Q&A with JL STUDIO: Connection with Nature in Design

In this week's interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the Residential Apartment Under £1M category, JL Studio, Jenya Lykasova discusses achieving a balance of roughness and cosiness, using natural materials in a design, and mixing nature and architecture.

The JL STUDIO team has implemented a completely unique interior design project for a two-level apartment in a historic building.

Firstly, tell us a bit about the design of your project. What were the key ideas, concepts and processes behind it?

The main idea behind the interior is naturalness, going beyond the ordinary and outgoing trends. It was important for us to create an interior that would be relevant even in 10 years from now.

We met some difficulties while started working on the project, because the local authorities imposed strict requirements on the renovation of the building. We wanted to emphasize its historical value and show pure modernity in the same time, as well as demonstrate how harmoniously this interior fits to the human nature and people’s lifestyle.

What was your biggest takeaway or highlight from completing this project?

I was happy to realise, that we have reached this perfect combination of cosiness, natural roughness and uniqueness. Art objects in the interior are ordinary things that we see in nature, but do not see in our apartments. That is why they are not perceived as something catchy and do not turn the house into a museum.

At the same time, these interior elements perfectly reflect the bright individuality of the owners. Guys are happy and delighted with their new interior for 100 % - that is very important for me and my team.

What has winning an SBID Award meant for you and your business?

We have always been totally in love with what we do, but SBID Award gives a definite understanding that our projects are professional and competent. It means that we understand high standards and trends of the interior design in the UK and worldwide as well. We had been participating for three years and finally got an award we wanted so far.

The design creates a cosy and warm space while using wildness and rough textures in an ancient building. How did you achieve such an effect, without the apartment looking cold and stiff?

Textures make everything, especially when they are so different and extraordinarily tactile. Everything matches perfectly in this symphony of comfort and function. Linen plays with woods and bricks as well as day-and-night lighting compliments every single detail of this interior composition.

This space is full of natural light which is duplicated by lamps of soft lighting at night. Greens play a key role also: it fills the interior not only with freshness and life, but also helps to absorb sounds and eliminate echo.

What would you say is most important to keep in mind / the correct approach when using lots of natural materials and textures in an interior design?

Its important to find out a nice combination between materials, this relationship is a key note. By choosing material samples we always place them all together and check if there is something to ruin the whole idea.

I don’t like much color but i enjoy rotating textures within a composition of the same color. For example, total grey interior architecture looks smart and expressive only when all the textures are different.

And of course all the materials should be tactile and cause this incredible touch-desire. If they are not, something has to be changed immediately.

There is quite a mix of straight-edged and organically shaped furniture. Tell us more about your choice and approach to using it.

This is one of my favorite techniques. While combining straight-edged shapes with natural ones I can emphasize each of them correctly. Straight forms of the podium are highlighted by soft couch pillows. Look at this unusual bathroom with its strange shower and a stone sink which is supposed to be an accent itself.

It seems like we mix nature and architecture, human impact on the entire world and the origins of human being. The key idea of this interior - is our communication with nature because we are a strong part of it.

Questions answered by Jenya Lykasova, Founder & Director, JL STUDIO.