The Millfield Chandelier Phillips & Wood are leading makers of range and bespoke lighting, furniture and accessories to the interior design trade. Please send enquiries to [email protected] for further details. Workshop, showroom and offices. 2 Harlequin Avenue, Brentford, TW8 9EW [email protected] www.phillipsandwood.co.uk T. 020 8222 8117 Made in brass and finished to order, here shown in polished nickel, and with lead crystal prisms. For more product information on Phillips and Wood, CLICK HERE
This contemporary bathroom, by John Stefanidis in a chic London home, features striking white marble coupled with chrome encased frosted glass windows to create a bright and unique space. Photograph by Fritz von der Schulenburg/The Interior Archive CHIC & BRIGHT THE DEPTH and pigment of colour that varies in Malachite is evident in the bewitching trance of these porcelain tiles from R.I.M Tile Boutique. Exploring the vibrant jewel tones of this precious and enticing stone, a curious amalgam of the classic stone protrudes an ethereal beauty in magnificent proportions. Only 6mm in thickness, this collection permits use in many applications. T: +44(0)20 7376 5820 | www.rimdesign.co.uk BEWITCHING MALACHITE A dynamic design hybrid, the Profil tap collection blends simplicity with a striking sleek aesthetic to create the ultimate bathroom statement. Crafted with the finest Lalique crystal, the Profil Cross tap is the last word in luxury, available in a variety of finishes, including chrome, bronze and brass. Expertly manufactured by master craftsmen, Profil’s superlative quality is guaranteed to exceed all expectations. T: +44(0) 20 8202 8288 www.bathroomsint.com Capturing the chic decadence of 1940’s glamour, the new Hollywood Collection is the latest range of metallics from Decorum Est. Made from white serpentine hard stone with polished German silver, the overlay is cut, shaped and pasted onto a marble substrate. Rich in imagination, romance and extravagance, the Hollywood Collection has been developed using the ancient art technique, Opus Sectile, which gives each tile its texture and pattern. £1,703 per square metre. T: +44(0)20 7731 5556 | www.decorum-est.co.uk SLEEK LALIQUE VOLEVATCH has shown exceptional French craftsmanship for nearly 40 years. Devoted to the Art Deco era, the company has created a 1930’s collection of fixtures, recognisable by its graphic modernity, sleek lines, sweeping curves and perfect geometry. T: +33 (0)1 42 22 42 55 | www.volevatch.fr DESIGN NEWS | bathrooms For more details on any of the companies on this page, click on the Blue Highlight
Showrooms London Chelsea Walk 282-284 Fulham Road London SW10 9EW +44 (0)207 351 0940 Showrooms & Workshops Kent Saracens Dairy Pluckley Road Pluckley Kent TN27 0SA +44 (0)1233 840 840 KENT ENGLAND CATCHPOLE & RYE WHERE THE STORY BEGINS... The Foundry, Kent, England. EXCLUSIVE LUXURY BATHROOMS WWW.CATCHPOLEANDRYE.COM •2014 BRIDGE FOR DESIGN AD 216X280.indd 1 For more product information on Catchpole & Rye, CLICK HERE 30/01/2014 12:14
STYLE MODERNE is an elegant collection of taps and showers inspired by the Art Deco design era of the 1920’s and 1930’s. The movement itself is typified by influences steeped in Cubism and Futurism, distinguished by straight lines, rectilinear forms and geometric shapes with stepped forms. Samuel Heath has given these fundamentals a contemporary feel. www.samuel-heath.co.uk This retro bathroom, by Nicholas Haslam in a central London townhouse, delivers heightened drama with the use of dark marble for the bath and surrounds and verre eglomise on the walls. Photograph by Fritz von der Schulenburg/The Interior Archive DRAMATIC RETRO LOOK WATERFRONT Designer Bathrooms collaboration with artist and designer Mark Humphrey, has resulted in the creation of ‘Cleopatra’. Handcrafted from solid teak, the bath features a lavish hammered brass lining and luxurious red agate semi precious stone inlay, it is only appropriate that ‘Cleopatra’ should be named after one of the most beautiful rulers in history. T: +44 (0)15 2752 8789 | www.waterfrontbathrooms.com PRESENTING innovative form, engineering and a simple yet striking design, Iconic has launched the Lattice radiator by award winning designer Jacek Ryn. A steel, vertical design, this contemporary statement radiator features an interlaced structure and a three-dimensional pattern arrangement that its name is derived from. The web structure seamlessly weaves bended tubes that allows for this design to translate in to six different sizes to accommodate the heat requirements for different room sizes. The innovative tube bending technique is a unique method that cleverly bends each tube, which essentially allows for designs to be more elaborate and intricate. T: +44 (0)13 4230 5579 | www.iconicradiators.co.uk Jacek weaves a striking web KH Zero 2 is the second bathroom collection by Kelly Hoppen in collaboration with Crosswater. The KH Zero 2 features soft curvaceous lines, which differs from the cubist forms seen in the debut collection. Kelly says: ‘A tap should feel lovely to use. KH Zero 2 is aerodynamic in form and looks beautiful too. The collection is contemporary and inspired by my signature style of clean lines and simplicity.’ T: +44 (0)84 5873 8840 | www.crosswater.co.uk/kelly-hoppen DESIGN NEWS | bathrooms For more details on any of the companies on this page, click on the Blue Highlight
Volevatch orfèvre dans l’art du bain 8, rue Pasteur - 06400 Cannes 108, rue du Cherche Midi - 75006 Paris www.volevatch.fr VERSAILLES limited collection chaque robinetterie est conçue comme une œuvre d’art dont la virtuosité n’a d’égale que l’excellence du travail d’orfèvre de nos maîtres artisans d’exception. les cristaux de roche les plus purs sont sertis d’une délicate armature en bronze finement ciselée à la main. Garante d’un authentique savoir faire « made in France » la maison Volevatch livre un vibrant hommage à la quintessence du style et de la sophistication hérités des arts décoratifs du XViiième siècle français. Each bathroom fitting is created as a work of art whose virtuosity is only paralleled by the excellence of our master artisans’ skilled craftsmanship. The purest of quartz crystals are set into the most delicate and carefully hand-engraved bronze mounts. Maison Volevatch guarantees an authentic know-how and prized “Made in France” label paying tribute to the quintessence of style and sophistication inherited from the 18th century decorative arts in France. annonce-pub-carlton.indd 1 For more product information on Volevatch, CLICK HERE 19/12/13 16:34
DESIGN NEWS | bathrooms THIS deceptively large bathroom, achieved by the use of mirrors around the bath, carries the theme of the rest of Gul Coskun’s home by featuring one of his personally sourced original artwork pieces by Hiroshi Sugitomo. Photograph by Simon Upton/The Interior Archive Bathroom reflections EXEMPLIFYING the natural semblance of Japanese inspired design in contemporary form, the Geo Collection from William Garvey combines organic texture and warmth through its range of luxury wood baths and basins. Handcrafted from laminated teak composite and finished in a specially formulated marine polish, this collection instills antiseptic properties and is highly durable with a stain resistant façade. T: +44 (0)14 0484 1430 www.williamgarvey.co.uk THE NEW Privilege range from Fiora is available in an extra flat, flush to floor version, as well as a framed shower tray. New, exclusive finishes can also be adapted to suit irregular architectures and all trays are manufactured with the Nanobath technology, which allows for the rubberised textured shower trays to be fungistatic, bacteriostatic and hydrophobic. T: +34 941 410 00 | www.fiorabath.co.uk On The Level Wet room tray systems available with linear drains in any size up to 2.4m square. Birch ply shower bases for the ultimate wet room look made in the UK. T: +44(0)20 3544 4002 | www.ajp-bathrooms.co.uk ON THE LEVEL For more details on any of the companies on this page, click on the Blue Highlight
Bateau cast iron bath order online at www.astonmatthews.co.uk visit our showroom 141-147A Essex Road, Islington, London N1 2SN 020 7226 7220 [email protected] since1823 AstonMatthews For more product information on Aston Matthews, CLICK HERE
DESIGN NEWS | bathrooms WATERWORKS has opened a new showroom on the King’s Road. The kitchen and bathroom company continues to draw inspiration from the rich history of the European bath combined with American ingenuity and innovation. Reminiscent of the grand hotels of New York and Paris and heritage homes of the late 19th century, an elegancy permeates the collection of classic designs such as the Voltaire bath. The spacious showroom will display a wide selection of exclusive designs. T: +001 800 899 6757 | www.waterworks.com The custom-built five-foot oculus window in the bathroom of this bright and airy New York apartment, designed by Anita Sarsidi at Diamond Baratta Design, echoes the curve of the voluminous bath below. Photograph by Simon Upton/The Interior Archive BIG BATHROOM CURVES Luxury bathroom makers Drummonds, is opening a Kings Road flagship showroom in April. An impressive space has been transformed into a spectacular concept showroom, part of an ongoing collaboration with award-winning designer Christopher Jenner. Jenner describes his design as an “elemental narrative”, showcasing the artisanal heritage at the heart of Drummonds’ bathroom collection. Dramatic and highly architectural, its layered forms also reflect their organic materials, from cast iron to china clay, marble and glass. T: +44 (0)20 7376 4499 | www.drummonds-uk.com The Athena cast iron bath from Aston Matthews features raised ends making it a particularly comfortable design in which to lie back and relax. The bath is supplied with a high quality white enamel interior and the exterior is primed allowing Athena to be painted to match your décor. T: +44(0) 20 7226 7220 | www.astonmatthews.co.uk Relax with Athena For more details on any of the companies on this page, click on the Blue Highlight
Retail Showroom: 4 Pont Street London SW1X 9EL Telephone: +44 (0)20 7838 7788 Facsimile: +44 (0)20 7838 7789 www.bathroomsint.com Exclusive to by BATH INTER advert 4.indd 1 For more product information on Bathrooms International, CLICK HERE 18/07/2013 16:39
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Bathrooms will never be the same again 137 Kings Road, Kingston Surrey KT2 5JE Telephone: 020 3544 4002 | email: [email protected] www.ajp-bathrooms.co.uk Five generations of fine bathrooms For more product information on Ajp Bathrooms, CLICK HERE
compose an interior like a musical score. It starts on paper and I gradually build up the layers, adding and eliminating as that initial sketch takes shape. Dorothy Draper was among the first women in America to see interior decorating as a commercial profession. I’m mad about her strong style! A room she did at Rockefeller Center in New York was immediately hailed as ‘frozen music’. My first interpretation almost automatically starts with a ‘classic’ plan, and progresses using light and reflection for balance, as only then can one start minimalising. People now are fixated on ‘light’, and want far too much. Rooms should not be glaringly floodlit; they should sparkle with light. Colour is more my thing, and it is influenced both by natural and artificial light, so, by applying paint and pattern in textures and layers, I can create endless different effects and permutations. It is important in any decorative scheme to remember that the eye needs to absorb the atmosphere of a room and to create its own interpretation of the whole. Depending on the project or my mood, I can be influenced by both designers and architects. Yet I consider myself to be neither. Both professions tend to be somewhat bloodless, lacking passion. I am essentially a decorator, a beautifier. I add drama and the unexpected. A decorator’s approach to colour must be self-assured. Whereas confidence is commonplace and often misplaced, assurance is both bold and subtle. Nancy Lancaster was one of the assured combiners of colour. In one house she painted one room pink, the one next to it blue. When complimented on the unlikely combination, she pointed out that it was the colour of the air, where the colours met, that was beautiful. Mrs Lancaster also had the one really successful yellow room in England, which, much to her annoyance, I described once as ‘butter yellow’! Yellow isn’t a colour I use much in this country, despite the old nonsense about ‘sunny’; the reflection of so much natural green and grey outside works against it. My favourite colour, one which I use over and over again, I call ‘ashes of lilac’. It’s a kind of grey violet tinged with a sable brown. It’s the colour of shadows in old French floral chintzes. I love greys and browns and dull mauves, ‘grauve’ in my mind. They work for both Neoclassical and Minimal projects. While some may raise an eyebrow at the mere suggestion of my being considered a Minimalist, designers haven’t ever learned Maximalism. My work hasn’t become stuck in a rut; never a recipe. It’s important for designers often to critique their output, change their style, their aims, even in my case their appearance. Besides, Minimalism is essentially a case of elimination, of pairing away. It is static as opposed to fluid, and creates a void in which the decorator has to create an atmosphere. If one gets it right the barrenness will be eliminated. I do not set out to achieve a restrained grandeur in my decoration, but an interior must evolve if it is to be successful, until a certain point is reached at which it is obvious that a degree of restraint needs to be reintroduced. It can be as simple as walking into a room and recognising that a certain piece of furniture or an object needs to be removed, or, conversely, that a shape or a piece is missing from a composition. Paradoxically, some of the most elaborate rooms in the past have a Minimal quality about them, and I suspect that is what this book sets out to prove. For example, Empress Maria Theresa enlarged the royal castle in Prague in the 18th century in the most ► An interior must evolve if it is to be successful In this extract from the design interior book Luxury Minimal Nicholas Haslam talks about his style and colour passions Photographs FRITZ VON DER SCHULENBURG | Text KAREN HOWES / The Interior Archive ‘I IN CONVERSATION | Nicholas Haslam
IN CONVERSATION | Nicholas Haslam sumptuous Baroque style, yet every inch of the room was decorated entirely in white. Marie Antoinette’s dairy at Rambouillet had a simple five-footed white marble table in a white room before a rock-wild grotto, and much of the Louis XVI furniture and decoration is as pared down as contemporary stuff. Just look at it without a jaundiced eye. One of my recent interiors in London (shown in the pictures on these pages) was commissioned by the client under the sobriquet of ‘Minimalist Baroque’: plain and pared down, but with a twist of Haslam exuberance! The project had a Minimalist beginning: it was a complete gut job. A classic four-bedroom townhouse was reconfigured, luxuriantly, as the echt one-bedroom city pied-aterre. I interpreted the unusual pairing of styles by exaggerating the scale of the decoration: from elaborate, ornamental plasterwork around the doorways, which is pure homage to Draper, to wide stripes of marble in black and white on the floor of the entrance hall.► ‘Some may raise on eyebrow at the mere suggestion of my being a minimalist’
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Schinkel was a fabulous architect in Neoclassical Berlin and it is a constant point of reference. Frances Adler Elkins was an American designer celebrated in the 1930’s for her unorthodox approach to interior design. She integrated different styles and periods in a manner that had not been attempted before, juxtaposing Classical with sleekly modern decorating techniques; she used a shimmering colour palette, particularly blues, taupes and pinkish whites. It must have been much easier to create breathtaking interiors, say, a hundred years ago. People understood that quality took time. Now, they want everything yesterday. Marie Antoinette was happy to wait a decade for her furniture. Well, I presume she was happy! Perhaps she was endlessly sending chivvying letters. I was once offered the chance to create an ephemeral interior. Where things do not have to be decorated to last, it can feel extraordinarily liberating and I can experiment with different materials. We covered the floors in lengths of painted canvas, for example: temporary, yes, but imaginative… and also Minimal! I love it when a design comes together quickly. A project can lose its impetus. Artists have influences, and continue to influence, the references we use to design and decorate our homes, as well as ways in which we combine colour, texture and pattern. The walls of my office are covered in mood boards pinned with an ever-changing collection of sources of inspiration and ideas to interpret. Decoration today is still about bravery; the courage not to copy either yourself or others, but to take elements to mix them up and create something new.’ Luxury Minimal with photographs by Fritz von der Schulenburg and text by Karen Howes is published ■ by Thames & Hudson B
Bathrooms will never be the same again 137 Kings Road, Kingston Surrey KT2 5JE Telephone: 020 3544 4002 | email: [email protected] www.ajp-bathrooms.co.uk Five generations of fine bathrooms www.bardbrazier.co.uk x { The Fine Art of British Engineering B4D_B&B_Advert_5_Layout 1 02/07/2013 11:38 Page 1 V e s s e l G a l l e r y Balustrade Collection Vessel Gallery liGhtinG editions specialists in unique & handblown bespoke liGhtinG 114 Kensington Park Road London W11 2PW • + 44 020 7727 8001 • www.vesselgallery.com Bridge for Design Ad 2 26th Oct 2013.indd 1 26/10/2013 13:10 The Millfield Chandelier Phillips & Wood are leading makers of range and bespoke lighting, furniture and accessories to the interior design trade. Please send enquiries to [email protected] for further details. Workshop, showroom and offices. 2 Harlequin Avenue, Brentford, TW8 9EW [email protected] www.phillipsandwood.co.uk T. 020 8222 8117 Made in brass and finished to order, here shown in polished nickel, and with lead crystal prisms. master single.indd 1 25/07/2013 16:53 Showrooms London Chelsea Walk 282-284 Fulham Road London SW10 9EW +44 (0)207 351 0940 Showrooms & Workshops Kent Saracens Dairy Pluckley Road Pluckley Kent TN27 0SA +44 (0)1233 840 840 KENT ENGLAND CATCHPOLE & RYE WHERE THE STORY BEGINS... The Foundry, Kent, England. EXCLUSIVE LUXURY BATHROOMS WWW.CATCHPOLEANDRYE.COM •2014 BRIDGE FOR DESIGN AD 216X280.indd 1 30/01/2014 12:14 Volevatch orfèvre dans l’art du bain 8, rue Pasteur - 06400 Cannes 108, rue du Cherche Midi - 75006 Paris www.volevatch.fr VERSAILLES limited collection chaque robinetterie est conçue comme une œuvre d’art dont la virtuosité n’a d’égale que l’excellence du travail d’orfèvre de nos maîtres artisans d’exception. les cristaux de roche les plus purs sont sertis d’une délicate armature en bronze finement ciselée à la main. Garante d’un authentique savoir faire « made in France » la maison Volevatch livre un vibrant hommage à la quintessence du style et de la sophistication hérités des arts décoratifs du XViiième siècle français. Each bathroom fitting is created as a work of art whose virtuosity is only paralleled by the excellence of our master artisans’ skilled craftsmanship. The purest of quartz crystals are set into the most delicate and carefully hand-engraved bronze mounts. Maison Volevatch guarantees an authentic know-how and prized “Made in France” label paying tribute to the quintessence of style and sophistication inherited from the 18th century decorative arts in France. annonce-pub-carlton.indd 1 19/12/13 16:34 Bateau cast iron bath order online at www.astonmatthews.co.uk visit our showroom 141-147A Essex Road, Islington, London N1 2SN 020 7226 7220 [email protected] since1823 AstonMatthews Retail Showroom: 4 Pont Street London SW1X 9EL Telephone: +44 (0)20 7838 7788 Facsimile: +44 (0)20 7838 7789 www.bathroomsint.com Exclusive to by BATH INTER advert 4.indd 1 18/07/2013 16:39 CONTACT OUR ADVERTISERS WWW.BRIDGEFORDESIGN.COM To visit these advertiser websites CLICK on their advertisement below
RISE OF TUFTED RUGS ntil the housing crash of 2009 in the US, hand-knotted rugs comprised more than 99 per cent of the residential designer market. Companies that had specialised in hand-knotted oriental and nomadic hand-weave carpets for half a century or more suddenly noticed that the clients of interior designers were postponing high end rug purchases. Rising to the challenge, a few wholesale rug manufacturers responded by upping the design and luxury quotient of handtufted rugs. Innovation in this category began with special licensed collections launched in 2009 by icons such as lifestyle leader Martha Stewart and celebrity designer Thom Filicia. In collaboration with these tastemakers, wholesalers pushed the design envelope with hand-tufted rugs in everything from yarn choices, to colour palettes and surface textures. These pioneering hand-tufted collections were crafted exclusively of the finest New Zealand wool to ensure a luxury look and long wear. Yarns were dyed using the same ancient pot dyeing techniques weaving families had been using for centuries to create custom hand-knotted Peshawar and Tibetan rugs for the interior design market. Finishing techniques were developed to create the soft patina of artisan woven carpets. The idea was to make the transition as seamless as possible by focusing on recreating expensive hand-knotted looks with proprietary effects and ever increasing numbers of colours for richness of detail. Rug companies that survived the transition to handtufting banked on bringing exceptional value to consumers who wanted quality, style and greater affordability in their decorative home products. At first, weavers concentrated on capturing the detailed motifs of coveted Persian rug designs. At Safavieh we aimed high, choosing to reproduce the famous Lavar Kerman rugs that have been prized as artistic marvels since the city of Lavar was visited by Marco Polo in 1270. In fact, the hand-tufted rug is a bit more structured than its finely knotted counterparts. But the technology is so exceptional, the hand-tufted version of a prized antique uses 25 colours, resulting in extraordinary value for the price. Always a proponent of democracy in design and impressed with the quick turnaround times and styling flexibility in hand-tufting, Thom Filicia chose to launch his initial indoor rug collection entirely in hand-tufted wool and viscose highlights that were indistinguishable from silk. “The result is pure, evocative design that is both essential and highly practical,” Filicia says. Indeed, the rugs exude classic simplicity and inject an unexpected, modern flair reflective of his fresh yet timeless approach to design. Using a balance of design, materials, textures and palettes in unexpected ways, the pioneers in the hand-tufted medium have sparked a revolution that has proven mutually beneficial for interior designers and consumers, and has allowed weavers across the world to transfer their skills to a 21st century technique while keeping an ancient art alive. Arash Yaraghi is a co-principal of Safavieh 40 Harbor Park Drive North, Port Washington, New York 11050 T: +001 516 945 1900 | www.safavieh.com Arash Yaraghi tells how today’s weavers are keeping an ancient art alive U ■ B DESIGN TRENDS | view point For more details about Safavieh, CLICK HERE
*See website for full T’s & C’s www.uber-interiors.com +44 (0)845 0773280 Adele-c Alivar Andrew Martin Antonello Italia Arketipo Ascension Latorre Atelier Alain Ellouz Baltus Baobab Collection Beau & Bien Boca Do Lobo Bonaldo Brand van Egmond Busnelli Buster + Punch Cattelan Italia Christopher Guy Creazioni CTO Lighting Dedon Delightfull DK Home Dona Living Ego Paris Eichholtz Emu Fiam Fink Flos Formenti Gallotti & Radice Giorgetti Giorgio Collection Glas Italia Gloster Heathfield & co Il Pezzo Mancante Inspired by Design JNL Justin Van Breda Masiero Modà OCHRE Porada Porta Romana Portfolio Collection Royal Botania Scabetti Simpsons Mirrors Skyline Swan Italia Teckell Terzani Villiers Brothers + NEW WEBSITE bridge4d_issue-2014Q1-SPRING_UBER SP.indd 1 For more product information on Uber Interiors, CLICK HERE 29/01/2014 12:40
Marc-Michaels Project Focus A contemporary home with ‘barefoot elegance’ in Boca Raton Text KELLY WENHAM | Photographs BRANTLEY PHOTOGRAPHY Architects: AFFINITI ARCHITECTS | Builders: MARK TIMOTHY, Inc LUXURY HOMES
escribed as ‘barefoot elegance with an organic feel’, this new build in Boca Raton emits a tranquil and elegant ambiance inviting you to sit and relax awhile. Further enhancing their reputation as one of the ‘Top 100 Interior Design Firms in the World’, Marc-Michaels has created this stunning, fresh and contemporary living space on Spanish River Road, Boca Raton. The property, built by Mark Timothy, Inc. Luxury Homes with architecture by Affiniti Architects, was finished with the Marc-Michaels stamp of decadent design. For over 26 years, Marc-Michaels Interior Design Inc. has been tailoring properties to suit their owners. Focusing on interior detailing with strong finishes and hand-picked furnishings, the Marc-Michaels team has made each home a reflection of the passions of the families living there. This new build in Florida was a blank canvas and principal of Marc-Michaels, Marc Thee, was heavily involved in the design process from the ground up. The design team backing him were Jeff Strasser, Courtney Jacobus and design assistant, Allison George with interior detailing by Rachel Jones and Kathryn Dunagan. The richly varnished wooden ceiling flowing from the entryway through the great room and into the covered loggia at the back of the property creates a feel of exotic Bali that seamlessly links the interior and outside living spaces. ► D
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Marc Thee, principal at Marc-Michaels 720 West Morse Boulevard Winter Park, FL 32789 T: +001 407 629 2124 | www.marc-michaels.com ■ B A restful feeling of space is evident throughout the property with the use of floor to ceiling windows and open plan rooms; the master bathroom flows directly from the master bedroom, a frosted glass divider all that separates the dressing room from the bath. The colour palette and materials used in each room contribute to the tranquil feeling in this waterside home. Inspired by the Floridian sunset and ocean, the base neutrals are given a pop of colour with turquoise and orange. The simple lines of the bamboo units in the bathroom are elegant and soothing creating a perfect space to unwind. Stacked stone columns in the foyer are lit from above and below to showcase the texture of the natural material. The same vibrant wood of the ceilings has been used for the deck surrounding the resort-style swimming pool with accompanying firepit and plush loungers, to further join the inside and exterior areas. Marc-Michaels’ philosophy of ‘the difference is in the details’ is certainly evident in this new addition to their interior detailing portfolio, achieving a naturally elegant whole. Affiniti Architects 6100 Broken Sound Pkwy NW Suite 8, Boca Raton, FL 33487 T: +001 561 750 0445 | www.affinitiarchitects.com Mark Timothy, Inc. 41 Southeast 5th Street, 2nd Floor Boca Raton, FL 33432 T: +001 561 272 6852 | www.marktimothy.com For more details about Marc Michaels, CLICK HERE
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Louis Henri Inspired by ‘We asked for an apartment in Paris and you’ve given us a palace’ Text ELEANOR BUSING ¨ | Photographs RICHARD WAITE
he latest project of London-based interiors firm Louis Henri is a breathtaking apartment located in one of Paris’ most desirable neighbourhoods. Located on the fashionable Avenue Montaigne, this generously proportioned lateral apartment has been extensively remodeled to exacting standards. The private client is an international, multi-generational family who wanted a home away from home, a sanctuary within the City of Lights. They requested a glamorous interior that drew inspiration from traditional French style, but melded with modern elegance and high-tech performance and security. It was of particular importance for the family to have separate, defined entertaining areas and personal spaces. The four generous reception rooms now serve the former purpose, while the four ensuite bedrooms are the epitome of comfort and relaxation. The clients asked that the focus of the project be to create a completely bespoke and unique interior, which was reflected in the project cost. Rather than being constrained by timelines and budgets, the team at Louis Henri was given free reign to use the best possible materials and craftsmen to create this high-spec home. ‘We wanted something that felt location-specific,’ Louis Henri Buhrmann says. ‘The clients are international business people who love Paris and do business in France’ ► T ¨ INSPIRED BY | Louis Henri
‘I did about 170 trips to Paris, staying in a different hotel almost every time. If you want a Moroccan look, you can’t just look in a book – you have to go to Morocco to live it.’ Louis started from scratch with this project, changing virtually every room in the apartment to create a fresh layout which feels both spacious and intimate. The space was stripped back to the bones before being rebuilt using the finest finishes. The completed space is an inspiring blend of traditional French elegance and contemporary style. The vast amount of marble in the scheme is entirely handpolished, with some bathrooms taking over two months to install due to the exquisite detail. The guest cloakroom even features a solid, aluminium-framed marble door that blends seamlessly with the wall. ‘The execution from the marble workers was more than I could have dreamed of,’ says Louis. ‘It took them about four months to install all the marble. Styling the space took just as much attention and time. The breakfast nook features hand-painted silk walling, while the adjoining corridor boasts a deep-etched, LED-lit glass wall which brings light into the kitchen. Nearly everything in this apartment has been custom designed to suit the environment. Louis’ brother, a master cabinetmaker, crafted the key pieces of furniture in South Africa, including the three-tiered walnut bookcase in the sitting room, which is inlayed with églomisé and finished with solid walnut detailing. ‘The largest part of the project was finding the right people to do the work,’ he says. ‘Those who did the woodwork were fourthgeneration carpenters. We used workshops in St Germain that have been there since Napoleon’s time.’ The bespoke lighting, which features in the principal rooms of the apartment, was also designed in-house, and created using the combined skills of artisans from Murano, London, Paris and the United States. The sitting room chandelier alone has nearly 200 components, each meticulously created to achieve a singular statement which complements the sweeping curves in the room. Even the door handles were designed by Louis Henri, developed from a sketch and brought to life over the course of eight months by a foundry in New York. ‘Everything we found was either very classic or too Deco – nothing was quite the look we were going for’, explains Louis. With so many family members to design for, one of Louis’ more difficult tasks was the blending of individual styles, and the seamless integration of classic French ambiance with 21st Century comfort while maintaining a cohesive style. Especially challenging was incorporating high-end technology throughout the space. The apartment features an intuitive, custom developed programme for controlling every aspect of the environment; climate, audio, lighting and security are controlled via iPods that dock discreetly behind every door. Nowhere is the juxtaposition of new and old more apparent than in the media room, which at first glance could be a formal French library. Hidden behind its silk-covered walls are top-end speakers, and the wall of faux books, constructed of leather by a traditional ► INSPIRED BY | Louis Henri
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British company, conceals a myriad of home cinema equipment. A particularly successful bespoke detail is the stained-glass window in the entrance hall, which acts as both a focal point and a room divider, separating the public and private areas of the apartment. In a second home, it’s not always practical to have fresh flowers every day, but Louis Henri wanted visitors to the apartment to be greeted by colour and life. He envisioned a design that would create a statement in the entrance hall any day of the year, as the first thing one sees when entering the home. In addition to the visual impact it creates, the glass wall serves a functional purpose by carving out an extra eating space from the large hallway, achieving space and privacy without sacrificing the amount of light in the entry. The production of this centerpiece was a feat of logistics in itself, combining the efforts of skilled tradespeople in three different continents. In a project like this, nothing was left to chance. ‘We very much control everything,’ says Louis. ‘I have more than a dozen files just of details, specs and samples. It was all very much tried and tested beforehand. We’ll make mock-ups and 3D models of things. You can’t order a £20k chandelier and find it doesn’t look right. It needs to be perfect.’ ‘I love detail,’ says Henri. ‘The life is in the detail.’ ‘Having worked with so many dedicated craftsmen on this project, I’m more certain than ever that quality will never go out of style.’■ B Louis Henri Buhrmann Penthouse 4, No. 5 Havelock Terrace, London, SW8 4AS T: +44 (0)20 7622 8343 | www.louishenri.com ¨ For more details about Louis Henri Buhrmann, ¨ CLICK HERE
MADE IN ITALY SINCE 1968 phone USA 336 885 2239 phone UK 01273 385 255 London New York Miami San Francisco Chicago Los Angeles Boston Dubai Abu Dhabi Moscow St. Petersburg Warsaw Singapore Bucharest Almaty Berlin Düsseldorf Munich Vienna Den Haag Zurich Geneva Belgrade Shanghai Suzhou Tallinn Helsinki Rome Milan Seoul selva.com TABLE and CHAIR VENDÔME, design LORENZO BELLINI For more product information on Selva, CLICK HERE
John Stefanidis Inspired by A holiday home on the Greek Island of Spetses designed from the inside out Text DOMINIC BRADBURY | Photographs FRITZ VON DER SCHULENBURG / The Interior Archive
he Venetians gave Spetses its name, pronouncing this small isle off the Peloponnese the ‘Island of Aromas’, on account of its many flowers. It is the natural Beauty of the place, and its close proximity to the main-land, that make Spetses – which you can cycle round in just half a day – so popular with Athenians, who own many of the summer houses here. Cars, apart from occasional taxis, are banned, the pace of life is slow and the views are mesmerising. No wonder, then, that plots of land for building new houses rarely come up for sale and that when they do, they are subject to tight planning restrictions. Designer John Stefanidis was already working with a Greek Cypriot family on their house in London when they told him that they had bought a scenic plot on Spetses, just outside the main town, and that they would like him to design a house on the site. ‘I’ve always admired John’s work,’ says the owner. ‘The great thing about him is that he understands his clients very quickly. So when we got the land, we told him straight away and the two projects in London and Spetses overlapped.’ ► The main house is built round a courtyard; corridors are lined with shuttered windows and french windows lead from one area to another. The courtyard’s inlaid pebble motifs, including concentric circles around the trees, are typical of Spetses. T
Decorated in a crisp palette of blue and white, the chestnut-raftered sitting room includes a number of pieces of furniture designed by John Stefanidis, including the “Bridgewater”sofa covered in a stripe fabric by Rogers & Goffigon.
TOP RIGHT: A spare bedroom in the main house is strikingly decorated in blue and white: the acanthus-patterned bedcover was appliqued locally to designs by John Stefanidis. MIDDLE RIGHT: Beyond the bedroom a tiled corridor leads to a shaded terrace. BOTTOM RIGHT: The pool is set within a large circular terrace. Egyptian-born John Stefanidis knows Greece well and is steeped in Greek culture. Since 1967 he has had a house on the island of Patmos, where he spends part of the summer, and where he first started working on residential projects before basing his office in London in the late Sixties. Yet Spetses – one of the Saronic islands and cradle of the Greek struggle for independence in the 1820s – was not a region he knew well until he began working there. ‘On Spetses, it’s very much an island way of life,’ says John. ‘There are restrictions on how you can build and we had to design the architecture of the house – which we conceived from scratch – in a traditional Spetses style, with a tiled roof, using materials such as plaster and stone. The question for me was how to work within these constraints: this house is not a reproduction but an invention within that vernacular. I shunned the idea of doing the interiors in a neoclassical style that is common to the islands. Instead we decided on clean lines and some tongue-in-cheek elements.’ The site, on a hillside, has lovely views of the sea and the small islet of Spetsopoula; a large olive grove flanks it to one side. The owners were anxious to preserve as many of the trees as possible, as well as planting new ones. In response to their concern that the house should look harmonious in the landscape, John designed a building that nestles right into the slopes. He also separated the pool and guest houses from the main house, partly to lessen the visual impact of the new structures. ‘One of the first things we said to John was that we wanted a central courtyard. We had never built a house before, and we were concerned that often architects design fantastic houses in which you don’t know where to put the furniture or how to use the space. The benefit of using an architect who is also an interior designer is that John designed the house from the inside out, which is why it works so well. From the start, we knew where every piece of furniture would go.’ ► ‘John designed the house from the inside out which is why it works so well’ INSPIRED BY |John Stefanidis
The key living spaces in the house are at ground level with some bedrooms in a lower-ground floor. Blue and white are the key colours throughout. Within the main house the key living spaces are at ground level, with some service spaces and spare bedrooms on a lower-ground floor. The building is laid out round the central courtyard, from which two elegant corridors on either side lead to a main bedroom suite on one side, and a large inter-connecting drawing room and library on the other. Both rooms open onto terraces with dramatic views of the sea. The many terraces round the house have been given as much thought as the interiors – for much of the year, the family lives almost entirely outdoors. Another sequence of terraces has been created for dining, and the breakfast room and kitchen are situated nearby, on the landward side of the house and the entrance. ‘The climate had to be taken into account all the time,’ says John. ‘But this house can also be used very happily in the winter, when it’s still warm during the day but chilly at night, hence the fireplaces – which are versions of traditional northern Greek hearths – and heating. Mostly we used white walls, but also blue, which is traditional, too. In addition there’s ochre, olive and terracotta, and the odd frivolity like a shade of pink. It’s a sensual house, full of light, colour and many different textures, which are very important.’ John has also designed all of the furniture for the house, indoors and out, which creates a sense of coherence. Some pieces are familiar Stefanidis designs; others are unique to the project. Embroidery is another theme, with appliqued bedcovers and wall hangings specially commissioned and made in Greece and India. ‘The great thing about John’s work is that everything fits together without being bland,’ says the owner. ►
131 Bridge for Design Spring 2014 John Stefanidis T: +44 (0)20 7622 4294 www.johnstefanidis.com ‘Other people might not have been bold enough to put together such fabrics or colours. For me, John’s talent lies in his ability to put together colours and fabrics in a unique way that I would never have dared do on my own. He has helped us to be more adventurous.’ Having finished the house in Spetses, John has been working in Athens, and on houses in Istanbul on the Bosporus, a country house in Massachusetts, a ranch in Colorado, and town houses in London. All are very different from one another, all demanding a different approach to suit the period and the architectural style. At the same time, he is expanding his fabrics range and his collections of furniture. ‘It’s really the diversity of my work that keeps me interested,’ he says.‘Otherwise you can become repetitive if you are not careful.’ A shady terrace ideal for al fresco lunches, while a touch of ochre in the bedroom (left) gives a touch of frivolity. ■ B For more details about John Stefanidis, CLICK HERE
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Michael Reeves Inspired by The celebrated interior and furniture designer reveals his London home Text SAM FINLEY | Photographs ANDREW TWORT / The Interior Archive
LEFT: ‘Madison’ one-and-a-half seat sofa and ‘Metropolitan’ daybed from Michael Reeves, upholstered in De le Cuona linen. Black velvet frogged pillows and white crocodile leather pillow from Ralph Lauren Home. Flowers throughout by John Carter Flowers. Large painting by Diane Carl. All accessories from Michael Reeves. TOP: Crocodile effect gesso screen from Michael Reeves. Bedhead custom ordered from Michael Reeves in Abbott & Boyd stretch fabric. Chocolate cashmere throw Ralph Lauren Home. White cotton matelassé bedcover, Zara Home. Wenge Columbus nightstand from Michael Reeves Antique Burmese Buddha. t school Michael Reeves told his career adviser that he wanted to be a fashion designer and years later he did just that spending 20 successful years in the business. His move into interior design came about when a young couple who had bought his London apartment and loved his style asked him to redesign their new home and this led to further commissions: an appartment by John Pawson and projects in New York and Connecticut. It wasn’t long before Michael set up in New York and with his talent quickly being recognised, his work frequently graced the pages of the glossy magazines. Michael returned to London in 1995 and opened up a modest shop in Brompton Cross where he sold an amalgamation of furniture, objects and art from new pieces to antiquities. “I bought at auction and re-styled furniture to put my own stamp on it. In 1998 I designed my first range of furniture, both upholstered pieces and case goods. This collection was launched in the Joseph flagship store on the Fulham Road, displayed with mannequins wearing Prada. From there I moved into much larger premises to accommodate the furniture.” This proved to be an exciting year as he also went on to win the highly coveted Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the year award. There are so many projects Michael is proud of and four years ago, he undertook a refurbishment on a property he had bought for himself. Based in a purpose built apartment building on the banks of the Thames, it features beautiful uninterrupted views towards Chelsea. The project took just six weeks to complete. “I usually get a feeling of the completed refurbishment at the first viewing of a property. Design always begins with any changes to ► A
TOP: Urn shaped solid wood table lamp from Julie Prisca, Paris. Ribbed ‘onion’ vase from Faiiencerie de Charolles, France. LEFT: Antique lacquered chinoiserie table, Christies. RIGHT: Bronze sculpture and armoire, both Talisman. Perspex plinth. Paint from Dulux. INSPIRED BY |Michael Reeves the location and function of the rooms, walls that need to be removed or built. The flow of traffic through the space is the most important aspect to me. The secondary aspects of colour, furniture layouts, lighting etc, follow quickly after with accessories, rugs and cushions as later additions.” “I did the work so quickly as I had a clear vision of what I wanted. I gathered together all the chosen component parts and juxtaposed them within the space. I often arrange furniture and rugs on the diagonal and this became the best solution. Diagonal lines in boringly square rooms really enliven the space.” “Because the apartment faces South West, it is extremely bright. I wanted a dark colour to counteract the glare from the afternoon sun, so most of the walls and ceilings are in a dark taupe colour. After many samples, the colour I finally chose was actually the colour of the Thames on a cloudy day, however, this was not a conscious decision!” “For continuity I used flat emulsion paint. I installed wooden floors in the main living areas, with a taupe/grey wash finish. I wanted to get the background to be unobtrusive so that the art and furniture took centre stage. The existing upholstered furniture I already had from ►
my own range, was slip-covered for the summer in oyster or natural coloured heavy linen and the heavily textured area rug is suede strips. I used the silver table and tabouret stools to reflect light.” “The seating in the main living area are my Madison 1 1/2 seat sofas and a daybed, all slip-covered for the summer. In the bedroom the screen was from my showroom along with the bed-head and nightstands.” “All the windows have a river view and that is the focus; to the outside. Window treatments are kept to a minimum of semi-sheer curtains and Holland roller blinds. “The main focal pieces are a huge abstract painting by the American artist Diane Carl and an abstract painted six-fold Chinese screen I found in a showroom in Miami. Both add drama to the space and because they are both predominately black, they make the walls appear lighter in colour.” “On a daily basis, I love the tranquil, calming effect the apartment gives me. Friends and visitors are all affected in the same way. I use the daybed with the reading light almost daily. It’s a great, comfortable spot to read a magazine with a G & T in the evening. I also like to cook a lot and the simple kitchen works amazingly well.” Whilst Michael’s designs are instantly recognisable from his debut furniture range, he doesn’t consider himself to have a signature style, instead he designs in a style that befits each property and chooses furniture from other designers for projects too. His influences are vastly panoptic with a nod to travel and he believes rules are there to be broken. “However, there are some ► TOP: ‘Madison’ one-and-a-half seat sofa, upholstered in De le Cuona linen. Ribbed ‘onion’ vase from Faiiencerie de Charolles, France. LEFT: Shower with Hansgrohe fittings from C.P. Hart BOTTOM: Dining chairs, Phillipe Stark from The Conran Shop. Plaster relief from Alexander von Moltke.