HIA FINALIST | Contemporary Family Home Interiors in Kenmore
PROJECT NOTE
This project was a finalist in the 2015 HIA design awards in the under $50 thousand category.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
A large living room of a riverside home occupied by a family of three (mum, dad and a small boy). The style champions a bold use of colour & pattern to create a plush yet family friendly space.
CLIENT BRIEF
The owners of this beautiful, contemporary home which faces out onto the Brisbane river were seeking a space that met both the conflicting tastes of the husband and wife. The husband did not want anything that was fussy and cluttered. The wife of the dynamic, however, really liked a “hollywood regency style” and wanted a room that had impact.
There was a considerable amount of space behind the modular sofa that the client’s wanted “something” to be done that would make it a functional space.
They requested that as much as possible, the space needed to be child friendly (so no sharp corners!) and with accommodation for some small toy storage.
The owners had recently had the walls painted, had new curtains installed and had purchased a new modular sofa and side table which were to be retained. The carpet was also reasonably new and was not included in the brief. The large size television was the husband’s pride and joy and they did not wish for it to be wall mounted. All other furnishings, accessories and wall decor were selected and supplied by the decorator.
BUDGET LIMITATIONS / COST EFFECTIVENESS
The initial brief covered the large living area only and no specific budget was provided.
A significant percentage of the budget was dedicated to the empty space behind the modular sofa. This space was considered important in the overall design as it overlooks the Brisbane river and is the first area that you see as you enter the living room. Due to the design of the room, there is limited space for wall decor to add layering and interest. Investments in custom made rugs were made to create bold statements and were offset by more cost effective solutions for scatter cushions and accessories that needed to be a) kept to a minimum to meet the husbands taste and b) be easily cared for or replaced in luie of being child friendly.
GROSS SIZE OF PROJECT
The total size of the living area is approximately 51 square metres.
PRODUCT / MATERIAL CHOICES
The thought behind the selections was that the design should not feel like a “catalogue room”. The background pallet of grey hues meant that the room initially felt a bit sterile and needed some personality.
The entire scheme developed from the circular Greg Natale Manhattan rug in the sitting area. The strong pattern is mirrored in the selections of side board, accessories, mirror and cushions. This injected a touch of “hollywood regency” style that the wife was interested in achieving. Subtle touches of metallics in the accessorising gave a nod to this particular design style, whilst being cautious to not be too overwhelming, so to be in line with the husband’s taste.
Given that the entire living room was large and open plan and was essentially being split into 2 designated zones, there needed to be elements in the sitting area and “television” area that tied the two spaces together. The areas were tied together using geometric patterns and a teal blue, grey, black and white colour scheme.
CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS
Creating a space that unified two opposing tastes to ensure the couple maintained marital bliss was difficult!
The statement side board with drawers provided the perfect stylish solution for hiding/storing the toddlers toys when not in use. The creation of the small sitting room with two occasional chairs overlooking the river view transformed a dead space into a useful and beautiful area.
INNOVATION, LIVABILITY, ADAPTABILITY
A custom designed and fabricated velvet top and mirror steel based ottoman is a centre piece in the television area. This adds more glamour to this space and was an ideal choice in being a practical, non-breakable “coffee table” with soft edges for small children.
The family are heavily into skiing. The snow flake artworks are not only concomitant to this passion but were super cost effective. An online search for images of snowflakes under a microscope, printed and framed in a simple black frame added a personal touch to the room.
This project was a finalist in the 2015 HIA design awards in the under $50 thousand category.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
A large living room of a riverside home occupied by a family of three (mum, dad and a small boy). The style champions a bold use of colour & pattern to create a plush yet family friendly space.
CLIENT BRIEF
The owners of this beautiful, contemporary home which faces out onto the Brisbane river were seeking a space that met both the conflicting tastes of the husband and wife. The husband did not want anything that was fussy and cluttered. The wife of the dynamic, however, really liked a “hollywood regency style” and wanted a room that had impact.
There was a considerable amount of space behind the modular sofa that the client’s wanted “something” to be done that would make it a functional space.
They requested that as much as possible, the space needed to be child friendly (so no sharp corners!) and with accommodation for some small toy storage.
The owners had recently had the walls painted, had new curtains installed and had purchased a new modular sofa and side table which were to be retained. The carpet was also reasonably new and was not included in the brief. The large size television was the husband’s pride and joy and they did not wish for it to be wall mounted. All other furnishings, accessories and wall decor were selected and supplied by the decorator.
BUDGET LIMITATIONS / COST EFFECTIVENESS
The initial brief covered the large living area only and no specific budget was provided.
A significant percentage of the budget was dedicated to the empty space behind the modular sofa. This space was considered important in the overall design as it overlooks the Brisbane river and is the first area that you see as you enter the living room. Due to the design of the room, there is limited space for wall decor to add layering and interest. Investments in custom made rugs were made to create bold statements and were offset by more cost effective solutions for scatter cushions and accessories that needed to be a) kept to a minimum to meet the husbands taste and b) be easily cared for or replaced in luie of being child friendly.
GROSS SIZE OF PROJECT
The total size of the living area is approximately 51 square metres.
PRODUCT / MATERIAL CHOICES
The thought behind the selections was that the design should not feel like a “catalogue room”. The background pallet of grey hues meant that the room initially felt a bit sterile and needed some personality.
The entire scheme developed from the circular Greg Natale Manhattan rug in the sitting area. The strong pattern is mirrored in the selections of side board, accessories, mirror and cushions. This injected a touch of “hollywood regency” style that the wife was interested in achieving. Subtle touches of metallics in the accessorising gave a nod to this particular design style, whilst being cautious to not be too overwhelming, so to be in line with the husband’s taste.
Given that the entire living room was large and open plan and was essentially being split into 2 designated zones, there needed to be elements in the sitting area and “television” area that tied the two spaces together. The areas were tied together using geometric patterns and a teal blue, grey, black and white colour scheme.
CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS
Creating a space that unified two opposing tastes to ensure the couple maintained marital bliss was difficult!
The statement side board with drawers provided the perfect stylish solution for hiding/storing the toddlers toys when not in use. The creation of the small sitting room with two occasional chairs overlooking the river view transformed a dead space into a useful and beautiful area.
INNOVATION, LIVABILITY, ADAPTABILITY
A custom designed and fabricated velvet top and mirror steel based ottoman is a centre piece in the television area. This adds more glamour to this space and was an ideal choice in being a practical, non-breakable “coffee table” with soft edges for small children.
The family are heavily into skiing. The snow flake artworks are not only concomitant to this passion but were super cost effective. An online search for images of snowflakes under a microscope, printed and framed in a simple black frame added a personal touch to the room.
Country: Australia
Postcode: 4069
