At the age of thirty seven the architect Le Corbusier proclaimed “a house is a machine for living in”, it’s a quote that seems to lend weight to a tyranny of modernist white, but that’s a misinterpretation. Corb, an artist as well as an architect often used colour and texture to lend emphasis and atmosphere to his work. When it comes to houses we prefer a different quote, once said by a much younger but nonetheless perceptive three year old commentator on design, “Home is like a warm teddy bear that you can live inside”. The two quotes highlight the difference between a house and a home and we keep them both in mind when clients say “We want simple, minimal, lots of white”. Of course we listen, but it’s always worth digging a little deeper. Perhaps what they really seek is a relaxing, meditative, spiritual space to insulate them from the hectic world outside, er… a bit like a big teddy bear. Well here’s an instance where the client agreed. They’d tried white and found it soulless. So we kept it simple but added warmth by mixing natural weaves with metallic greys and silks to create a neutral and comfortable interior. Signature rugs and accessories provided a splash of personality and colour. The client loved it. After all, who’d live in a machine.
-
a spiritual space
-
a simple space
-
a comfortable space
-
a homely space
-
a well dressed space
-
a beautiful space
