TUNBRIDGE WELLS – COLOURFUL NEW BUILD
Set in the beautiful surroundings of one of Tunbridge Wells’ prestigious royal parks, we were initially asked to give a little input into the placement of the client’s existing furniture and decorative items, and to identify where we would need to procure additional pieces.
We ended up designing schemes for every room in the house, working closely with the client to bring their love of colour and sense of the fun to life.
This project was a total joy to work on. It was all about finding different and unusual solutions, bringing a hefty dose of vibrancy and fun to the rooms which had a classical backdrop, and creating spaces that each had a unique identity, whilst maintaining some kind of core flow throughout the house.
We worked with a number of bespoke specialists, notably with wallpapers but also with the selection and crafting of a broader range of materials. The dining table is a great example of the level of innovation we bring to bear as designers, collaborating with experts, client and on - site trades. We repurposed the (Julian Chichester) base, filling it with sand to add enough weight to cope with the large marble top. This jaw - dropping Patagonia marble was selected for the magnificent veining detail and was cut to fit into the bay window dining area perfectly. The engineering effort required, making a metal base to support the marble on a single pedestal, the quantity of bodies required to lift the marble into it’s final resting place and secure it safely, along with the client’s own incredibly creative problem solving abilities made for a true team effort (not without a few sharp intakes of breath along the way!)
Achieving flow in a property where the intention is to add colour is a tricky balance. The way we chose to approach it was to have an elegant, pared back entrance hall and intial view through the property, so that glimpses of the more unusual rooms through the sliver of an open door raise questions and create conversation, and maybe a raised eyebrow!
Somewhere, in all the bedrooms of this property, is evidence of animals. From unicorns in the principal bedroom, hiding tigers and zebras in the children’s rooms and some more other worldly creatures in the delightful Moooi Extinct Animals wallpapers in the guest bedrooms. Using two different wallpapers in one space enhanced the dramatic effect but that wasn’t where the fun stopped with wall coverings!
We had a small octopus wallpaper design sized up and printed on metallic paper for one of the smallest rooms in the house. This little loo leaves you enveloped in octopus tentacles and is the most vibrant of spaces in the house.
Tim says
“Kate was fantastic from start to finish. I thought I only needed a little help with curtain fabrics, although once I realised Kate’s brilliance with colour palettes and her wide knowledge of everything from sofas to light switches, she helped me select everything from wallpaper to carpet, furniture to accessories. She created unique rooms with an overall flow to the property.
As a added bonus, Kate’s contacts and industry knowledge saved me a considerable amount of money.
The outcome is fantastic - colourful, quirky, fun - a perfect and unique family home for us to enjoy for many, many years to come. I would definitely use Kate’s services again.”
Can you imagine the mathematical fun to be had, not to mention the very sore neck, of the wallpaper installer as he was tasked with papering a ceiling, inside the spaces created by geometric, decorative plasterwork, and with very specific placement of cherubs! This was a playful re-work and re-size (and additional cherubs) of a paper from a small design company. It was intricate, difficult but quite the ceiling for the client’s new office.
One of the most detailed elements of interior design that I love is working on the materials palette. Getting the metal finishes, the tile, the painted or papered surfaces just right; selecting the best fabrics to enhance the scheme, and embellishing those fabric choices in the right way. Making a simple roman blind that little bit more special, with a contrasting border; keeping continuity and flow with the window dressing throughout the house by using borders and trims in a homogenous way throughout; selecting every element of the palette of soft furnishings from cushion trim, through decorative lampshade and its fringing, to bed valances. There is no detail too small to be properly considered.
