New Project: Mid Century Modern Renovation
This project is a perfect example of how a client’s (a couple in Great Chesterford) conflicting desires can come together beautifully via thoughtful interior design. He wanted clutter free, she wanted maximalist. He wanted structural, she wanted boho. He didn’t want to live in a rainbow, she wanted pink.
Before throwing colour and personality into the home, we had to complement the beauty of the architecture (which was artfully designed by Morizzo & Co). This meant,
Selecting quality materials, including the kitchen tiles and the wide plank oak flooring which flowed throughout the ground floor.
Window treatments which would let the architecture do the talking - like motorised blinds which roll up into the cabinetry surrounding the windows.
My fail-safe white paint, Slaked Lime by Little Greene everywhere for a bright cohesive backdrop with doors painted in Mushroom by Little Greene to add depth.
Once the sleek and quality basics were in place, it was time to inject personality without clutter.
How do you do this without filling a home with “stuff”? By using colour, pattern and texture. For example,
The structural beam in the kitchen is finished in yellow, like a big ray of sunshine.
The transition from the kitchen to the playroom is colourful with a bifolding door painted in the vibrant teal colour Canton by Little Greene.
A pink velvet sofa in the living room hits the brief and contrasts with the clients’ existing red one.
We also added pattern and texture in every room - like the entrance tile inspired by Studio Wanda, and the Linwood fabric upholstery on the bench seating. Quieter textures are elsewhere like the tiled fireplace in the living room, a slat understairs wall, and terrazzo effect flooring in the kitchen.
One of the most impactful moments is the floor to ceiling gallery wall which hits you as soon as you enter the home. It’s a double height display of art and memories, providing a curated maximalist aesthetic within the clean framework of a gallery wall. The playroom is another pocket full of personality including a vintage school desk, balanced with Ikea storage solutions for practicality. A floor to ceiling cork board is a contained canvas for the children's creativity.
When I think of quality and streamlined furniture, I think of mid-century design. So it was only right to include some mid-century classics throughout in the lighting and furniture choices. My favourite furniture combination is in the kitchen, where a new Ercol dining table sits with vintage mid-century chairs and a sideboard sourced by the client.
This project was such a great example of the power of combining design sensibilities. Interior design working with architecture, and combining 2 clients with differing tastes. The result is a stunning home which is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also a true reflection of the family inside.
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