All too often, colour and pattern, furniture, and lighting monopolise the conversation around what makes interior design schemes successful or desirable. So it is really easy to forget that the wellbeing of the people for whom it’s been designed should be a key measure of success. This journal entry takes a look at the extraordinary results that can be achieved when people are at the heart of design.
“Sustainable solutions based on innovation can create a more resilient world only if that innovation is focused on the health and wellbeing of its inhabitants. And it is at that point – where technology and human needs intersect – that we will find meaningful innovation.”
Frans van Houten
Work is a huge part of our lives, whether related to our careers or to the routine organisational work that shapes our domestic and family lives. Did you know that full-time work over a lifetime totals 84,365 hours? This means it is increasingly important that working spaces contribute positively to our physical and mental wellbeing.
In this home office, every element is ergonomically designed to suit the needs of the client. Creating a space that is exactingly custom-measured and made to fit their physical proportions ensures a healthful posture when working or relaxing. The desk and rocking chair demonstrate a simple principle in action – fit the workplace to the worker.
Combining biophilic principles with practicality and elegance
The client’s requirement for an elegant and practical dressing room with extensive storage space adjacent to the master bedroom and en-suite bathroom led to an innovative two-storey solution. And one that stayed faithful to my biophilic design principles. I introduced lots of natural wood on both levels and connected them using a stunning staircase that lowers as required to open up an upper-level dressing space with custom joinery for the client’s shoe collection and clothing.
Balancing environmentally-conscious design with client passions
I love infusing our projects with natural materials that have been sourced locally. I also love combining them with carefully curated pieces reflecting a client’s passions and interests. We have teamed Africa with Cumbria here, reflecting this client’s connection to both places. These nods echo throughout the home, with guests gathering around the relief map of the Lake District to plan walks together and African animals popping up on lamp bases, in artwork, and as part of fabric patterns. It’s personal and fun but sparing and well-chosen, meaning the pieces are treasured for years to come – thus minimising the environmental cost.
Delivering salutogenic principles for the whole family
Your home is a sanctuary and it reflects who you are. A safe place to relax with family and friends and focus on your happiness and wellness. That applies to four-legged friends here too. The two purpose-built dog houses boast sound-proofed roofs as one of the Jack Russell dogs is scared by the noise of the low-flying jets that pass over the home.
Social spaces for wellbeing and happiness
We create considered designs that lead to a better living experience for our clients, whilst remaining authentic to the character and architecture of the building and its locale. This seating area was crafted by a local stonemason and speaks the vernacular language of other buildings in the vicinity. It draws friends and family together in the outdoors and extends the options for socialising, one of the loves of this client.
And every design decision connects the client to their own story. The drinks area in the dining room marries multiple strands – the love of Africa is referenced in the tray, an inherited oil lamp with childhood memories of it being lit oversees the scene, and the whole setup speaks of the sociability at the centre of their lives.
Seamlessly blending old and new to create a timeless design
Two antique corner units bring the warmth of natural wood to the far end of the dining room. Their significance is made all the greater by each partner in the couple having inherited one from their family; a distant pair reunited by this generation and celebrating both ancestries. They pair beautifully with the newer elements in the room.
Highlighting the true value of heirlooms
Heirlooms are so much more than objects, they bind the history of a family and treasured memories together. I always work closely with my clients to select key pieces for every room that will serve as a visual reminder of the many stories that deserve to be preserved and retold. Often, the value of heirlooms isn’t monetary at all, rather their worth is measured in kinship and emotional bonds.
Charlotte Findlater
The space between the natural wood ceiling and the original stove in this basement conversation provides a natural home for the client’s collection of Toby Jugs. Their character and interest shine through and it’s the perfect place for them as their elevated position affords them a close eye over proceedings at the bar opposite.
While purpose-built shelving in the boot room and the downstairs loo is home to a collection of figurines inherited from the client’s Grandad. Their joyous characters pair well with the fun wallpaper that also connects us back to nature.
Category: Luxury Interior Design