Harmony World Consultant & Design: Creating a Modern Residential Design with an Italian Style

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features an Italian styled, modern residential design by 2023 SBID Awards Finalist, Harmony World Consultant & Design.

Harmony World Consultant & Design was commissioned to design the interior spaces for Shenzhen Oct The One project.

What was the client's brief? 

The project chooses the coastline of Shenzhen Bay. The unique geographical advantage of the peninsula endows the project with a natural landscape surrounded by the sea on three sides. The design of all floor to ceiling windows maximises the view. Every stay in different outdoor corners will be accompanied by mountains and seas outside the window. Every moment is romantic.

What inspired the design of the project?

We extract humanistic ideas and spiritual pursuits from the project area, strive for natural, artistic and humanistic design concepts, inject romance and elegance into the coastal life, and create an era image with unique characteristics of the bay area city with diversified scenes.

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

In the design, we need to think about how to maximise the functionality of the space, and at the same time, have artistic aesthetics, so that the design can reflect the characteristics of the city, show the classic design model of coastal luxury houses, and create a comfortable space that integrates multiple attributes such as living, social, and aesthetics.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The overall space is dominated by Italian style. The simple and elegant tone of the living room is blended with retro orange, adding romantic Italian style to create a romantic comfort in the warm sun, which makes people sit down quietly and release a relaxed and fulfilling life state. The integrated design is adopted between the reception hall and the dining room, creating a sense of space integration, open and comfortable. The restaurant should be a place of comfort from the beginning of vision. Therefore, the restaurant is placed next to the seascape, and the whole floor to ceiling windows are used for lighting, so that the space is full of light and shadow vitality, while introducing endless scenery outside the window, and offering a feast of food. In the master bedroom space, the Italian style artistic atmosphere is fully displayed. With gray white as the bottom and warm caramel color as the decoration, the modern atmosphere spreads and grows, and the space becomes interesting. The master bedroom is equipped with independent cloakroom and master bathroom, so the master's taste can be properly placed. The master bathtub facing the sea, with a design full of ritual and privacy, feels the daily life with the sea, pure and quiet.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

As one of the most prestigious awards in the world, SBID has attracted the attention and participation of many internationally renowned designers with its strict selection criteria. From a professional perspective, SBID focuses on exploring, summarising and exploring the latest trends in the field of design. It also has high standards and requirements for the design works participating in the awards. Every year, authoritative experts in the industry assess the technical content and aesthetic creativity of the entries, and is committed to commendation, reward and publicity of various excellent designs.

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

The SBID Design Award has a very high competitiveness and influence in the international design industry. Being shortlisted for the SBID Design Award is not only a recognition of designers' professional ability, but also a recognition of their design achievements in the world.

Questions answered by Hongjun Lin, Managing Director at Harmony World Consultant & Design.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a characterful and bold home design by 2023 SBID Awards Finalist, Oakley Moore Interior Design.

Oakley Moore Interior Design was commissioned to carry out a full refurbishment and redecoration of this Victorian terraced house in the heart of Fulham in London. The brief was to bring the property to life with a focus on the client’s art collection, using creative layering of textiles, materials and bold colours to deliver an expertly layered and characterful home. Kate Aslangul of Oakley Moore lead the design for the interior architecture, soft furnishings, bespoke furniture pieces and the hanging of all artwork.

What was the client's brief? 

Mandated to oversee a full refurbishment and redecoration of this Victorian terraced house in the heart of Fulham, our brief was to improve the flow of the property and breath new life into it with a focus on the client's art collection, using creative layering of textiles, materials, and bold colours.

What inspired the design of the project?

Inspiration for the design of the project came from the client, his love of art and his collection; he has many interests and has not only lived in the UK but also in the USA and France, so it was important to find creative ways to reference this and weave the threads to tell a story. He’s collected throughout his travels, so we had some strong pieces and colour references to use as starting points for the design.

To infuse sunshine and Provencal colour all year round I decided to make a feature of the kitchen/dining room wall which is a key siteline throughout the ground floor by designing a mural inspired by the work of Etel Adnan, a Lebanese/American artist who lived in Paris whose work I admire. The spare bedroom has a distinctly traditional French feel and using bright, modern colour and unusual fabrics makes it feel more contemporary.

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

The toughest hurdle was getting supplies and artisans as we started work during the Covid pandemic, so logistics and planning were incredibly important for the smooth running of the project to ensure that we delivered on time and on budget.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

This was such a special project for me as the client wanted something very layered and beautiful and allowed me the freedom to play with colour and fabric. His trust in me was a real highlight.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

I’m honoured to be an accredited SBID designer and it’s always wonderful to be recognised within one’s industry.

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

It is thrilling and a huge honour to be singled out within one’s industry. These prestigious awards are internationally recognised and provide a rare platform to gain recognition in a competitive industry for all the work involved in interior design projects. The awards not only put designers in the spotlight, but they give value to the craft and the industry.

Questions answered by Kate Aslangul, Founder and Creative Director at Oakley Moore Interior Design.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features an ocean-view residential design by 2023 SBID Awards Finalist, Katja Kessler Kreation.

The client owned a vacation home which was only an empty shell and asked for an interior design concept. The empty shell turned out to be a seven-metre-high postmodern recently built concrete building.

What was the client's brief? 

My client dreamed of an interior design, that would bring together regional heritage and modern vibes, creating a powerful and emotional yet stylish space. A place to sense the refreshing breeze of the Baltic Sea during the day; a place to cuddle in front of the crackling fire, listening to the raging waves at night.

What inspired the design of the project?

Entering the shell of the building I had the sensation of standing inside a modern, concrete-formed cathedral – an overwhelming feeling. One central idea was spiraling in my head: Why conceal anything here? The rough cold DNA of the building's structure should be palpable at every point!

So, I left the seven-meter-high concrete walls completely unplastered and used them as a backdrop for a historic church staircase, proudly displaying its 200-year-old scarred woodworm patina skin. 150-year-old weathered iron windows from a nearby decommissioned distillery, repurposed as kitchen walls, also pay homage to past times. In contrast postmodern XL window fronts that can be folded open across their full width like an accordion serve as bridges between the past and the present, as well as between indoor and outdoor. These windows bring in sunlight, wind, and the calls of seagulls, turning the expansive terrace into an additional living room on beautiful days. A ceiling mounted 360-degree swiveling XL fireplace accentuates the cathedral-like height of the building's structure, though sitting in front of the crackling fire, it simultaneously provides a cave-like ambiance.

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

Moving and fitting the old 1000 kg spiral staircase into the shell required the assistance of five hard-trained carpenters and the same amount of champagne bottles to celebrate what we had achieved.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Sitting on the ocean-view terrace for the very first time with the entire crew gazing beyond the horizon on a quiet Sunday afternoon, resembled the cathedral like spirit I had experienced when first visiting this place. It was a moment of reward for what we had accomplished together.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

I've been following the SBID Awards for a long time and have repeatedly been inspired and impressed by the submitted projects. This year, I thought now or never and submitted my own application.

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

So many people congratulated us for the nomination via social media. It feels like participating in a kind of interior Oscar. That alone has been a great compliment for me and the rest of my team.

Questions answered by Dr. Katja Kessler, Interior Designer and Founder of Katja Kessler Kreation.

Consult by FD were appointed to renovate this city apartment in central London, Angel N1.

Our clients approached us during the whirlwind of purchasing their new/old apartment tucked away from the bustling streets of central London.

Having previously rented the same home in former years they returned to buy it already armed with a vision and understanding of how it can be transformed to better suit their lifestyles.

As the purchase ambled on, we got busy behind the scenes developing the brief, especially lots of bespoke joinery to best serve our busy clients and their space.

After assembling our dream renovation team, and suppliers, our clients got the keys and we got busy project managing the build.

We’re super pleased with the results and can confidently vouch that the new layouts and details make it feel like a haven.

Step inside the bathroom and the verdant green wall tiles will have you thinking you’re in Morocco.

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

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

Rachel Usher Interior Design were commissioned to design a large contemporary family kitchen and open plan living space.

The multi-disciplinary interior architectural team re-defined the existing format, opening up apertures allowing an abundance of natural light to fill the property and playing to the scale of the buildings vernacular.

Synonymous with a Rachel Usher Interior Design is the interaction of materials evident throughout all of the bespoke hand-crafted joinery, including shadow gap detailing and hidden light sources to highlight texture and contrast.

The final scheme was brought together with the appropriate application of light, texture and materiality.

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

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

Innovative design and enhanced technology meets form and function with the new Creo and Vito 25mm sustainable shower trays from Crosswater. Whether the goal is to make a design statement or create a minimalist silhouette where the shower blends seamlessly into the wider bathroom, these will elevate any shower space.

Crafted from 100% recyclable Dolomite engineered stone and hand finished to perfection, Creo and Vito are expertly designed with comfort and efficiency in mind. Smooth and warm to the touch, engineered stone is soothing underfoot and creates a sleek, seamless feel.

Designed with high-flow central or linear drainage systems for faster drainage and almost invisible gullies and edges, shallow pools of water are a thing of the past. And with no hard, uncomfortable ridges to step on, the designs allow continuous flow from the rest of the bathroom floor.

Using natural materials embraces relaxation and wellness principles that instil a sense of natural tranquility. Brilliantly resilient and hard-wearing with exceptional impact resistance, engineered stone retains water thermal temperature for longer, creating a warm and luxurious showering experience.

Manufactured in a zero-emission factory that uses 100% solar energy, using engineered stone considerably reduces the energy required to make each tray and excess materials are simply repurposed. The trays are finished with a permanent Nanocoat gel, ensuring the surfaces are non-porous, anti-bacterial and easy to clean.

Creo is available in rectangular and offset quadrant options – prices from £260. Vito is available in square and rectangular options – prices from £311.

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

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a glamorous bathroom design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, Jasmin Reese Interiors.

What was the client's brief? 

The brief of the Project was to create a hip "powder room" in this industrial loft space that also doubled as a guest bathroom.

What inspired the design of the project?

At the beginning of each project, I meet with clients for a "Style Session" meeting, it is a meeting to determine the programmatic requirements of the project, budget, and I also try to see how high octane the client would go. In this case the client responded to a lot of sexy hotel interiors, black chic rooms, and moody interiors, so we went in that direction.

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

Our biggest hurdle was getting the materials, it was during Covid so information was not as fast as we were used to and reselecting materials when they became out of stock was challenging to keep the project moving forward.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The wallpaper was the biggest highlight! It was really fun to be able to wrap a large scale print on the walls and also the door in a small space.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

I think the SBID awards showcase designs that are unique, colorful, and fresh.

Questions answered by Jasmin Reese, Owner, Jasmin Reese Interiors.

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.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a contemporary family home design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, RS Interiores & IDA SRL.

The inspiration of this Project came from the very first call with our clients, it’s a design inspired by Mid century décor. In Marba Haus we implemented much warmth of the environment to instill peace and serenity within the design.

The use of wood is shown in the many elements of the design, for example, the wooden ceilings, or in the many modern pieces of furniture. The color coordination of the greens and terracotta inspires organic design. We used textured techniques for the wall finishings creating different dimensions and earthy sensations.

All these combinations in the design have created a warm, peaceful and serene home, a true space for a family to live.

What was the client's brief? 

The clients wanted a family home that reminded them of nature.

What inspired the design of the project?

The inspiration came from a phone call when discussing the project with my clients, they were speaking about how they loved to be outdoors and nature. Colors like greens and earthy tones, textures all came into place.

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

The toughest hurdle for this project was creating new texture techniques on the walls with plaster and sand. We used a brush in order to create arched movements and patterns on the walls. After completing this process we decided to paint over it. The overall aspect of this organic creation was a true work of art.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The highlight of this project has to be the combination of the materials and finishing and how they all come together in design. We were able to mix furniture, textures and fabrics to mesh the mid century feel with contemporary design.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

As a SBID Member and past winner of the 2020, I believe in sharing and competing in design. It makes us stronger as designers and inspires others in our field to grow as professionals.

Questions answered by Rosadela Serulle, CEO and Founder, RS Interiores & IDA SRL.

In this week's interview with 2022 SBID Awards winners of the CGI & Visualisation category, II BY IV DESIGN, Dan Menchions talks about working on sustainability-focused projects, integrating sustainable initiatives into the design, as well as making wellness the main priority of the space.

In a world threatened by the climate crisis, The Residences at Central Park offers a better future. Nestled between Toronto’s protected ravine and one of the city’s hip urban areas, it is a vibrant nexus—focused on wellness and sustainability.

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

Central Park is an ambitious 12-acre master-planned neighbourhood in Toronto that promises a connected, healthier future. Focused on wellness and sustainability, it connects the urban and natural worlds, raising the bar for design excellence. Green initiatives are integrated throughout the complex. We worked collaboratively with the entire project team to align the interior design with the development’s vision: refining the contemporary lifestyle, using natural materials and framing views of the ravines, extending the harmony of the natural world inside. This strategy is also implemented in the design of the permanent Presentation Pavilion, where a composition of natural materials and future-forward immersive experiences emulate the proposed lifestyle for the prospective inhabitants of Central Park.  

Designed holistically, the Presentation Pavilion for Central Park is built as a permanent space with the potential to transform into a multi-purpose cultural hub for the community. Wrapped in a soaring 4-storey window façade, this architectural glass box is positioned on the site as a billboard to sell the development and its breathtaking views. With an orchestrated, powerful retail experience, we weaved culture and lifestyle stories, thoughtful moments of theatre, and a series of vignettes, creating the forthcoming environment at Central Park for the prospective residents while they visually merchandise the selection of future-forward finishes, furniture, and products. 

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

Witnessing the positive reaction of those who visit the site—and the pavilion—has been a joy for us since completing the project. We are pleased to see the formation of a community that cares about wellness and sustainability; and have come to appreciate how significant the integration of nature and natural elements (including natural light) plays a part in creating a healthy, future-forward residence. It is also encouraging to gain insights about how much the prospective residents of Central Park delight in someday living where they have ease of access to the nearby ravines, urban living, public transit, and robust indoor/outdoor amenities. We aim to incorporate these insights into our future projects, designing healthy, wellness-focused, and connected residences for our clients.

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

Since its inception in 2009, SBID has been instrumental in propelling the interior design industry forward. As a global platform—attracting entries from across the world—it is truly an honour to win an SBID award. It is a sign of industry recognition for our project to get evaluated by leading experts for technical content and aesthetic creativity. Together with our clients, team, and collaborators, we get the boost of encouragement to continue designing beautiful spaces that connect and elevate people. We also love that the design-conscious public has a say in voting for the most inspiring projects.

What is the most important thing to keep in mind when working on sustainability-focused projects?

When designing a sustainability-focused project, the design principles of functionality, accessibility, and aesthetics revolve around environmental considerations, so in a way, the project is both eco-centric and human-centric, which includes humans too. The longevity and durability of the finishes are key, especially for high-traffic areas. It is also important to work collaboratively with the entire project team to accommodate for systematic Green features that are new in residential developments. For Central Park, we reached further and emphasized the significance of integrating the natural world into everyday life by incorporating natural materials and views of the surrounding ravine areas and using energy-efficient technology throughout the interiors.   

The development’s vision is to refine the contemporary lifestyle. What does contemporary lifestyle mean to you? How do you think our lifestyles and, therefore, design choices are changing?

To mitigate the climate crisis, we need to refine our current lifestyle as a global society. We need to become more efficient and eco-conscious, mainly for our benefit.

The Residences at Central Park connect the urban back to nature. The design and development team has integrated Green initiatives like reflective solar panels, Green roofs, and a thermal building envelope. A next-generation mechanical system incorporates advanced airflow and filtration for the entire building. Moreover, there is direct access to public transit, on-site bicycle/car-share service, and EV (electric vehicle) charging stations for every spot in residential and visitor parking spaces, promoting safe, clean travel—free of emissions. As interior designers of Central Park, we decided to reimagine how we can live better: what aspects of today’s lifestyle could be refined for a better tomorrow. We then reflected our insights onto every part of the project and delivered a robust amenity program, spa-inspired bathrooms, energy-saving light fixtures, and everything in between. The Presentation Gallery for this development even confirms the team’s commitment to sustainability, designing it as a permanent building. Envisioned as a multi-purpose cultural hub in the future, it is suited up in a composition of natural, enduring, high-quality materials and high-tech features for posterity.

What makes an interior design project wellness-focused? How do you account for it as a designer?

By its nature, interior design projects are always focused on wellness as we create spaces that improve the human experience through ergonomics, style, light, layout, and finish palettes/materiality. When designing vertical living projects, like The Residences of Central Park, we include activities for wellness in the amenity program. Moreover, a timeless composition of elements, materials, and furnishings in warm tones and delightful textures creates a harmonious feel for wellness. The attention to detail and quality cohesively begins at the entrance, continuing to the resort-like amenities and offering an urban oasis in each suite, including low water—and electrical—systems/appliances. There are also available provisions for cutting-edge automation, enabling residents to control temperature, lighting, or other items from their smartphones that make life more efficient and convenient, contributing to the quality of the residents’ everyday experience and, therefore, their wellness.

Questions answered by Dan Menchions, Partner, II BY IV DESIGN.