externally and internally, dark burnt larch cladding and birch-faced plywood throughout the interior for bespoke kitchen, bathroom and stair joinery elements. The result is a bright, bold comfortable design, confidently articulating a contemporary language of architecture used to transform the site into a unique new family home.
Company: Crawford Partnership
Project: Darling House
To design a new build contemporary three-bedroom family home on a small constrained urban infill site, formerly a double lockup garage purchased at auction, with high-quality bespoke architecture and interior design that would feel spacious and bright and would incorporate sustainable construction technologies and renewable energy installations, and all a limited budget.
Our design inspiration comes from many sources, however, having an engaged client with enlightened ambitions was our main inspiration on the project. This resulted in many productive discussions about their aspirations and style preferences for the new home, which sought to challenge conventional ideas to address the many constraints of the existing Victorian surroundings and create a home suitable for 21st century lifestyle. The practice’s design approach is unapologetically contemporary; providing bold and ambitious design solutions particularly when working in a sensitive Conservation Area context.
Achieving planning consent for a contemporary design within a Conservation Area is a major hurdle, as is working constantly to ensure that all neighbours whose homes adjoin the boundaries of urban infill sites do not experience any loss of their existing amenity during the construction works, however, the main hurdle for a designer to overcome is often providing a Rolls Royce for the price of a Mini, especially when working with a shoestring budget.
For us, it is paramount to completely understand the cost implications of every decision in order to not only achieve but to elevate the client’s aspirations for their project without compromising their budget. Continued collaboration and communication throughout the initial design stages between the designers and the client, and thereafter with the contractor and sub-contractors during the detailed design stages and works on site has made it possible to attain the quality of finish and fitting out we desired, whilst adhering to the client’s budget.
Maximising the feel of space and light within this very compact three-storey home has been the rewarding highlight for us, and was achieved by careful studies of the internal volumes and limited scope for placing windows, and then by simplifying the main backdrop of finishes, both externally and internally, which are uniform and monolithic and provided at minimal cost, allowing us to then spend more of the construction budget on interior features that elevate and focus the attention on the ambiance of spaces, such as the slender, curved glulam timber roof beam structure, the sculptured open riser staircase, the bespoke kitchen and bathrooms designed by us, the geometric and monochromatic lighting fittings, and especially the variety of glazing elements incorporated that contribute to the surprising levels of natural light and sunlight that filters within all levels of the interior, providing kinetic patterns of light and shade throughout the day on the canvas of walls, floors and ceilings.
As a ‘boutique’ architecture and interior design practice, we relish the challenge of working on these extremely constrained projects, and we are constantly pushing to achieve more with less, applying the knowledge and expertise gained from smaller projects into larger commissions. The SBID Awards are recognised globally as a benchmark for the highest quality in interior design and architecture, and having been shortlisted as finalists in the Awards in four of the last five years, we are very proud of this accolade which continues to inspire our efforts on every new project.
Questions answered by Alan Crawford, Founder and Managing Director of Crawford Partnership
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a modern and fashionable family home which serves as a place to escape from the city bustle, click here to see more.
Crawford Partnership | SBID International Design Awards 2018
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