Zophia Scarlett Interiors Create an Inviting Space Using Natural Materials and Custom Joinery

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a timeless home design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, Zophia Scarlett Interiors.

Following a significant life event, Zophia Scarlett Interiors was commissioned for a complete interior refresh to transform their client's house into a true reflection of who he is today. The brief called for a timeless design that balances warmth, functionality, and brings heart back in to this home. The design features natural materials, custom joinery, and a refined, masculine palette, with feminine touches to create an inviting space. Reconfigured layouts, layered lighting, and thoughtful details support both everyday living and family connection. The result is a deeply personal space; a home that represents a fresh chapter in their client’s life.

What was the client's brief?

Our client came to us wanting a fresh start. Following a difficult time in his personal life, he had spent several years in a home that was a constant reminder of a previous life. He was ready to transform it into something reflective of who he is today; a warm, welcoming environment where he and his child could connect, grow, and create new memories together.

The brief centred on creating a home that felt both grounded and elevated. The client wanted a clean, modern-traditional aesthetic with subtle masculine undertones, softened with a female touch.

Key requirements included:
- Reimagining the layout with considered spatial planning to improve the flow.
- Introducing functional and decorative lighting, replacing the oversized, dated fittings.
- Incorporating durable, natural materials such as timber, stone, and linen.
- Designing ample built-in storage specifically to their needs to reduce visual clutter and create a renewed sense of order.

Ultimately, the vision was to deliver a space that felt calm, confident, and deeply personal; a true reflection of the next chapter in our client’s life.

What inspired the design of the project?

As a bachelor, it was important to our client that the design had a masculine feel, but with a feminine influence throughout. Achieving this balance set the tone for the entire design direction: grounded yet elevated, confident yet welcoming.

For me, the starting point was the property itself. It had solid bones and strong potential, but the interiors felt flat and underwhelming with clutter and ill-fitting furniture. My aim was to deliver a timeless design at the core with clean, modern-traditional lines and then layer in texture, colour, and natural materials to add depth, personality, and emotion. Ultimately, it was about transforming a magnolia, lifeless house into a home with presence, and authenticity.

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

By far the biggest challenge was our client’s deep distrust of trades, built from past negative experiences. This meant his natural disposition was to question almost every element of the process, which could have slowed progress and created unnecessary tension. I saw it as my role to manage this carefully—positioning myself between the client and the trades, ensuring clear communication, and demonstrating the professionalism and skill of my team.

I strongly believe that great design only becomes reality through the craft and dedication of talented tradespeople. Execution is often where the magic truly happens. By maintaining trust, clarity, and collaboration throughout, we not only delivered the project on time but also changed the client’s perception—he was delighted with both the journey and the results - all whilst I was pregnant, completing when I was 39 weeks and due into hospital the following week.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Although my client was unable to move out during most of the process, I was able to persuade him to leave for three days so that my team and I could complete and style the project for a true grand reveal. That moment was the absolute highlight for us. His reaction said it all; he admitted that if he had known his home would turn out this way, he would have trusted the process from the very beginning. What touched us most was his shift in perspective: before, he referred to it as his house, but now he proudly calls it his home.

To further reinforce this, he even invited a renowned local estate agent to view the finished property. Not only did it exceed his personal expectations, but the valuation also confirmed a significant increase in the property’s worth. This was an outcome that made the transformation even more rewarding.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

I entered the SBID Awards because they represent one of the most respected benchmarks of excellence in the design industry, and I wanted to showcase a project that I believe deserved recognition. This particular project was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my career, delivered under immense time pressure, while also overcoming my client’s deep distrust of the process. To see the transformation not only delight him but also significantly increase the value of his property was something I am deeply proud of.

On a personal level, I am naturally competitive, and I love pushing myself and my work to the highest standard. Entering the SBID Awards felt like the perfect way to celebrate the resilience, creativity, and collaboration that went into this project, while also challenging myself and my team against the very best in the industry.

What has being an Award Finalist meant to you and your business?

Being an SBID International Design Awards Finalist is an incredible honour for me and my studio at this early stage. I am proud to be recognised alongside such talented designers, and this milestone inspires me to keep pushing for excellence for my clients and my creative possibilities.

Questions answered by Zophia Scarlett Cleghorn, Director of Zophia Scarlett Interiors.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a sleek kitchen design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, German Kitchens.

Faced with a stunning backdrop and a challenging interior German Kitchens Limited were handed a renovation project that would test their skill level and broaden their search for the best products, all while creating the perfect environment for their clients wishes. This beautifully located residence in Queenstown, New Zealand required specialist assistance to turn a very tired and dated existing kitchen into the ideal entertaining space. Challengers were met and overcome and a worldwide search was undertaken to find the perfect benchtop and splashback material to replicate the Remarkable mountain range that hovered above the property and the lake beyond.

What was the client's brief?

My clients were renovating their exquisitely located, elevated home in Queenstown New Zealand and are frequent entertainers and passionate cooks so their wish was for a large functional kitchen with lots of separate working and entertaining spaces. They also desired an area to hide away the small appliances and mess when they entertain. Some informal seating where the stunning lake views and warm afternoon sun can be appreciated and a separate coffee area and wine fridge added to their wish list.

What inspired the design of the project?

As the kitchen was very much a part of their main living area, my clients desired a kitchen that would act as both the daily cooking and socialising family space and when entertaining was able to accommodate large groups, extended family and social gatherings. In response we centred a very long large island in the middle of the room with social cooking and easy cleaning located on the island for maximum functionality and flow. This allowed us to then create locations for the tall appliances, coffee station, wine area and a pocket door cabinet to hide away the small appliances. The design then allowed us to create a lowered servery under the window to allow the perfect entertainers kitchen.

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

Our biggest challenge was that there were two windows along the North Wall and these were different heights due to one being in the raised kitchen and the other on the normal floor level. This presented us with an issue that to keep both windows would mean that they would be different heights with one far too high to be functional. As the New Zealand sun travels East to West across the Northern sky, a North facing window is desirable due to the light and the warmth it brings. To remove a North facing window is normally not advised without good cause. We looked at lowering the higher window, but this would involve major rework to the exterior cladding of the home and this was something the client was reluctant to do due to the costs and uncertainty. Therefore, we had to make a very good case with the proposed design to prove that the window should be covered over for the best interests, functionality and aesthetic of the desired kitchen. Thankfully the design won through as the client could see how the kitchen space was vastly improved without the higher window and that we had worked out a solution to still retain the desired sunlight into the space.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

My client’s home is surrounded by the world famous 'The Remarkable's' (aptly named) mountain range that hovers over my clients home and looks ominous raising sharply from Lake Wakatipu with its dark Greywacke Rock and snow filled crevices. While these stunning mountains surround the home, they are not seen from the kitchen area as the architecture has been designed to face the Lake. Therefore, I wanted to bring The Remarkable's into the home through the use of natural stone. We searched far and wide and found a stunning stone in Spain called Sensa Black Beauty by Cosentino which creates a synergy with the mountain range with its black base with snow filled highlights. The Black Beauty benchtop material was carefully hand-picked in a leathered finish to allow a very natural and tactile response in a rugged environment. The design of the kitchen, and especially the island was adjusted to suit the overall lengths of the Black Beauty slabs.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

It's the one award that I am determined to win. I have been a finalist in the SBID Awards 9 times (including this year) and have still not won it yet. I have attended the fabulous Awards evenings in London 5 times and that’s a lot considering we live in the furthest country from England. I have watched three of my design peers from NZ win the award and I would dearly love to add this award to my list of achievements.

What has being an Award Finalist meant to you and your business?

Winning awards is key to our business as it is another way of proving our design capabilities and professionalism when you are judged by your peers. Our clients respect the SBID awards and show that our design work is at an international level and has a desirable aesthetic.

Questions answered by Damian Hannah, Lead Designer at German Kitchens.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a characterful cottage design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, Isobel Star Interior Design.

Isobel Star Interior Design was commissioned to reimagine a historic holiday cottage in Helmsley, to balance character with modern comfort. The design sensitively embraced the cottage’s charm and thoughtfully updated it and maximised functionality. A mix of vintage finds, natural materials, and a warm, timeless palette creates a welcoming, layered, lived-in feel. The bold yellow front door ensures the cottage stands out in holiday listings, while evoking the charm of long English summer days.

What was the client's brief?

The clients wanted to create a holiday home that felt warm and personal while keeping the charm of the Victorian railway cottage. Their aim was to offer guests something more thoughtful and unique than a standard holiday let, comfortable, welcoming, and full of character. It also had to be practical and easy for the clients to maintain.

What inspired the design of the project?

The cottage itself was the main source of inspiration. I worked with its original features, existing elements such as the bathroom sanitaryware, and the building’s quirks rather than against them choosing colours, textures, and details that embraced the cottage’s history and its countryside setting. I wanted the interior to have the storybook quality of an English country cottage.

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

Working within a tight budget was the biggest challenge. We had to make careful choices about where to invest and where to be resourceful. Combining bespoke joinery, window dressings, and quality finishes with vintage finds and high street pieces gave us the right balance.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Seeing the cottage come together as a space that feels both calm and inviting was a real highlight. The tradespeople and delivery teams loved being there as the project took shape, often commenting on how charming and welcoming the cottage felt. The clients are delighted with the finished result, and it has been hugely rewarding to see it so warmly received. Guests have shared wonderful feedback about the interiors, and the cottage is now fully booked well into 2026, with many already planning return visits.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

The SBID Awards are highly respected in the industry, and it felt like the right platform to share a project that shows what can be achieved even on a tight budget and to celebrate the collaborative effort with my clients.

What has being an Award Finalist meant to you and your business?

It has been a huge boost. As a young studio, it is encouraging to have this recognition so early on. It has helped raise the profile of my work and given me confidence to continue creating projects that are thoughtful and honour the setting and soul of a building.

Questions answered by Isobel Star, Interior Designer & Founder of Isobel Star Design Studio.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a seamless and cohesive residential design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, Róisín Lafferty.

Róisín Lafferty was commissioned to reimagine two neighbouring semi-detached properties as one highly functional, long-term family home. The brief required a complete spatial rethink while retaining two entrances, staircases, and mechanical systems. The goal was to create a seamless, cohesive interior that could eventually be divided into two independent homes for the client’s children. The point where the properties meet became the design’s central focus.

What was the client's brief?

The clients wanted to merge two neighbouring semi-detached houses into one forever family home - but with the ability to divide them again in the future for the next generation. The challenge was to create a seamless, unified interior while retaining two staircases, entrances, and independent systems. At the heart of the brief was flexibility: a home that could evolve over time without compromising function or flow. The brief also celebrated connection to the larger garden, ensuring key views and interactions with the landscape from multiple rooms, while eliminating wasted corridors so that every space had purpose.

What inspired the design of the project?

The design centred on the point where the two houses meet. Instead of disguising the joint, we made it the conceptual heart of the home, incorporating a sculptural sunken lounge at the original boundary line. This recessed lounge – finished with an inset marble floor and mirrored ceiling to reflect the garden indoors – became the hub that unites both houses. From here, a terrace extends the geometry into the garden, further strengthening the indoor / outdoor connection.

Throughout the house, the concept was about balance and discovery: twin music rooms linked by cobalt shelving that wraps around a central chimney breast, concealed oversized pivot doors that read as seamless wall panels, and a monumental steel-clad sliding screen that can transform the spatial flow. The playfulness of the layout encourages exploration, with endless routes and subtle surprises, while still maintaining proportion and calm.

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

One of the biggest challenges was the technical complexity of merging two houses into one while keeping them fully independent behind the scenes. Every system, from underfloor heating to lighting, data wiring, and ventilation; had to be designed to work both together and separately. Structurally, new connections had to be created without introducing visual obstructions. Balancing that level of engineering with the desire for a seamless, calm aesthetic required meticulous planning, smart routing for services, and constant collaboration across trades. It meant rethinking how we normally approach design and construction, but it allowed the project to function beautifully now while remaining future proof for generations to come.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The highlight was seeing the two houses truly come together as one; not just structurally, but emotionally. Spaces like the twin music rooms, unified by cobalt shelving and a shared chimney breast, embody that balance between individuality and cohesion. And the sunken lounge at the centre, with its sculptural form and connection to the garden, felt like the moment the vision became reality. For the team, it was incredibly rewarding to watch the design evolve from concept into a home that feels both elegant and deeply liveable.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

Because this project embodies what great design can do: solve highly technical challenges while creating a home that feels calm, generous, and deeply personal. It’s deceptively complex, and we wanted to celebrate that on an international stage.

What has being an Award Finalist meant to you and your business?

It’s hugely affirming for our team and our clients. It shows that innovation, adaptability, and forward-thinking design resonate far beyond Ireland. For us, it reinforces the importance of pushing boundaries while always keeping the needs of the family at the centre.

Questions answered by Róisín Lafferty, Founder & Creative Director at Róisín Lafferty.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a refined penthouse design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, La Bottega Interiors.

La Bottega Interiors was commissioned to design the Delano Penthouse, set at the pinnacle of the newly opened Delano Dubai. Conceived as a private sanctuary rather than traditional hotel accommodation, the 850-square-metre residence blends the warmth of a refined home with the elevated service of a five-star resort. The design balances bold identity with operational functionality, using intuitive spatial planning to separate guest and service zones. Rich materiality—including Calacatta Borghini marble, custom timber marquetry, and sculpted oak joinery—creates a tactile, immersive experience. Expansive terraces, an infinity pool, and bespoke amenities complete this elevated expression of experiential luxury living.

What was the client's brief?

The client’s brief was to create an ultra-luxury penthouse that feels at once like a private residence and an effortless resort retreat. It needed to reflect the Delano brand’s spirit of convivial sophistication and discretion, while providing generous spaces for entertaining, seamless indoor-outdoor living with panoramic terraces and a rooftop pool, five calm ensuite bedrooms, and high-performance service areas. The design was to balance understated glamour with timeless materials, bespoke detailing, and curated FF&E from leading international brands.

What inspired the design of the project?

The design embraces a neutral, light-toned palette of whites, creams, and soft natural shades that defines the Delano identity. Originating in Miami, the brand established a distinctive language of serenity and effortless sophistication, where texture and light are complemented by carefully chosen accent marbles and colors. In the Dubai Sky Villa, this palette is reinterpreted with feature marbles, tactile woods, and subtle metallics, enriching the brand’s signature clarity with a contextual warmth suited to its Gulf setting. The intricacy of Dubai’s cultural tapestry also inspired the flooring, expressed through a bespoke timber design that adds depth, artistry, and a sense of place.

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

The toughest hurdle was adapting the space, which was originally conceived as a restaurant, into a residential penthouse. The ceiling heights were unusually high for a residence, and the arrival sequence was through a long corridor, both of which could have felt awkward. We turned these challenges into opportunities: the tall ceilings became a dramatic backdrop for layered interiors, and the long arrival corridor was transformed into a feature experience with an enfilade of columns and integrated lighting, creating a striking, ceremonial entry that sets the tone for the penthouse.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The team’s highlight was transforming the Penthouse into a seamless blend of residential comfort and an entertainment suite. Key moments included creating the feature arrival corridor with its enfilade of columns and integrated lighting, designing bespoke timber flooring inspired by Dubai’s intricate cultural tapestry, and layering the interiors with feature marbles, tactile woods, and subtle metallics to reinterpret the Delano palette for a Gulf context. Seeing the space come together as a cohesive, luxurious, and livable home that still embodies the brand’s signature sophistication was truly the most rewarding achievement.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

We entered the SBID Awards because they are one of the most prestigious design awards globally, recognized for celebrating excellence in creativity, innovation, and functionality. Being based in London, the heart of international design, the SBID Awards provide a platform that goes far beyond regional recognition — it allows our work to be seen on a global stage. For us, this project embodies a unique design rooted in cultural authenticity yet expressed with modern refinement. Entering SBID not only highlights the project’s values of craftsmanship, detail, and hospitality, but also gives us the opportunity to position our practice within an international community of leading designers.

What has being an Award Finalist meant to you and your business?

Being an SBID Award Finalist has been an incredible honor and a milestone for our practice. It validates the hard work, creativity, and collaboration that went into this project, while giving us international recognition on one of the most prestigious design platforms. For our business, it has strengthened our visibility globally, positioned us among leading design firms, and reinforced the trust our clients place in us. Most importantly, it motivates us to continue pushing boundaries and delivering designs that are both meaningful and timeless.

Questions answered by Sahar Al Yaseer & Cristina Gallenca, Partners at La Bottega Interiors.

The house unfolds gradually, offering balance between openness and comfort. It is conceived as a highly tailored sanctuary, deeply connected to its rural context yet elevated by its thoughtful design.

Generous proportions and tall ceilings lend a feeling of freedom, while also requiring careful consideration to ensure each area feels grounded. Circulation spaces were refined to improve sightlines and rhythm, introducing moments of visual interest that guide the eye naturally through the home.

Collaborating closely with the architectural framework, we developed a complete interior identity that transitions seamlessly from one area to the next.

At the centre, a sweeping staircase draws attention upward with subtle drama. Sculptural in form yet gentle in expression, it combines a natural oak handrail with textured plaster walls that catch and soften the light throughout the day.

To complete the interior, we will provide a full styling scheme, curating art, accessories and textiles that enhance warmth and personality across the home. Further updates will follow as the project continues to unfold.

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

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This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a vibrant apartment design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, Pia Design.

Pia Design was commissioned to add personality and fun to a blank canvas apartment, a recently converted former post-office sorting building. The client was keen to think sustainably and not rip out any fixtures or fittings unnecessarily, and to mix and match new and vintage pieces. Through thoughtful design choices and a commitment to the client's vision, the Garden House project radiates colour and personality, turning a white box apartment into a vibrant and welcoming home.

What was the client's brief?

Our client wanted to transform a blank-slate, newly converted apartment in Islington into a vibrant home that truly reflects their personality. The brief called for warm, joyful colours - particularly pink and yellow - and challenged us to weave those playful tones throughout the space to create a cohesive, spirited sanctuary in the heart of London.

What inspired the design of the project?

The project was inspired by the client’s passion for colour - especially bold, cheerful hues - and our desire to craft a lively, creative atmosphere. We embraced floral wallpapers and expressive prints to wrap each room in joyful energy. Custom details - like a scallop-edged wall to wall headboard in boucle with pink velvet piping, vibrant bespoke vanity units and a playful trolley island with a scallop edge trim and brass castor wheels - brought personality and flair to the home. These pieces, combined with vintage finds and thoughtful layering, transformed the newly built ‘white box’ into a warm, lived-in haven.

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

I am pleased to say this was quite a smooth-sailing project! However, one of the challenges was around the architecture of the space - with the many tall / narrow windows, there was not a lot of wall space, so the layout was tricky to resolve - particularly where to place the TV so that it didn’t produce glare. We resolved this with custom pink velvet curtains that could be drawn behind the TV when the light was too bright.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Our favourite moments were around the bespoke elements - the scallop-edged, upholstered headboard against the vibrant pink Woodchip and Magnolia wallpaper, and the impact of the bespoke kitchen island trolley on castors, the pink scallop trim contrasting against the monochrome of the existing kitchen. It was a joy to see so much colour injected into what was such a blank canvas apartment to begin with.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

We decided to enter the SBID Awards to showcase the transformative power of bold, joyful residential design - and to celebrate how contemporary, sustainable interiors can be both fresh and expressive. Garden House exemplifies our believe in spaces that are authentic, personal and enduring, that come together through respect for the existing architecture and fittings, and how creative ingenuity can breathe new life into the old - and save landfill waste in the process.

What has being an Award Finalist meant to you and your business?

This is our third-year running being named a finalist so we are very proud to be shortlisted again! Being named a finalist affirms our commitment to creating interiors with personality and purpose. It’s a wonderful validation of our design philosophy and for our team, it’s both an honour and a boost of confidence, reinforcing our direction and inspiring us to continue to create sustainable design projects.

Questions answered by Pia Pelkonen, Creative Director at Pia Design.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a sophisticated penthouse design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, United Architects Kyiv.

This is a multi-level masterpiece completed by United Architects, blends minimalist design with contemporary classicism. State-of-the-art automation and ambient-responsive lighting coalesce into a flawless living experience where innovation transcends functionality to become art. This four-level sanctuary harmonizes minimalist elegance with contemporary classicism, enhanced by bespoke furnishings and exquisite materials like luxurious hardwood walnut, marble, and illuminated onyx. This sophisticated space achieves seamless transitions and a cohesive architectural language, embodying cutting-edge technology and refined aesthetics for an unparalleled living experience.

What was the client's brief?

The client sought an exceptionally high-end, technologically advanced, and fully custom-designed multi-level penthouse that combined refined aesthetics, natural ecological materials, and rich textures with cutting-edge functionality. Every element — from integrated furniture to fit-out materials — had to represent the latest innovations available at the time. Their standards were extremely demanding, and they brought a professional design vision and a pursuit of perfection to the collaboration.

What inspired the design of the project?

The design was inspired by a minimalist aesthetic infused with contemporary classicism and functionalism. The concept emphasises natural materials, textures, and integrated furniture solutions to create a cohesive architectural language that flows seamlessly across four levels and connects indoor spaces with an open rooftop terrace.

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

One of the toughest challenges was the integration and installation of large-format materials such as glass, tile, stone, and mirrors as seamless cladding across expansive surfaces. A particularly complex feature was the installation of a 4.5 x 6 m tempered-glass mirror on the ceiling, requiring precise engineering and execution. Another major challenge was eliminating visible seams at material junctions while ensuring flawless organic transitions.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The highlight was the successful realisation of a fully custom-designed penthouse that harmoniously fuses natural materials, cutting-edge smart technologies, and refined aesthetics. Achieving this level of seamless integration — from bio-adaptive lighting and full absolute automation to bespoke furniture and panoramic terraces — was a significant accomplishment for the United Architects team.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

This is not our first entry to the SBID Awards, as we regularly submit our most outstanding projects to this competition. We regard the SBID Awards as one of the most credible and prestigious platforms in the field of interior design. Being recognised here is an honour and a confirmation of our commitment to achieving the highest standards of design excellence.

What has being an Award Finalist meant to you and your business?

Being selected as an SBID Award Finalist for our Penthouse Project is an exceptional honour for our team at United Architects. Recognition on such a prestigious international platform validates our years of professional dedication and passion for excellence. For our studio, it not only reinforces our reputation as a high-end design practice but also inspires us to continue pushing creative and technological boundaries in our future projects.

Questions answered by Iryna Hrynyk and Oleksii Shadyria, Lead Designers at United Architects.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a luxury residential design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, Daniel Joseph Chenin.

Designed by Daniel Joseph Chenin, FAIA, Tombolo is a private residence that unites architecture and interiors into a singular, immersive composition. Commissioned to lead both disciplines, the studio drew inspiration from the tombolo landform, a natural bridge, as a metaphor for the seamless integration of form, material, and light. Deep colonnades and sculptural ribbing lend rhythm and depth to the exterior, while the interior features tactile finishes and bespoke furnishings, evoking a layered sense of warmth and restraint. Each space balances monumentality with intimacy, offering a living narrative that redefines luxury as something experiential, emotional, and continuously unfolding.

What was the client's brief?

The brief was for a desert residence that would transcend function, a place at once private sanctuary and social stage. The clients asked for a design that balanced intimacy with grandeur, where architecture and interiors dissolved into a single composition. Every element, from materiality to movement through the home, needed to feel considered and timeless.

What inspired the design of the project?

The design drew from the tombolo landform, a natural bridge uniting separate bodies of land. We interpreted this as a metaphor for connection: between the house and its desert site, between shelter and openness, between daily ritual and elevated experience. The result is a residence where bold exterior geometries give way to layered, tactile interiors that soften and humanize the whole.

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

The challenge lay in reconciling the extremes of the desert environment with the delicacy of experiential design. Deep colonnades, apertures, and thermal mass were introduced for climate control, but these solutions had to feel like part of a larger narrative rather than technical responses. The greatest accomplishment was making complexity appear effortless.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The most rewarding moment was walking the completed home as a sequence of curated experiences. From the oculus framed arrival court to the stair wrapped in hand painted wall covering, every threshold feels cinematic. The highlight was not a single gesture, but the realization that the house itself reads like a story, with chapters of intimacy, spectacle, and discovery.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

The SBID Awards celebrate design as both craft and cultural dialogue. Entering allowed us to share Tombolo with an international audience that values projects pushing beyond aesthetics to something immersive and emotionally resonant. It’s about contributing to a global conversation on design excellence.

What has being an Award Finalist meant to you and your business?

Becoming a finalist has been affirming for our studio and our collaborators. It signals that a design rooted in site, story, and sensory experience resonates far beyond its desert setting. For us, the recognition reinforces that design, when conceived as an unfolding narrative, has the power to connect universally.

Questions answered by Daniel Joseph Chenin, FAIA, Founder of Daniel Joseph Chenin.

Who leads design and creative direction at your company?

Our studio of specialist interior designers, architects and FF&E specialists, drawn from all backgrounds and from across the world, is led by James Dilley, Jennifer de Vere Hopkins and Joanna Grotowska-Hall, who have been working closely together for a long time. We are inspired by each other’s differing approach to design – and life in general – and united in a passion for design that ‘goes beyond’.

Every member of our team contributes to the creative direction of our work, and we encourage contributions at every level, informed by the open spirit of the studio and its staff.

Can you share a project that best represents your design style?

We don’t have a recognisable design style, because our approach is always in response to the specific context of each project. While the outcomes may be disparate and diverse, our common process means there are recognisable red threads running through them all. This has helped us to attract a wide range of projects and clients, and to respond to each with freshness and authenticity.

How does your team collaborate on major projects?

Collaboration is not only enjoyable, but it produces the best results and challenges us to learn in real time. We are open and encouraging to every member of the team, both internal and external, to make meaningful contributions based on their experiences and background. Internally, we have practice-wide design reviews to unlock the widest range of perspectives.

What steps do you take to stay at the forefront of the design industry?

We understand that in this fast-moving environment we must never stop learning, and we enjoy that process. While the main influence on our work is our own work, we are constantly visiting buildings of all types, across the world. While our background is in hospitality, we are increasingly seeing our expertise and approach being sought for work on buildings of all types, including mixed-use projects – an exciting evolution.

What trends do you see shaping the future of interior design?

We think it’s essential to balance the analogue and digital worlds. Sophisticated digitally produced imagery is now an expected part of the presentation process. However, a watercolour, a pencil sketch or a handmade model remain intimate and personal ways of communicating our ideas.

We are excited by the opportunities of AI, which has a place both in sparking inspiration and expressing ideas. However, we know it will never replace human input in design which is grounded in empathy.

How do technology and innovation influence your work?

As early pioneers of environmentally conscious design, sustainability is intrinsic to everything we do – creating great design while caring for each other and the world around us is a core value of ours. We operate an ISO14001 environmental management system to monitor our environmental impact, and have published a Carbon Reduction Plan since 2022, reviewed annually to reduce our carbon emissions. Our B Corp certification, achieved in 2024, underlines our continued commitment to high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Our in-house sustainability team, plusZero, comprises architects and interior designers from various sectors within the practice, including three Passivhaus Designers. Our projects include those with LEED, BREEAM, NABERS, WELL and other recognised sustainability certifications.

We are driven by a commitment to beautiful design that emphasises wellbeing, sense of place and emotional and physical connection. We endeavour to prioritise material selection with high recycled content, low VOCs, and FSC-certified timber, working with the highest quality furniture suppliers and manufacturers to specify locally sourced and quality crafted products.

What advice would you give to emerging designers?

The world of design is too vast to comprehend, and it is rare that anyone might see their future path with any clarity. Embrace your own journey of uncertainty and accept that there is not, most likely, a firm destination – and this is only positive. Use your early years to immerse yourself in a range of opportunities. That means, above all, to get as much exposure as possible to inspiring people as possible; seek out your mentors and keep in touch with them, as frequent sense checks are invaluable. It will be the unexpected, disruptive, challenging or curio project, or person, that may be uncomfortable but will push you into a new orbit. Don’t dismiss a prospect without careful consideration.

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