Natalie Fry, Founder & Creative Director at Grid Thirteen Design Studio, has given her insights into the industry.
I’ve been fortunate to build a career exploring the relationship between furniture, architecture and the way we live within a space. My training in interior architecture and design laid the foundation for that, but much of my understanding has come through experience - working alongside some of the UK’s leading designers and architects, learning from the people around me and developing a particular depth of knowledge in furniture design.
As my career developed, I later went on to lead design studios for a number of companies, including those working with both SieMatic and Poggenpohl, with responsibility extending beyond the design teams into the technical and installation side of the business.
That combination of training and practical experience gave me a strong grounding in furniture, architecture and spatial planning, but perhaps more importantly, taught me that a strong concept is only part of the process. The real skill lies in carrying that design intent through the technical detail and into the finished space.
In 2013, I reached a point where I wanted to create a studio that reflected my own approach to design, and I founded Grid Thirteen. At the time, the youngest of our five children was just three, so it was a significant decision both professionally and personally. It was a busy chapter of family life, but it also felt like the right point in my career to build something of my own and establish the kind of design practice I wanted Grid Thirteen to become.
Grid Thirteen initially specialised in kitchen design, but as the studio has grown, that expertise has evolved into furniture design throughout the home - from kitchens and living spaces to bedrooms, dressing rooms, bars and other interior spaces. Furniture remains at the heart of what we do, with materiality and spatial planning helping to shape the spaces around it.
Today, we are an independent Yorkshire design studio with a growing team and our own handmade furniture offering alongside SieMatic. That combination gives us greater freedom in the way we approach furniture and interiors, allowing us to create highly personalised spaces with a design language that responds naturally to both the individual and the architecture.
I’ve always been fascinated by the relationship between people and space - why we respond instinctively to certain environments and how the spaces around us can influence the way we feel and live.
The more experience I gained, the more interested I became in the human side of design. Beautiful spaces matter of course, but understanding why somebody feels comfortable in one environment and not another, or why the same space might work completely differently for two people, is far more interesting to me.
That is probably what has kept me engaged with design for so long, there is always something more to understand - about people, materials, craftsmanship or the way we experience space. Experience gives you confidence in your judgement, but I don’t think it should ever stop you questioning, learning or being open to another perspective.
The people, no two clients live in quite the same way, and that is what continues to make residential design so interesting to me.
The early design process is as much about listening and observing as it is developing the design. I enjoy understanding the routines and small details of everyday life that can easily be overlooked - where the keys are put down, where the school bags end up, how a family moves through the house and what happens when everybody arrives home at once, those details tell us a great deal about what somebody really needs from their space.
For me, that is where our work goes beyond aesthetic preference and becomes about understanding the individual, how they live and how they want to feel in their home.
Our ‘The Architecture of Luxury’ project has undoubtedly been a highlight. The project won ‘Best Luxury Kitchen Design’ at the 2026 Designerati North Awards and has subsequently been shortlisted in the forthcoming national Designerati Awards and SBID Awards. It’s great to see the recognition this project has had in titles such as The Times, Yorkshire Life and The Yorkshire Post.
Alongside the recognition for our work, one of the things I’m most proud of is seeing the team develop, a number of our designers joined Grid Thirteen as graduates, and watching them grow in confidence, develop their own style and become accomplished designers in their own right has been incredibly rewarding.
My role is to give the team the technical grounding, support and confidence to trust their own judgement, seeing their individual design identities emerge, and watching that confidence grow, has been a real highlight for me.
I’m drawn to projects where we have the freedom to explore ideas and create something genuinely individual, I’ve never been particularly excited by designing to a rigid formula.
I enjoy the unexpected - contemporary alongside traditional, precision alongside craft, quiet architectural elements with something more expressive. Our blended concept is probably the clearest example of that approach, combining the precision and restraint of SieMatic with the tactility and individuality of hand-crafted bespoke furniture.
They are two different design languages, but I don’t believe they need to imitate one another to coexist, if they make sense together and create interest, then that is the approach we will take. For me, pushing boundaries isn’t about being different for the sake of it, it’s about understanding the principles, understanding the person, and having the confidence to challenge convention when the design rationale supports it.
One of the greatest challenges is maintaining the integrity of an idea from the initial concept through to the finished space. As projects become more ambitious, the relationship between creativity and technical understanding becomes increasingly important.
Proportion, tolerances, junctions, lighting, services, material behaviour and installation all influence whether a design ultimately feels resolved. Technical understanding gives you greater creative freedom - when you understand how a design will be constructed and the principles behind it, you have greater confidence to explore ideas beyond the expected.
Experience has also taught me to recognise when somebody else’s expertise can make a project stronger. I’ve always believed in collaboration over competition, and our relationship with William Howarth and Holly Stott, the co-founders of luxury bespoke bathroom design studio, Holt Living, is a great example of that. We’re aligned in our approach to design, the premium products we work with, the client experience we want to deliver and, importantly, the level of technical resolution behind the finished space. Their strength in creating bespoke bathroom designs, master en-suites, spa wellness rooms and custom-made bathroom furniture sits naturally alongside our focus on furniture design, allowing us to work collaboratively across more areas of the home and extend that collective expertise to each other’s clients for an exceptional outcome. Our successful partnership was recognised at the 2025 designerati North Awards winning the award for ‘Best Trade Collaboration’.
To trust my instinct sooner.
In the earlier years of Grid Thirteen, I probably believed that with enough effort I could make every opportunity, partnership or relationship work. Experience has taught me that recognising when something isn’t right is just as important as knowing when something is.
I’ve also become much more conscious of protecting the culture within the studio, design is collaborative, and our people produce their best work when they feel trusted and valued. We have a team with different strengths and perspectives, and I don’t want everybody around the table to think like me - our work would be far less interesting if they did.
Take your time to develop your own style and try not to get too caught up in the constant pursuit of the ‘latest trend’. When a client is investing significantly in their home, they want to feel that the design is genuinely theirs - a response to how they live, what they are drawn to and the architecture around them, rather than a generic aesthetic that may be superseded over time.
I would also say that it’s important to value the technical side of the profession. A strong concept needs to be technically resolved, and the creative at the front end has to be backed up by a process that supports the project all the way through to delivery and project completion. Understanding how a design develops from concept through to technical detailing and installation doesn’t limit creativity, it gives you greater freedom and the confidence to explore ideas with real intent.
Spending time on site with the people installing your work is invaluable, understanding the challenges they face and seeing how decisions made at the design stage translate into reality will make you a better designer. Some of the most valuable things I’ve learnt have come from those conversations, and from building relationships with people whose knowledge and experience are different to my own.
And finally, stay open to the people around you, I’ve worked in the industry for over 30 years and I’m still learning - sometimes from people who have been designing for far less time than I have. Experience brings knowledge and confidence, but there should always be room for another perspective.
There’s no question that technology and AI will inevitably continue to influence how we work and live, but I think there is an interesting counterbalance emerging. As our lives become faster and increasingly connected to technology, I find myself thinking more about how we experience our physical environments through the senses - and the role our homes can play in allowing us to step away from some of that constant stimulation.
Neuroaesthetics is an area I’ve become increasingly interested in, particularly how the pace of activity within a space, and the level of decision-making taking place, might influence the way we experience that environment. A kitchen or entrance hallway, for example, can involve fast movement, conversation, noise, multiple tasks and a constant series of small decisions. Compare that with a bedroom or wellness space, where the intention may be to reduce stimulation, slow things down and allow us to switch off. When designing for this approach, one question I always ask myself is – ‘if the demands we place on ourselves change from one environment to another, should the sensory demands of those spaces change with them’?
For me, this is something I want to explore further through our work as a practice. It raises interesting questions about how these factors can inform a more individual response to design, rather than being considered purely through the aesthetic of a space.
Becoming an SBID Accredited Design Practice is important to us because it recognises the professional standards behind what we do. Interior design is creative, but it also carries responsibility, and that requires knowledge, technical competence, integrity and accountability.
As an independent studio in Yorkshire, being part of SBID also connects us to a wider professional design community. We’re fortunate to work alongside some exceptional designers and architects here in the North, and I value the opportunity accreditation gives us to share ideas, learn from others and contribute to the wider conversation around our profession.
The SBID accreditation represents the standards we hold ourselves to as a practice, while giving us the opportunity to be part of a professional community that supports collaboration, knowledge-sharing and supporting the next generation of designers.
About Grid Thirteen
Grid Thirteen is an independent luxury interior design studio based in North Leeds, specialising in bespoke kitchens, bedrooms and living spaces throughout the UK. Every project begins with understanding how our clients live, ensuring each space is shaped around the way they live rather than passing trends. Our work combines interior architecture, technical precision and exceptional craftsmanship to create interiors that feel timeless, functional and deeply personal. Collaborating with carefully selected manufacturing partners alongside our own handcrafted furniture collections, we deliver beautifully resolved interiors where every detail has purpose, every material is carefully considered, and every project is approached with an unwavering commitment to excellence.
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Andrew Rizza, Founder and Creative Director of Dream Design, shares how his background in craftsmanship continues to shape the company’s approach.
I began as a carpenter before moving into bespoke joinery and cabinetry, founding Dream Design in 1984. What started as a workshop making bespoke cabinetry grew naturally as our clients invited us to become involved in more areas of their homes.
Today, we specialise in kitchen design, bathrooms and complete residences throughout the UK and internationally. That grounding in craft still informs every project, from the overall proportions to the smallest construction detail.
We remain family-run, now in our second generation. My son, Connor, joined in 2018 and leads our brand and client experience, while I lead the studio’s creative direction. That year also saw us open our Design Centre in Christchurch, Dorset.
It grew naturally from making furniture. I became increasingly interested in the space around each piece and how the whole room could work better.
Interior design brought together the things I enjoy most: creativity, craftsmanship and practical problem-solving, with the opportunity to make a lasting difference to someone’s home and quality of life.
Helping clients see possibilities they had not considered. A conversation about replacing a kitchen might lead to relocating it, opening the house to the garden and transforming how the family uses the space. Kitchen design brings together so much of what we do, from spatial planning and bespoke cabinetry to materials, lighting and the practicalities of cooking and entertaining.
Those discoveries begin with listening. Seeing clients enjoy the result, then being invited back for another home or the next generation, is especially rewarding.
We recently completed a full refurbishment of a stunning coastal home in Dorset. What made the project particularly rewarding was the clients’ trust in us, which gave us complete creative freedom to explore the property’s potential. Considering the home as a whole allowed us to bring everything together into one cohesive design. That is how we most enjoy working and where we do our best work.
Another highlight was completing an extension to our 5,000 sq ft Design Centre in Christchurch, Dorset, where clients can explore fully realised kitchen displays alongside bathrooms and living spaces. It gives them an opportunity to experience the quality, craftsmanship and approach to design that define Dream Design.
Residential projects where we can become involved early and consider the home as a whole, whether a new build or a refurbishment. Developing the layout, lighting, materials and furniture together allows every decision to contribute to the finished result.
The architecture and the clients give each project its character. Discovering what will bring out the best in both is what interests me.
Carrying the quality of an idea through to the finished home. A seemingly simple detail can require considerable thought and coordination, so clear drawings and close relationships with craftspeople are essential.
Equally, clients need confidence throughout the process. Helping them understand priorities and make informed decisions is an important part of our responsibility.
How much depends on listening and communication. Asking the right questions at the beginning shapes everything that follows, while explaining decisions clearly helps everyone work towards the same result.
Learn how things are made. Spend time in workshops and on site, handle materials and follow your designs through installation. Understanding construction sharpens your judgement and gives you greater freedom to design with confidence.
I think considered advice will become increasingly valuable. Clients have access to endless inspiration and information; helping them decide what belongs in their home is where our experience makes a difference.
It gives clients reassurance when choosing who to trust with their home. From there, that trust is strengthened through thoughtful advice, careful detailing and consistent service, throughout the project and after its completion.
About Dream Design
Dream Design is a luxury kitchen, bathroom and interior design centre in Dorset, creating one-of-a-kind private residences across Dorset, Hampshire, Poole, the UK and internationally. Supported by its award-winning interior architecture and interior design studio, Dream Design specialises in bespoke kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living spaces and complete home design. The 5,000 sq ft Design Centre brings together leading brands and specialist ateliers across kitchen design, bathroomware, appliances, surfaces, lighting, furniture and interior architectural details, creating a distinctive design destination for private clients, architects and developers seeking a considered, highly tailored approach to residential design, specification and project delivery.
This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features an earthy family home design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, Lucy Goldbart Interior Design.
Lucy Goldbart Interior Design carried out a full renovation and extension for Project Ten. This included updating the homes layout, specifying the interior architecture, furniture and soft furnishings. Lucy Goldbart's goal was to transform a previously lifeless and tired space into warm and striking home, with a nod to the earthy tones and retro shapes on the 1970s.
Category: Residential House Under £1M
Design Practice: Lucy Goldbart Interior Design
Project Title: Project Ten
Project Location: London, United Kingdom
Design Practice Location: London, United Kingdom
The home originally featured stark white walls and white painted floorboards which contributed to a rather cold atmosphere. The goal was to breathe new life into the space, transforming the dated designs into a home that reflected warmth and character, with a nod to the earthy tones and retro shapes of the 1970s. Key to the brief was delivering this elevated luxury feeling on a more approachable budget.
We were heavily inspired by the gorgeous warm, earthy colour palettes and laid-back vibe of the 1970s. We wanted the space to feel comfortable, inviting and a little bit moody, so we blended our signature effortless, California-cool aesthetic with rich caramel tones and added interest with sculptural furniture.
Our main challenge was the compact bathroom spaces on this project, ensuring that they packed a punch and delivered a striking yet restful feeling. In the Master Ensuite we used large scale Patagonia slabs in the shower area to provide maximum impact without overwhelming the space, and colour washed the rest of the room in a deep ochre paint to add warmth.
Seeing the Master bedroom transform from a small, impractical space, to a generous light-filled room with floor-to ceiling windows was an absolute highlight. That space is by far the most transformed and is now such a beautiful warm and welcoming space.
I chose to enter the SBID Awards because they represent a respected benchmark of excellence in our industry. I’ve been a member of SBID since setting up my company and these awards give us a platform to share our work with an incredible global audience, who enjoy celebrating each other’s creativity.
Being recognised as an Award Finalist has been an incredible honour and gives validation to hard work that goes into each project. This gives our company an increased credibility which is great for attracting clients, and on a personal level, it has motivated me to continue pushing creative boundaries and having fun with design.
Questions answered by Lucy Goldbart , Founder and Director of Lucy Goldbart Interior Design.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's design!
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring an eco-conscious office design, click here to read it.
On a large residential development, the question is rarely whether every kitchen should be bespoke. The more useful question is where bespoke design will make the greatest difference.
Efficiency matters when a specification is being repeated across multiple properties, but so does character. Interior designers need to create homes that feel considered and distinctive while working within the commercial and practical realities of a larger programme.
The two ambitions do not have to compete.
A successful kitchen strategy can standardise the elements that benefit from repetition while allowing greater freedom in the materials, details and spaces that define the finished interior. The result is a more intelligent use of the design budget, with investment focused where it will be most visible and valuable.
At Roundhouse, our experience across luxury residential and multi-unit projects has shown that the key is not choosing between standardisation and bespoke design, but understanding where each earns its place.
Consistency across a development does not mean every kitchen needs to look the same.
A stronger approach is to establish a recognisable design language that can evolve between different property types and levels of specification. Proportions, sightlines, colour palettes, hardware and cabinetry details can create a sense of continuity, while layouts, materials and finishes respond to the individual property.
This also allows investment to be distributed more intelligently. A core apartment might prioritise a refined, repeatable specification, while a premium property introduces richer materials or more individual detailing. At penthouse level, the kitchen can become an entirely bespoke architectural feature.
Roundhouse supports this approach through three cabinetry collections within one design and delivery structure. Partner provides a solution for repeatable schemes, Studio introduces a broader choice of materials and configurations, while the fully bespoke Design collection allows considerably greater freedom in layout, material and detail.
The specification can therefore evolve without introducing a different supplier at every level. Design expertise, technical coordination, project management and BIFIS Accredited Installation remain part of the wider Roundhouse approach.
Not every element of a bespoke kitchen needs to be different to make the finished space feel individual.
Some of the most useful opportunities for repetition sit behind the cabinetry. Where property layouts allow, carcase dimensions, hinge and drawer systems, internal fittings, appliance interfaces and service positions can be rationalised across multiple kitchens.
Doing so reduces the number of variables moving through technical approval, procurement and installation. More importantly, it can release budget for the elements that homeowners will actually see and experience.
This process is particularly effective when the kitchen specialist is involved early. Founded by architects, Roundhouse designers can review layouts before key architectural and service decisions become fixed. A relatively small adjustment to a wall, opening, service position or kitchen dimension can sometimes allow a cabinet configuration to work successfully across several property types.
Our design and technical teams coordinate cabinetry with architectural drawings, MEP layouts and appliances, with samples, show kitchens and mock-ups developed where appropriate. Resolving these details early allows an agreed solution to be reproduced across a development with greater confidence.
Once the underlying specification is working efficiently, bespoke design can be concentrated where it has the greatest impact.
A sculptural kitchen island, beautifully matched veneer, specialist metal finish, distinctive door profile or illuminated cocktail bar can establish the character of an entire interior without requiring every cabinet to be individually designed.
This becomes particularly valuable in premium apartments and penthouses, where the kitchen may need to respond directly to the architecture. Cabinet widths can be calibrated around sightlines and architectural datums, while specialist finishes, unusual materials and purpose-designed pieces can create something entirely individual to the property.
Cabinetry can also extend beyond the conventional kitchen footprint into dining areas, bars and adjoining living spaces, allowing the design language to become part of the wider architecture of the home.
Made to order at our Malvern factory, Roundhouse's Design collection gives designers and craftspeople the freedom to develop ideas beyond a predetermined catalogue of dimensions and finishes.
The value of bespoke in these spaces is not simply greater choice. It is the ability to create something memorable and specific to the property.
A successful design concept is only valuable if its quality can be maintained across every property in which it appears.
For larger schemes, this means controlling variation rather than attempting to eliminate it. An agreed design hierarchy can be translated into individual property specifications, ensuring dimensions, finishes, appliances and bespoke details are manufactured and installed in the correct locations.
Physical samples provide an important reference throughout this process. Paint colours and specialist finishes can be approved against control samples, while the natural characteristics of timber, veneer and stone can be understood and agreed before orders are placed. Where particularly close visual continuity is required, materials can also be batched and reserved for a development.
Manufacturing plays an equally important role. At Roundhouse's Worcestershire factory, precision machinery provides repeatable accuracy while experienced craftspeople oversee veneers, specialist finishes and individual details.
The same thinking needs to continue onto site. A kitchen that appears economical on a cabinet schedule can quickly become more costly if service clashes, repeated RFIs, fragmented deliveries, installation delays and extensive snagging begin to affect the programme.
Looking at specification, manufacture and installation as one connected process provides a more meaningful measure of value than cabinet cost alone.
The most successful approach to bespoke at scale sits somewhere between complete standardisation and designing every kitchen independently.
It uses repetition deliberately. Technical elements are rationalised where doing so makes delivery more efficient, while greater design freedom is reserved for the materials, features and properties where it will contribute most to the finished interior.
For one apartment, that might mean a beautifully detailed island against a more repeatable cabinetry specification. In another, it could be a specialist finish, an exceptional run of veneer or a bespoke bar connecting the kitchen with an entertaining space. A penthouse may justify a completely individual response.
The point is not to introduce variation for its own sake. It is to give interior designers the freedom to create moments of distinction without losing sight of budget, programme or the practical demands of delivering multiple properties.
For Roundhouse, that balance is where bespoke bring value, combining design creativity and craftsmanship with the technical and manufacturing discipline required by larger residential developments.
If you are planning an upcoming residential project, get in touch with their Professional team or book a showroom visit to explore how Roundhouse could support your project.
About Roundhouse Design Ltd
Founded by architects, Roundhouse is a multi-award-winning British company, creating beautiful bespoke kitchens and furniture. Their stunning kitchen designs feature a signature understated aesthetic, influenced by contemporary and traditional design, using innovative materials, texture and colour. Each project is made to measure from a wide range of stunning finishes. Expertly crafted by skilled designers and makers in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Malvern, Worcestershire. Visit any of seven Roundhouse Design kitchen showrooms; Wigmore St, Clapham, Fulham, Richmond, Cambridge, Guildford & Cheltenham.
This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a warm and inviting family home design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, Claudia De Sousa Interior Design.
Home in Strassen, Luxembourg by Claudia de Sousa Interior Design seamlessly blends functionality and elegance, creating a warm and inviting family home. Designed for effortless living, the space features an open-plan social area connected to the garden, fostering togetherness while maintaining fluid circulation. A striking five-meter-high fireplace anchors the living room, complemented by sculptural lighting to enhance the double-height architecture. The couple’s private floor evokes the luxury of a hotel suite, but fully tailored to their lifestyle, designed with attention to detail to feel personal, intimate, and uniquely theirs.
Category: Residential Apartment Under £1M
Design Practice: Claudia De Sousa Interior Design
Project Title: Strassen Home
Project Location: Strassen, Luxembourg
Design Practice Location: Barcelona, Spain
Create a home for a family of 5 but with a main living area and pool area also prepared for social events.
I was inspired by warm minimalist design with detailed lighting.
The biggest challenge we faced was how to emphasize the double height of the living room, as it was the heart of the house and we wanted it to work from all angles, even when viewed from above on the first floor.
Apart from designing the space we were also very focused on the light and are very happy with the result.
I entered out of curiosity, I really liked the result of this project and also the amazing photos so I thought I could give it a chance, is the 1st time I compete, so let's see!!
This business sometimes is very hard, competitive and when working on your own, is very nice to receive recognition for such an important organization as SBID. So it would mean that we are going in the right way. Although I think our clients already tell us this, it is always good to have someone so expert saying too.
Questions answered by Cláudia Morgado de Sousa, Founder of Claudia De Sousa Interior Design.
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a grounded penthouse design, click here to read it.
NB Interiors was commissioned to transform the principal living and dining spaces of this Suffolk period home, creating interiors that celebrated the property's original character while reflecting the client's love of colour, antiques and collected pieces.
For the living room, the brief was to create an elegant and vibrant space with the atmosphere of a traditional gentleman's club, but interpreted in a more colourful and individual way. During the renovation, the existing carpet was lifted to reveal beautiful original parquet flooring beneath. Rather than replacing it, the flooring was carefully revived, immediately bringing warmth and a sense of history back into the room.
Existing wallpaper was stripped from the decorative wall panels and replaced with a striking hand-painted de Gournay design. Its botanical pattern became the starting point for the wider colour palette, with soft green walls allowing the wallpaper to remain the focus of the room.
The client was confident and adventurous with colour, which gave us the opportunity to take the scheme further. A rich mustard tone was introduced across the ceiling, drawing out accents within the wallpaper while creating the darker, cocooning quality needed to achieve the desired club-like atmosphere. Mustard curtains continue the colour through the room and add another layer of warmth and richness.
Furniture was deliberately eclectic rather than overly coordinated. The client is an avid collector of vintage furniture and antiques, with individual pieces acquired over many years. Instead of replacing these, the design was developed around the collection, combining different periods, materials and styles to create an interior that feels evolved and personal rather than newly furnished. Contemporary lighting sits alongside antique and vintage pieces, bringing another layer to the scheme while preventing the period interior from feeling too traditional.
The adjoining dining room required a distinctly different atmosphere. Primarily intended as an evening entertaining space, the client wanted the room to feel dramatic, elegant and intimate.
Here, a richly detailed panoramic wallpaper provided the foundation for a much deeper palette. The surrounding architectural details and walls were enveloped in a complementary dark blue, allowing the wallpaper to become part of the architecture and creating the immersive quality the room needed.
The existing wooden floor was also revived and re-stained in a tone chosen to work with the new scheme, retaining another original element of the property while giving it renewed depth and richness.
Throughout both rooms, the approach was not to create a pristine period interior, but to celebrate the history of the house alongside the personality of its owner. Original architectural details, restored flooring, bold colour and statement wallpaper sit comfortably alongside a lifetime's collection of furniture and objects, resulting in a home that feels layered, characterful and entirely individual.
About NB Interiors UK
I have a passion for colour and texture, I enjoy helping clients be brave and take the leap into injecting personality into their homes. Whilst keeping spaces cosy, welcoming and feeling like their home. I aim to create spaces that can be truly lived in, comfortable and that will stand the test of time.
This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a grounded penthouse design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, Nu Infinity.
Turning every nook of one's home into a relatable and personal space makes it unique to this client's brief. Located in a prime spot overlooking Bondi Beach, it was imperative that all the important areas face outward and maximizes the view all day long - the TV hung from above, the sauna, the gym, the work desk, the living and dining areas; even the kitchen has unobstructed views. Nu Infinity's design philosophies and this year's design direction are aptly introduced but the most important part was the study and understand of our client with different lifestyle at a very unique location.
Category: Residential Apartment Over £1M
Design Practice: Nu Infinity
Project Title: Bondi Beach Penthouse
Project Location: Sydney, Australia
Design Practice Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The brief was simple, yet it demanded thoughtful consideration. Our client entrusted us with the design of a penthouse perched above the iconic Iceberg’s Cafe at Bondi Beach, Sydney. A residence in such a prestigious location called for unobstructed views of the coastline. With wellness at the heart of his lifestyle, the brief centred on maximizing the layout to embrace Bondi’s sweeping horizon while seamlessly supporting his daily rituals.
The clients themselves were an inspiring duo. One, an Asian-born Australian, the other from South Africa, both sharing a profound appreciation for solid wood. Surrounded by sweeping views of the ocean, we envisioned a design that embraced natural timber as its foundation. This interplay between the vastness of the sea and the warmth of wood brought a sense of intimacy, creating a home that feels both inviting and grounded.
Convincing the client of two key ideas became our greatest challenge.
The first was rethinking the master bedroom. While the client wished to maximize the panoramic views of Bondi Beach, we proposed relocating the bedroom to the rear. This allowed us to design a custom sauna at the front, one that opens directly to the ocean views through the spacious gym, offering a serene wellness experience. Our reasoning was simple: at night, the bedroom view fades into darkness, but by shifting the private spaces inward, the open plan living, dining, gym, sauna, and even the workspace could enjoy the breathtaking scenery throughout the day.
The second challenge was the television. We resisted the idea of a conventional TV wall, which would have disrupted the openness of the floor plan. At the same time, we knew a small screen would never do justice to the space. Our solution was to propose a retractable 120-inch screen—an ambitious idea that initially seemed unfeasible due to its weight. Fortunately, we sourced a customized, whisper-quiet retractable system from South Africa. When closed, the screen disappears seamlessly into the ceiling, leaving the horizon uninterrupted. This became one of the client’s favourite features, balancing technology with the purity of the view.
We crafted a home that flows seamlessly around our clients’ daily rituals, achieved through a thoughtful choreography of space planning. By reorienting the bedrooms toward the rear, we created a private sanctuary, while the front of the residence was left fully open to the sweeping views, yet adaptable, with sliding glass partitions providing separation when needed.
Designing a penthouse with a sauna and open living overlooking the iconic Bondi Beach is a rare opportunity, and this feature became a defining statement of the project. Most importantly, the design never asked our clients to adapt to their home but instead, the home was meticulously choreographed to adapt to their lifestyle.
To be honest, winning the SBID Awards would be an accomplishment not just for us but a focal achievement for our team.
We have participated in multiple international and local awards and every time we win them, we bring back joy and motivation that drives our team to a new level. From one project to another, from one year after another, we unlock not just new projects but also unlock new strengths and talent.
Being part of the SBID Awards is like being part of a gathering among passionate creative minds that is not present to compete, but present to share, to reflect, to realise and for us, mainly to discover and grow. And that is why we have been submitting every year.
For over 16 years, we have pioneered our design practice, working with clients from diverse backgrounds across the globe. To us, design has never been just about aesthetics, it is about curating experiences that resonate on a deeper, more human level.
Placing our work on the international stage allows us to measure ourselves not only against global standards, but also against our own potential for growth. To be recognised by the SBID Awards, whether as a winner or a finalist, would mark more than an accolade, it would affirm that our journey is on the right path. Most importantly, it would inspire our team to push boundaries with even greater passion, constantly striving toward new heights.
Questions answered by Alex Lee & Nick Fong, Founders of Nu Infinity.
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a timeless residential design, click here to read it.
Ask most people to picture an “accessible” interior, and they’ll describe something clinical — a ramp bolted onto a porch, a grab rail in stark white plastic, a bathroom that looks more like a hospital ward than a home. It’s an image built on decades of treating accessibility as an afterthought: something added once the “real” design work is done, to satisfy a regulation rather than to serve the person who actually lives there.
At Lumini Interiors, I start from a different premise. Accessibility isn’t a compliance checkbox to tick at the end of a project — it’s a design principle that belongs at the very beginning, alongside light, layout and materials. And when it’s treated that way, the results aren’t just more functional. They’re better spaces, full stop.
This isn’t a position I arrived at through theory. It’s personal.
My relationship with space changed when my health did. Living with a progressive neuromuscular condition has taught me to notice things most designers never have to think about: the distance between rooms, the weight of a door, the height of a shelf, the glare of a badly placed light, the extra ten steps a layout demands when you only have energy for three.
When your energy is limited, small friction stops being small. A stiff door handle isn’t a minor inconvenience, it’s an obstacle. A slippery floor isn’t a style choice, it’s a risk. A beautiful room that photographs perfectly can still be exhausting to actually live in.
That experience is why I don’t treat inclusive design as a specialism I’ve bolted onto a design practice — it’s the lens the whole practice is built through. I know, firsthand, what it feels like when a space wasn’t made with a body like mine in mind. And I know how different it feels when it was. That difference is the entire reason I believe every designer, not just those of us working in accessibility, should be thinking this way from day one.
Building regulations exist for good reason, and no one is arguing against them. But regulation sets a floor, not a ceiling — the minimum a space must do, not the best it could be. When accessibility is approached purely as a regulatory hurdle, it tends to get delegated to the end of a project, bolted on rather than built in. The result is predictable: door handles that meet spec but clash with every other finish in the room, “accessible” bathrooms that feel institutional, layouts where the wheelchair-friendly route is technically compliant but obviously an afterthought.
This isn’t a failure of the regulations. It’s a failure of imagination — a design culture that still quietly assumes “accessible” and “beautiful” sit in tension with one another, when in practice the opposite is true.
The most useful shift in thinking is this: features designed for people with disabilities almost always improve a space for everyone who uses it. This is the core idea behind universal design, and it plays out constantly in practice.
- Wider, clearer circulation routes designed for wheelchair users also make a home easier to navigate with a pram, a moving trolley, or simply an armful of shopping. - Lever door handles originally an accessibility solution for people with limited grip strength, are now a mainstream design default because they’re simply easier for everyone to use. - Strong tonal contrast between floors, walls and furniture — essential for people with visual impairments — also makes a space read as more considered and intentional to the eye, rather than a wash of matching neutrals. - Flexible, adaptable furniture layouts built around changing mobility needs also make a home easier to reconfigure as families grow, guests visit, or life simply changes.
None of these are compromises. They’re good design decisions on their own merit, which happen to also make a space usable for a far wider range of people.
For designers and clients who want to move beyond the checkbox mentality, a few starting points make a real difference without requiring a full accessibility overhaul:
- Lighting. Layered, adjustable lighting — rather than a single bright overhead source — supports people with visual impairments, sensory sensitivities, and simply anyone who wants a room to feel different at 8am versus 8pm. - Wayfinding. Clear sightlines and logical, intuitive room-to-room flow reduce cognitive load for people with dementia or neurodivergent conditions, and make any home easier to live in day to day. - Materials and finishes. Choosing slip-resistant flooring, rounded edges on furniture, and tactile variation between zones doesn’t need to look “medical” — it can be woven into a material palette as a deliberate design choice rather than a visible add-on. - Sensory consideration. Reducing visual clutter, managing acoustic reflection, and being thoughtful about strong pattern or high-gloss surfaces makes a space calmer for neurodivergent occupants and, generally, more restful for anyone.
For studios and A&D professionals weighing whether this is worth the extra thought, the commercial argument is only strengthening. An ageing population, growing awareness of neurodivergence, and a client base that increasingly expects homes to adapt with them over decades rather than years, all point the same direction: inclusive design isn’t a niche specialism. It’s where the whole industry is heading.
Clients who experience a truly considered, inclusive space — one that doesn’t announce its accessibility features but simply works effortlessly — remember it, and refer it on. That’s a stronger foundation for a design practice than compliance ever will be.
The distinction I come back to, again and again, is this: compliance asks “does this meet the minimum standard?” Good design asks “does this genuinely work for the person who’ll live here?” Those two questions can have the same answer, but only when accessibility is part of the design conversation from day one — not a revision made after the concept is already locked in.
That’s the conviction my studio was built on: bringing accessibility into the room at the start of every project, as a creative constraint that sharpens the design rather than one that limits it. I didn’t arrive at that belief in a classroom. I arrived at it by living in spaces that weren’t built for me, and then choosing to build ones that are. The homes and spaces that come out of that approach don’t read as “accessible” in the clinical sense at all. They just read as well designed.
About Lumini Interiors
Lumini Interiors is a London-based inclusive interior design and accessibility consultancy helping people create homes that are beautiful, functional, and barrier-free. We offer virtual accessibility consultations and audits, design-only packages, and turnkey installations tailored to diverse needs—mobility, sensory, cognitive, and chronic pain. Founded by Laure Tshilumba Kabuika, whose lived experience with disability shapes every project, we work with empathy, deep listening, and practical expertise to deliver dignified solutions that support independence and wellbeing. Our approach blends contemporary aesthetics with ergonomic planning and sustainable materials, ensuring each space reflects the client’s identity while improving comfort, safety, and everyday flow.
Moving into a newly built, more compact home marked the beginning of a new chapter for the client. While the scale of the home had changed, the way she wanted to live had not. The kitchen still needed to feel generous and refined, with the capacity to support everyday life as comfortably as it welcomed family and friends.
The original architectural plan proposed a conventional U-shaped kitchen with an enclosed pantry. It was functional on paper, but it would have restricted sightlines, interrupted the relationship between the kitchen and adjoining living areas, and made the heart of the home feel smaller than it needed to be. Mint Kitchens Moonee Ponds saw an opportunity to reconsider the plan entirely, moving beyond simply fitting cabinetry into the allocated space to create a kitchen that could shape how the whole home was experienced.
The revised layout replaces the enclosed arrangement with an open, light-filled kitchen organised around a substantial central island. Positioned between the primary work zones and the adjoining dining area, the island becomes both a practical preparation surface and a social anchor. Its generous proportions provide room for guests to gather without disrupting the person cooking, allowing conversation to move naturally between the kitchen, dining and living spaces.
A deep charcoal finish gives the island visual weight within the otherwise light palette. It grounds the room, defines the kitchen within the open plan and creates a measured contrast against the soft white cabinetry and expressive natural stone. The result feels layered and established rather than overly pristine.
One of the project’s most resolved planning decisions is also one of its least visible. Beyond the integrated refrigeration wall, a concealed walk-through opening leads into the butler’s pantry. By absorbing secondary preparation, appliance storage and pantry essentials into a dedicated back-of-house zone, the design allows the main kitchen to retain a composed, uncluttered presence.
This separation is particularly valuable when entertaining. Everyday mess can be contained out of view, while the main kitchen remains open and connected to guests. Extensive drawer storage keeps frequently used items accessible, and the pantry’s uninterrupted work surface provides additional space for food preparation and smaller appliances. Warm timber-look open shelving introduces a quieter shift in tone, distinguishing the pantry as a functional interior layer while maintaining continuity with the timber flooring beyond.
The aesthetic takes its cues from the home’s Coastal Hamptons influence, interpreted with restraint. Shaker-style two-pack cabinetry establishes a timeless architectural rhythm, while layered cornices carry the joinery upward and help it feel integrated with the wider interior. Ribbed-glass overhead panels add texture and depth at the upper level, breaking up the expanse of cabinetry without introducing visual noise.
Natural stone is used across the benchtops and splashbacks, bringing movement and individuality to the predominantly neutral scheme. Rather than treating the stone as a decorative surface alone, its continuous use connects the cooking, cleaning and island zones, giving the kitchen a cohesive material language. Brushed metal hardware and pendant lighting contribute a subtle sense of polish, while the timber flooring brings warmth and prevents the palette from feeling cool or formal.
Every element plays a practical role. Deep drawers replace difficult-to-access lower cupboards; integrated refrigeration contributes to the calm elevation; dedicated cooking and cleaning zones support an efficient workflow; and the long island offers both preparation space and comfortable seating. The design’s luxury is felt through ease, proportion and the considered placement of each function, rather than through excess.
Downsizing does not have to mean compromising on openness, hospitality or a sense of occasion. By moving beyond the limitations of the original plan, Mint Kitchens Moonee Ponds created a kitchen that feels larger through connection: connected to its supporting pantry, to the adjoining living spaces and, most importantly, to the way its owner wants to live.
The finished kitchen is calm and elegant, but never precious. It works hard behind the scenes while presenting a refined face to the home. This balance allows it to support quiet daily rituals, generous gatherings and the next chapter of life with equal confidence.
About Mint Kitchens by Designwize
Mint Kitchen Group is a Melbourne-based kitchen and interiors company specialising in the design, manufacture and installation of bespoke joinery. We create custom kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, wardrobes and interior spaces that are tailored to each client’s lifestyle, home and design vision. With a strong focus on quality craftsmanship, practical functionality and personalised service, our team manages each project from concept through to completion. By combining thoughtful design with locally made joinery and attention to detail, Mint Kitchen Group delivers beautifully resolved spaces that are made to be lived in and built to last.
This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a timeless residential design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, Studio LBI.
The property occupies a stunning plot overlooking the Kyles of Bute with gardens reaching to the shore. The property was tired and overrun with tartan carpets and dark corners. The brief was to breathe new life into this period property and deliver a restful, cosy but thoroughly modern and functional holiday home, with an understated, luxurious and timeless aesthetic. The brief ran from soft furnishings through to kitchen and bathroom design, bespoke cabinetry and the selection of art and accessories throughout the house. For the clients this was a turnkey project and handed over complete and ready to move into.
Design Practice: Studio LBI
Project Title: Argyll and Bute Holiday House
Project Location: Agyll, Scotland, United Kingdom
Design Practice Location: Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Our clients had recently purchased a holiday home in Argyll, set on the banks of the Kyles of Bute. Whilst surrounded by breathtaking scenery, the interiors felt dated and disconnected from their natural surroundings. Heavy tartan carpets and dark wall coverings closed the house off from the beauty outside.
The brief was to transform the property into a bright, welcoming retreat, that invited the outdoors in and embraced natural light. Above all, the clients wanted an open-plan space that would allow them to entertain and host family in a relaxed, elegant setting.
Our inspiration came from the surrounding countryside. We designed the interior in neutral, earthy tones with luxurious soft furnishings to create a cosy feel. The countryside in Argyll is so beautiful that we paid particular attention to window dressings so that the eye is drawn to the spectacular views.
The remote location brought some logistical challenges, but with such a beautiful journey to the property, it was hard to see travel as a burden.
The greater challenge lay in the property’s outdated electrical system which simply couldn’t support the requirements of a modern home. This was a significant hurdle, but through close collaboration with the builders, the system was successfully upgraded, ensuring the house could meet the clients’ needs both now and in the future.
The true highlight came when we handed the completed home back to our clients and saw their reaction. They had entrusted us to oversee every detail, from managing the trades and coordinating the installation of the kitchen and bathrooms to commissioning bespoke joinery by our cabinet maker. Every piece of soft furnishing and accessory was carefully sourced by the Studio LBI team to ensure the house felt cohesive and complete.
The installation itself was a memorable week, set against a rare Scottish heatwave with blue skies and temperatures in the thirties. Despite the challenge of moving furniture in the heat, the atmosphere was electric as everything came together.
When our clients finally walked into their turnkey-ready holiday home, their delight and emotion made all the effort worthwhile.
We value the recognition that comes from our industry peers and the credibility that the SBID Awards bring to our brand. To be considered among such a high calibre of finalists is both an honour and a privilege and it reflects the passion and dedication that goes into every project we deliver.
Being a finalist is a powerful recognition of our team as serious, professional designers within a competitive industry. The interior design market is crowded and standing out requires both creativity and credibility. Winning the SBID Award in 2023 elevated our profile within the industry and continues to give prospective clients confidence, as the award serves as a trusted mark of quality and excellence.
Questions answered by Louise Bramhill, Founder of Studio LBI.
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a contemporary residential design, click here to read it.
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