When designing a room, the details can make all the difference, from the perfect paint colour to that dreamy flooring. It can be frustrating when essential fixtures and fittings, such as plastic light switches, affect the end result. Well, wouldn’t it be great if these electrical fittings were part of a solution and not the problem? Step forward innovative stylish switches that stand out for all the right reasons.
Check out four key styles for switches that are breaking all the rules and turning electrical accessories into cool interior must-haves.
Busy family homes are often packed full of colour, which changes on a daily basis depending on what toys are being played with or the latest craft project on display. So, wouldn’t it be great if you had versatile electrical switches that could mirror this playful vibe?
Opt for a light switch that has interchangeable cover plates and you’ll be able to change up the look every time the surroundings evolve.
Make it a feature. Turn a colourful switch into part of the backdrop by giving it a role in an exciting gallery wall display of prints and photographs. You could even include childrens’ artwork in clear frames for a humorous touch.
Often overlooked as a significant part of a room scheme, designers are now rethinking the role of the light switch as a stand-alone interior feature thanks to the many new styles and finishes available.
For example, if you’re looking to complement a classic, high-end interior, then an elegantly designed switch is a sleek and sophisticated solution. Featuring a chic metallic finish, a charcoal steel frame will team perfectly with dark tones and raw textures, while its sublime simplicity will ensure it melts away into the backdrop.
Encourage the simplicity. For added efficiency, this switch features a simple push-button operation for an extra streamlined finish.
Whether you choose to make a feature of an elegant switch, or give it a quieter role in your scheme, we guarantee it will still make a design statement in any space.
Take a super-sleek and simplistic design, for example. With clean lines, matt finish and LED-lit push buttons, it will fade into the backdrop of a soothing living space, yet will bring a designer elegance that a basic plastic switch just couldn’t match.
Show it off in a prominent position. Forget having to hide switches behind doors or curtains where they won’t be seen. With a sophisticated collection, you’ll be encouraged to fit them in eye-catching spots that not only pull focus but are also convenient to use.
The laidback look of a simple switch fits right in with a neutral palette of weathered timbers, natural linens and calming greys – perfect for a creative coastal interior.
And to encourage that easy-living vibe even more, the switch could feature pictograms that clearly indicate each operation, so you can go straight to the downlights, ceiling fan or room you want.
Design a bespoke switch layout. Before choosing any electrical accessories, consider how you use each room so you can pick the right combination of switches to suit the function of the space. For example, dimmer switches are great for living spaces where you may want mood lighting, while USB chargers are going to be essential in study spaces, bedrooms and above kitchen benches.
Create a coordinated look in every room. With a complete range of switches, outlets and electrical accessories, including fan controls and cooker switches, you can ensure your home is style-ready as well as future-ready.
About the Author
SBID Accredited Industry Partner, Schneider Electric is a global specialist in energy management and automation providing energy technologies, software and digital automation solutions for efficiency and sustainability in the home, buildings, data centres and more.
This article was written by Louisa Buckley, Residential Segment Marketing Manager at Schneider Electric.
If you'd like to become SBID Accredited, click here to find out more.
Interior design studio manager of SBID Accredited Design Practice, Rigby & Rigby, James Ashfield highlights what he believes to be the two biggest challenges the interior industry faces today, and tells us how he forged his successful career in interior design.
What is your current job?
I manage the interior design studio at Rigby & Rigby, overseeing all interior design projects and the creative vision for the studio.
What is your background and how did you get into interior design?
I always had a passion for art and technology, so architecture and interior design was a great fit for my creative and practical interests, which led me to study Interior Architecture.
I now have 15 years industry experience. My first role was for a small architecture, interior and development practice and I’ve since held positions at leading London architecture and interior design practices including the Harrods Interior Design Studio.
Describe an average day in your job role..
A typical day consists of multiple client meetings and presentations with our team across many disciplines. There might be a site visit to a Prime Central London site to inspect progress or a coordination meeting for a landmark residence Rigby & Rigby are developing in Knightsbridge.
Sometimes my job takes me overseas if clients are based outside of the UK. For example, I worked in the Middle East for two and a half years where I acted as a client advisor on all architecture, interior and development projects for an UHNWI who was based there.
Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most and/or find the most rewarding?
The most rewarding element is the design journey with the client, whose lifestyle we try to facilitate through the delivery of creative solutions and beautiful interiors.
I also have the pleasure to work on some of the finest and most incredible homes, with the multi-disciplinary support from our architectural, construction and marketing teams and a young and energetic interior design team. It’s always exciting to see a project come to life.
Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?
I love the scope of what I do and where it can take me. Currently I am working on a 17,000 sq ft landmark private residence in Knightsbridge, a 50,000 sq ft private development in Asia, and a 300sq ft Chairman’s office in Central London.
What do you find the most challenging aspects of your job?
The most challenging aspects of my job are the logistics. Our suppliers come from all over the world, and sometimes there are unavoidable delays which can create challenges caused by anything from the weather to an international event. To combat this, we have to create contingency plans.
What do you wish you knew before working in the field?
I think it’s useful to know that success can be found in all ways, not necessarily the obvious routes. I think it’s important to also have an understanding of growth opportunities in your chosen career, and evaluate these against your skills and values.
What would you tell your younger self if you had the chance?
That working hard and putting in the hours does pay off.
What has been your favourite project to work on?
The landmark residence in Knightsbridge and a modern ski chalet on a remote island in Japan.
What do you think is the biggest problem the interior design industry faces?
I think the two biggest issues are sustainability and quality. We are very conscious of our impact to the environment and should make sure our materials are sustainably-sourced as much as possible.
There are many re-purposed materials that can be used in interior design. I think designers need to look at alternatives very carefully while ensuring they are giving the best to their clients, particularly when there are trade-offs to consider.
As for quality, our construction team are often asked to turnaround another contractor or designer’s project that has not been satisfactorily completed. I find it very reassuring to be part of a design and construction business where you can fully rely on the project team.
Which people do you admire the most in the industry and why?
As a practice we admire the French interior designer Jean Louis Deniot who delivers elegant, minimal and sophisticated interiors. We are also fans of the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma with whom we’ve had the pleasure of collaborating together on two overseas projects.
If you were inspired by James' story, click here to learn more about the role of an interior designer.
Want to become SBID Accredited? Click here to find out more.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features Interior design that synthesises Eastern and Western styles. The interior design plan of this luxury property unites the Eastern and Western classical elements, giving it a bold and alluring character. The captivating Roman vault structure built at the entrance creates impact thanks to its remarkable detail and decor. The achromatic colours soften the visual impact, the soft whites, which serves the main colours, blend with oriental natural landscape scenes. YZ Environment Design used decorative details diversely to incorporate elements from the oriental architectural while infusing the Western design style with ink-based art, creating a blended and innovative Chinese classical style.
SBID Awards: Residential Design Over £1M finalist sponsored by THG Paris
Practice: YZ Environment Design
Project: Synthesis of Eastern-and-Western Classical Styles
Location: Beijing, China
What was the client's brief?
The proprietor is China Resources Group, a respected developer in China. This case is a model room of high-end luxury apartments, located near Beijing Medical University - which is an excellent location. The main customers have rich wealth and knowledge. The proprietor’s request is to make the clients feel elegant and to provide a unique experience.
What inspired the interior design of the project?
Chinoiserie is a decorative style in Western art, furniture, and architecture, especially in the 18th century, characterised by the use of Chinese motifs and techniques. European countries absorbed the Chinese culture; particularly the symbols and cultural elements, however, the meaning and value of the elements are often ignored. Such surface-level cultural input made “Chinoiserie” not able to be widely applied and it eventually disappeared into the history of design. Although the Chinoiserie style represents the Europeans’ yearning for China, the imitation of Chinese art crafts and the shallow understanding of the culture make it hard to get deep into and extend the Chinese culture. People just see what they want to see about Chinese culture instead of the whole picture of it. Capturing the essence of Chinoiserie therefore was a key inspiration for this project's design scheme.
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
The toughest challenging was how to let the engineers and product processing staff understand the concept of the theme and intrinsic classic detail to create a transformation which is great enough to compete with the classics. The design involved many important craft processes such as hand-printed wallpaper, stairs, and mosaic with a large number of sketches and 3D drawings to develop.
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
Visitors are introduced to classics from different periods and different regions when they enter the property. There are design distinctions and differences among the classic features, but they have been curated to blend so naturally and elegantly they are not noticeable. It gives people a whole new feeling. At the same time, exquisite and rigorous technologies have helped provide technical support to creating these new classics.
Why did you enter the SBID Awards?
We found SBID Award is a high-quality competition when we entered the award in 2015 for the first time. The judges are concerned not only about technology, materials and the undergoing changes in them, but also value highly culture and art and human spirit.
Questions answered by YZ Environment Design
We hope you feel inspired by this week's Residential design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a Victorian family home with modern, industrial aesthetic & open plan living, click here to see more.
SBID Awards 2019 | Residential Design Over £1M finalist sponsored by THG Paris
SBID Accredited Industry Partner, Schneider Electric provide energy and digital automation solutions to residential and commercial markets with an emphasis on efficiency, reliability, safety and sustainability. Committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, Louisa Buckley, Residential Segment Marketing Manager at Schneider Electric tells us about the brand's 180 year history, and how they are moving even more towards a sustainable future.
What are the origins of your brand?
Schneider Electric is originally from France and was established over 180 years ago by the Schneider brothers. It is a global organisation specialising in Energy and Digital Automation solutions. Our technologies ensure that Life Is On everywhere, for everyone at every moment. Schneider Electric has gone a long way since it first started in the steel and machinery industry in 1836. A few years later it then entered the emerging electricity market. After experiencing two world wars, Charles Schneider restructured the company in 1949. Throughout the 20th century, different companies were acquired and the focus was more on electricity. Then, during the beginning of the 21st century more on products and solutions. Schneider Electric has always kept efficiency, reliability, safety and sustainability at the heart to all of products and solutions for their customers.
As a global company, we committed to the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ to help end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. As part of these goals, we have committed to carbon neutrality by 2030. We are committed to help our customers on this journey to help the planet with our products and solutions.
How do you work with interior designers?
Our electrical accessories are built to complement inspired interiors. Designed by award-winning craftsmen in the Schneider Electric Design Labs, our range of light switches bridge the gap between form and functionality to perfectly fit in any interior. We have a wide range of beautifully crafted, high-quality devices to suit every taste and budget.
What value does your sector add to the interior design industry?
Introducing Electrical Safety, Smart homes, Style and Net Zero products and solutions. This is important for customers who want to be stylish but still be sustainable. Wiser, KNX and C-Bus are smart home solutions that can be implemented in the home to help contribute towards net zero.
How do your services/offering enhance an interior designer’s projects?
We have an inspirational and visualisation tool called ‘Find your Style’. Our smart home offerings will help futureproof interior designer’s projects e.g. C-Bus/KNX/Wiser. We also have a tool on our website to find an Electrician/Installer to come and install our products for peace of mind. They are approved partners who have had all the relevant trainings to safely install Schneider Electric products and solutions.
What are the latest trends you’ve noticed in your client’s requests?
Sustainability. This is a ‘hot’ topic at the moment from the government and press. Our customers want high quality products that meet their styles whilst improving the energy efficiency and comfort of homes.
Why did you want to become a sponsor of the SBID Awards?
We are proud to sponsor the SBID International Design Awards. This is a great opportunity to connect with Interior Designers and other professionals from the interior and décor industries. It is a brilliant place to also view some of the best interior design projects, which will support us in inspiring our customers.
Residential Apartment Under £1M Category Sponsor | SBID International Design Awards 2020
To find out more about becoming an SBID Awards sponsor, click here or email [email protected]
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a cool, clean and industrial-inspired residential design located in a conservation area in leafy Balham, South West London. SBID Accredited Designer, Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture was tasked with fully refurbishing, re-configuring and extending the five-bedroom Victorian family house. The project involved adding a large open plan ground floor extension to the rear of the property, whilst configuring the rest of the ground floor to include a formal sitting room, utility room, ground floor guest toilet and extra storage. The rest of the house was sensitively restored and redecorated with one bedroom being converted to a study and both bathrooms redesigned.
Practice: Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture
Project: Balham House
Location: London, United Kingdom
The brief was to completely transform a much loved (but very tired) family home into a place suited to modern living, without losing that feeling of belonging. Being very keen gardeners, I was also asked to make the garden more of a feature from within the house.
My clients love for their house was clearly a driving factor in my approach and their new found enthusiasm for the industrial aesthetic allowed me to explore the use of exciting elements and materials such as the metal framed windows, glazed brick slips, polished concrete flooring and engineered brickwork.
Wrap around windows were used to form the connection to the garden and a living sedum roof was installed to give a verdant view from the bedroom windows. I also used crazy paving for the patio, substituting the mortar with moss to soften the transition.
Other interesting touches were to re-use salvaged Victorian tiles from the original demolished conservatory floor and installing a custom made mural of a vintage map showing the local area when the house was first built.
Due to initial delays caused by bad weather and because of a very long supply lead time, the windows had to be ordered before the openings were formed meaning that all of the responsibility was on my shoulders if they didn't fit, but thankfully they did!
The decision to re-use hundreds of the original Victorian floor tiles salvaged from the old conservatory seemed like a good idea at the time, but it turned out to be a complex, challenging and time consuming process as there were so many different shapes, sizes and colours to contend with. They all had to be labelled and sorted before the jigsaw puzzle could begin.
Seeing my clients move back in and immediately feel settled and at home, even though everything had changed!
Questions answered by Richard Dewhurst, Founder of Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a comforting, patient-focused healthcare design, click here to see more.
We delved behind the scenes with SBID Accredited Interior Designer, Annette Frommer, Founder of Israeli-based design studio, Annette Frommer Interior Design. Serving an international client base and specialising in interior design in Jerusalem, Annette stresses the importance of staying inspired to keep designs fresh and original, and shares how essential our smart phones have become when it comes to doing business!
Can you describe your current job?
I am an interior designer based in Tel-Aviv, Israel. My clients are from abroad and looking to have a second home in Israel whether in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.
I was born and raised in Belgium and have been living in Israel for the past 35 years. I am fluent in six languages which certainly helps when interacting with my international clients. I always knew that I was going to somehow be involved in a creative profession and admired beauty and design, whether in architecture, art, or fashion.
Luckily I do not need too many hours of sleep in order to function, and I can honestly say that I spend most of my day working. Yes, I am a workaholic. I get up very early, prepare my coffee and then straight to the computer. I receive many mails at every hour imaginable since my clients, and some suppliers, are located in many different time zones. I like to feel that I start the day with a relatively clean slate.
I then go to my office, another cup of coffee, and meet with the team. We go over projects and other matters at hand. Next is the field. I am a great believer in being hands on in every project, so I visit all my projects on a weekly basis meeting with the builder, other professionals, etc. There are days of course dedicated to “shopping” and “choosing” – those I love the most.
I usually return home at about 7pm and after a quick bite, it is back to work. Again I answer mails, go over plans and documents, gather samples, and prepare all that is necessary for the next day. I don’t know how we once worked without a computer and without a smart phone.
The world today moves at an incredible pace. We are bombarded with an overwhelming amount of information. I believe that most of us wish for homes that are serene, tranquil and that provide a sense of safety. Rewarding to me is seeing my clients happy with the result of my work – with the way I planned the space, chose the colour palette, textiles, lighting etc. Often times I am given ‘carte blanche’ and make all the decisions on behalf of the client. So it is definitely rewarding to see a big smile on their face.
No matter what the style, I always endeavor to achieve beauty, harmony and elegance. Elegance is key and it is achieved when there is cohesion, softness, subtlety, so that the final result appears to be effortless.
Yes. There is one project where I am planning and designing 5 apartments with the same layout for 5 siblings. It is a challenge designing each apartment unlike the other and making sure each sibling feels that his apartment is unique and designed especially for him!
Another project is a 1,000sq townhouse for a single family - with many bedrooms. The challenge here will be to make this vast space with so many bedrooms feel like a home, and not a hotel.
Coming across problems in the field, and coming up with solutions that are exceptional and actually make the space look even better.
We were commissioned to review the plans and bring a halted project (a stunning mansion located in the suburbs of Jerusalem) to completion utilising the existing layout and partitions. The basement was especially problematic as the space was long, narrow, dreary and windowless with very low ceilings, and we had to transform it to be a prominent billiard room with facilities.
The final result includes an elegant billiard room, an inviting and relaxing bar/ lounge area complemented by an adjoining decorative wrought iron cellar door that leads to a state-of-the-art wine cellar, with walls covered in authentic old bricks and floors with reclaimed ancient stones.
The Italian woodwork is finely designed and crafted with onyx backlit ceiling panels cleverly disguising a maze of pipes and ducts; creating the illusion of height.
As for the mansion: the result is characterised by ornate and neoclassical décor that is opulent and lavish. The rich woodwork, the gold and silver gilt-accented furniture, the layered textures in muted pinks, light blue and aqua hues define the formal ambience of this home. The grand entrance with refined marble flooring embodies elegance and romance.
I think that as a designer, it is extremely important to continuously be inspired, be creative, and to strive for quality and distinction. The biggest problem is when I see more of the same, when I see copy/paste designs. It is challenging to remain fresh, original and timeless.
There are a few which stand out to me! Andree Putman; a scion of her time, her projects are very classical and designed to perfection. India Mahdavi, for her creative use of colours and shapes; and lastly, Peter Marino whose work is fearless, bold and non-conformist!
If you were inspired by Annette’s story, click here to learn more about the role of an interior designer.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features an exceptional new build residence with 5 ensuite bedrooms, off street parking and leisure suite in the heart of Notting Hill. Fenton Whelan redeveloped and designed the property to create a boutique mansion townhouse, complete with a wellness centre comprising of a gym, sauna, steam room and Notting Hill’s longest swimming pool at 15 metres! The 6,225 sq.ft house is designed with a fresh colour palette and eclectic, contemporary interior pieces, to reflect the properties geography and the vernacular architecture of the surrounding area, whilst still retaining bespoke, luxury detailing throughout.
Practice: Fenton Whelan
Project: Lonsdale Road, Notting Hill
The brief was to redevelop and redesign the traditional Victorian property and create a 6,225 sq ft boutique family town-house whist retaining the original facade. The interior design juxtaposes the traditional and heritage elements of the property by introducing clean lines, large volume spaces and modern pieces to create a luxury family home.
Inspiration was drawn from the buildings historical proportions and the vernacular architecture of the surrounding area, which has been emphasised in the design and married with meticulously designed and crafted pieces for an elegant and contemporary interior style. By combining these two inspirations the design has created a fresh and light home whilst still retaining the bespoke, luxury feel throughout.
Capitalising on ceiling heights and adding large bi-folding doors to the rear of the property on both the ground and first floors, we maximised the amount of light that flows through the property. The design and layout of the property, notably the creation of a dual aspect reception room, further emphasised the architectural volumes, making spaces feel open and bright.
The property was originally a Victorian era pub for which the façade was listed and therefore had to be retained. The process of transforming this into a modern luxury five bedroom home with leisure suite and home cinema came with a number of planning and spatial hurdles that our design team had to overcome By adding additional floors, both above and below ground, the volumes of key rooms could be maintained, and allowed spaces to remain open, maximising the flow of light throughout. Light was on the lower floors was managed through the addition of beautifully designed light wells creating private outside areas below ground. The introduction of a 4 floor sweeping staircase gives a sense of space and volume, from the first moment on entering the property.
Our team’s highlight of the project was our success in creating a unique design that harmonises a contemporary and luxurious feel whilst enhancing the buildings attributes. One example of this is the entrance hall and its sweeping four-storey staircase, fitted with made-to-measure balustrades and housing a full height drop chandelier, with custom-made lights inspired by the leaves from the tree-lined road outside.
The SBID International Design Awards are a recognition of talent and achievement, which is very important to use being placed amongst world recognised design companies who are all leaders in their respective fields.
Questions answered by Desariot Ademaj, Creative Director of Fenton Whelan
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a design which emulates the eclectic scene of downtown Frankfurt with an urban aesthetic and cool, artistic flare, click here to see more.
It's time to talk toilets. Are you wondering what to do with your next guest loo? As the old saying goes, big things come in small packages - and in this case, the toilet! Usually the smallest room of a residential project, SBID Accredited Designer, Richard Dewhurst of Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture has much bigger ideas. Who said the guest lavatory can't be just as lavish as the rest of the house? Richard explains why guest washrooms deserve their time to shine and how he has designed these small, often overlooked spaces with maximum impact - making a statement that will leave a lasting impression on any visitor!
Having worked on many residential refurbishment projects over the years, I’ve come to realise that the smallest room in the house can offer one of the best opportunities to get creative and interestingly, it seems that even the most conservative of clients can be convinced that the guest loo is a wonderful way of showing friends and family that they not only have a fun side, but are willing to push the design boundaries, giving them a bit of added kudos to boot.
On many occasions I’ve been able to spend a disproportionally larger budget on this room than anywhere else in the house, allowing myself to try out new ideas, use interesting materials or simply to specify an item I haven’t had the chance to use before. With the seemingly unending supply of new and exciting products coming to market, this room provides a perfect platform to let one’s creativity shine.
Here are three guest loos I’ve recently designed, which incidentally, are in different but identical houses on the same side of the same street, creating a touch of loo envy between the neighbours!
In this room I decided to go for a strong monochrome look, creating a bold and powerful statement by using different versions of the same hex tile from a range by Mandarin Stone. I further accentuated the geometric feel by using Duravit Vero Sanitaryware and a facetted, brushed & pierced brass ceiling light from Tom Dixon. The moody and sultry atmosphere was further enhanced by painting the walls and ceiling matt black and by using a matt black tap by Dornbracht.
My clients wanted a more traditional look in their loo so I lined the room with new tongue and groove panelling painted in Farrow & Ball Off Black, complimented by a fun but sophisticated Fornasetti feature wallpaper from Cole & Son. The floor was covered in wonderfully patinated Victorian floor tiles salvaged from a recently demolished conservatory and laid in a pattern of my design. I sourced the Victorian sink & stand from English Salvage and after a light restoration, it looked amazing! A pair of lovely art deco taps supplied by Architectural Antiques, a vintage mirror and articulated wall lights by Dowsing and Reynolds completed the look.
Sometimes it’s fun to design a completely unexpected space and I certainly had the opportunity to on this project. The stunning backlit stretch ceiling by Barisol created a perfectly uniform light spread, and the seamless curved polished plaster walls gave a feeling of spatial infinity. This was offset by the handmade turquoise Czech tiles; adding a burst of deep colour and lushness to the room. The concrete sink was by Kast and space-age looking wall-mounted toilet from CP Hart.
Award-winning designer, Richard Dewhurst of Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture specialises in quality interiors for the residential and commercial sector. After recently relocating his practice to Portsmouth, Richard is now taking project enquiries in the South Coast.
This article was written by Richard Dewhurst of Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a private underground entertainment space for an ambitious London client. Nice Brew Design were commissioned to design the 530 square metre space which was built under an existing 1920s detached home in London. Working alongside the Architect and dealing with various restrictions, Nice Brew Design came up with a large open space with the use of visual zoning to divide up each entertainment area, but also ensure the space as a whole was unified through the interior design scheme and layout throughout.
Practice: Nice Brew Design
Project: Private Entertainment Space
The space needed to include a large gym and shower room, WCs, two-lane bowling alley, dance area and DJ booth, an IMAX cinema to seat up to 20 people, bar area that would double up as a meeting space, a wine room, pool table and various seating areas - including an area with five screens for multi-screen sport watching. The space was going to have various types of end-users; the family, teenagers and friends – but was also going to be used for large corporate events and needed to have a sophiscated AV and lighting system, as well as be hard-wearing where possible.
The Art Deco style was our background inspiration, as well as creating the atmosphere and style of a traditional Gentleman’s club. However, the design concept actually resulted in a more modern, minimal take on this.
The opportunity to work on such a varied project was fantastic. At times it felt like 5 projects in one! Design work started in 2015 with construction kicking off early in 2016 and the project completing in November 2018. As such it was a detailed and an all time consuming project. Finally seeing the designs realised after so much time was definitely the highlight.
Two things stand out. Firstly the acoustics of the space. Noise from music, and in particular the bowling alley, needed to be retained within the basement and it was essential that it didn’t travel into the house or the gardens above, as it is a residential area. Acoustic plaster from Stil acoustics was used on the ceilings; acoustic glass and doors were specified for the glass encased staircase that leads to the main house and the wine room, as well as to the floor to ceiling bronze doors that separate the house and bunker staircase. The bespoke bronze doors to the external entrance at underground level were also acoustic specified and a copper clad box that encases the external staircase from the garden level was designed to further ensure noise was kept below ground.
Another challenge we faced was that the space was restricted. Position was governed by the fact that The Bunker needed to link to the main house above as well as have an external entrance. Originally the project was designed as a two storey bunker but it was then discovered that the existing borehole only went down 6m and a further test resulted in the conclusion that this would be a complex construction and was updated to a single storey proposal instead.
We felt the project deserved to be recognised and the SBID Awards are the one to aim for within the industry!
Questions answered by Charlotte Jackson, Creative Director at Nice Brew Design
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a stunning Shanghai residence located in the heart of Shanghai’s Pudong district, click here to see more.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a stunning Shanghai residence located in the heart of Shanghai’s Pudong district. Elicyon was commissioned to design a luxurious apartment in a contemporary British style. With sophisticated colour palette, lacquered veneers and marble, the design scheme blends perfectly with the existing architecture of the building, and by using joinery, furniture and lighting crafted exclusively in the UK – Elicyon created a home true to the client’s vision.
Practice: Elicyon
Project: Shanghai
Location: Shanghai, China
The client was a young Chinese professional who wanted to create an apartment with a real sense of British craftsmanship within this prestigious residential development. The client had a very strong design ethos with long-term vision – it was very important that the fittings, furnishings and palette chosen would be impactful but at the same time, wouldn’t date. It is always exciting to work with a client who has a defined vision and makes highly informed, considered design choices.
British craftsmanship definitely inspired the design of the apartment. This translated into our choice of suppliers – we worked with a lot of British and European artisans and suppliers. We also chose a colour palette with quite a British sensibility – lots of dove grey and pale blues which were then given a twist through contrasting against areas of high black glossy, lacquered veneers. We were conscious of not creating a cliché or pastiche of British design, so we also took inspiration from the Shanghai location, paying homage to the river and incredible views, to create a marriage between east and western influences in the final product.
This project was very special for many reasons – the fit-out of the apartment was almost entirely built in Britain and then flat packed and air freighted to Shanghai. It was an incredibly challenging and exciting brief to transpose a completely British-made design for the client. The end result was absolutely fantastic, true to the initial vision of a space with a limited, and in most part, high contrast palette.
Questions answered by Charu Gandhi, Founder and Director, Elicyon
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a timeless explorer's lodge in Botswana built with sustainability and nature in mind, click here to see more.
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