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Thursday 4 July 2019

HOME DESIGN AWARDS 2019: THE PROFESSIONALS

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The professionalsWe reveal the architects, designers and influencers who scooped our first Home Design Awards with their fabulous ideas. By Barbara Chandler

We’ll be the judges: the expert panel choosing the winners of the first Evening Standard Home Design Awards at Michelin-star Sketch London restaurant in Conduit Street, W1

L ONDONERS have never loved their homes more. Social media’s rolling feed of “inspo and info” has powered a home improvements surge, from hanging a few

framed prints to full-scale renovation. “Influencers” using their personal

projects to promote goods and services have a loyal fan base. Demand for pro-fessional home styling help from shops, designers and architects has rocketed, while our Homes & Property Wednes-day supplement has kept readers at the cutting edge for more than 20 years.

Entries flooded in for the first Evening Standard Home Design Awards, given in five categories of Living room, Bed-room, Kitchen, Bathroom and Garden, for the best designs of the past 12 months. There are two winners in each

category: a reader homeowner and a professional, whether architect, interior designer or key influencer.

The expert judges set about their task at Sketch London restaurant in Conduit Street, Mayfair. On the panel were: Homes & Property editor Janice Morley; myself as an interiors writer; British Institute of Interior Design past presi-dent Dan Hopwood; design journalist and author of Mad About The House Kate Watson-Smyth: interior designer and TV presenter Sophie Robinson; Dulux creative director Marianne Shil-lingford: Homes &Property digital edi-tor Kristy Gray and Thomas Sanderson product manager Laura O’Connell.

The prizes were luxury bed linen from Tielle Love Luxury, worth £550; a Bose Home Speaker 500, worth £400, and a £50 voucher to spend in the Lecture Room and Library, Sketch London’s luxe two Michelin-star dining room.

KITCHEN WINNER(PROFESSIONAL category) MAX de Rosee BASED at Notting Hill Gate, award-winning architectural and interior design company De Rosee Sa, founded in 2007, now has a team of 12. Architect and co-director Max de Rosee designed a rear kitchen/living extension to a south London home for a young family. “This is the heart of the home,” he says, “one space for cooking, eating, socialising and study.”

THE room is double height, and this, together with exposed beams and varying roof pitches adds drama and admits light. An island unit painted black has a grey marble top and an inward-facing hob for sociable cooking. Large glass doors open on to the garden, and a bay window has a window seat looking out to a bed of wildflowers. Timber flooring and window frames add softness and warmth.Sourcing: contractor Avo Construction fitted the kitchen units and joinery designed by De Rosee Sa; grey marble worktop by London

Marble; table and and bench from Another Country; lights, Workstead.Max’s tips: “Get as much light into your kitchen as possible. Have plenty of room to move around an island unit, with hob and sink within easy reach. Doors into the garden are a link to outdoors — especially fun in summer.

“Use natural materials where possible. They age better than man-mades.”

deroseesa.com⬤

Photographs: Juliet Murphy

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BEDROOM WINNER(PROFESSIONAL category)CHARLIE Boardman A HOME renovation expert with over 15 years in the industry, Charlie Boardman is a single mum with two young boys. She bought her two-storey late Victorian house in north-west London in 2014, and has expanded the original three bedrooms into four with three bathrooms over three floors — testimony to her design skill as a professional property project manager.

This expertise underpins Bricks & Velvet, her new interior design and project management business. She submitted her own bedroom for our awards. Focal point is a classic stick-back Ercol bench, bought for £300 from Ardingly Antiques & Collectors Fair in West Sussex. Wall paint is a soft green, and fitted panelled cupboards in the same shade conceal the chimney breast. Velvet curtains and blinds have blackout linings. Floorboards, painted white, conceal a sound-proofing layer. SOURCING: bespoke steel-finish curtain rail, Pret A Vivre; velvet curtain/blind, Palmeral, House of

Hackney; wall and cupboard paint (in Pigeon) and floor paint, Farrow & Ball; cupboard knobs, Zara Home; bedside tables, Etsy. WHAT the judges said: “Bench is brilliantly positioned”; “Painting floorboards is so chic — but cheap”;

“Lush velvet lifts a room into luxury.”CHARLIE’S tips: “Pay attention to every small detail, like the position of light switches and the way a door hangs. Make a list of all you want in store and design accordingly. Floorboard paint is long-lasting and

LIVING ROOM WINNER (PROFESSIONAL category)BHAVIN TaylorCOLOUR, pattern and style have transformed a “white box” in a new-build two-bedroom apartment in Wandsworth Town.

TAKING inspiration from the mustard and charcoal rug, interior designer Bhavin hung wallpaper on opposing walls for immediate impact.

ADDING more pattern — but monochrome — on the lounge chair and cushions is bold and original and “layers” the space. The original high-

gloss kitchen is framed with mustard paint, leaving a “quiet area” for the dining table and chairs.Sourcing: wallpaper, Cole & Son; colour-matched paint for kitchen, Valspar; lamp, lounge and dining chairs, West Elm; dining and small tables, Habitat; artwork, King & McGaw.

What the judges said: “Dramatic living space, calming kitchen beyond”; “Great shout-out for wallpaper”; “Clever use of high street brands.”Bhavin’s tips: “Love colour, embrace pattern. Be bold and go by your gut. Ignore what people say — this is for you.”

Bhavintaylordesign.com⬤

GARDEN WINNER (PROFESSIONAL category) THERESA Gromski“I WANTED for another room, but out of doors,” says Theresa Gromski, who

lives in an Edwardian three-storey terrace house. She has turned her patio into a welcoming space, whether for reading solo or having a party.Theresa is an influencer and freelance illustrator with nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram. “I wanted a lot of pattern and textiles, cosy cushions and throws,” she adds. Underfoot, concrete was replaced with porcelain slabs and outdoor rugs. With the help of husband Tom, she built seating out of reclaimed scaffold boards.

EXTRA touches include lanterns, strings of lights and an outdoor umbrella, while plants include bamboo and black bamboo, exotic grasses, heucheras and ferns.Sourcing: Arizona bistro garden chairs and side table gifted by George Home; fire pit gifted by VonHaus; square black planters gifted by Get Potted; large arched outdoor mirror gifted by Cox & Cox; seat cushions, Madam Stoltz; outdoor rugs, La Redoute and Ikea; solar lights, Wilko.Theresa’s tips: “Paint fences black to show off your furniture and textiles. Have a handy storage box to stow cushions away when it rains. For tropical vibes go for greenery rather than flowers, and mix vintage and modern planters.”What the judges said: “I want to go in and sit down — so pretty and welcoming”; “Original use of railway sleepers.”

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BATHROOM WINNER(PROFESSIONAL category)DOMINIC McKenzie A SLEEK, chic bathroom wins the professional award for bathrooms for Dominic McKenzie who heads an award-winning architectural practice in north London. The project renovated and extended a ground-floor flat in a Victorian house in Hampstead.

USING a steel framework, two bathrooms were fitted between two bedrooms. “We treated this bathroom more like a spa,” says Dominic. “It is stripped down to bare essentials with sensual materials and careful lighting.” Walls are water-resistant polished grey plaster. Dimmable LED lighting runs along a ceiling recess. Fittings are top quality, with “jewel-like brass taps”.SOURCING: Link wall-hung loo, Flaminia; Quattro.Zero basin from Falper; Venø compact bath from Copenhagen Bath. WHAT the judges said: “Seems to float in space, thanks to recessed lighting and dark floor”; “Brass taps are so much warmer than chrome”; “Mirrored cupboards create a clever space illusion.”DOMINIC’S tip: “Think beyond the purely functional, in a more poetic,

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What do you do on your sofa? It’s where every living room makeover must start, says Barbara Chandler

Try this at home: how to design a living room

EXPRESS YOURSELF WITH COLOUR

THE GoodHome Report was published last month by Kingfisher (kingfisher.com), owner in the UK of B&Q. Its first “concept store” opened in Wallington in May (diy.com/goodhome).

THE report features findings of the Happiness Research Institute of Denmark (happinessresearch institute.com), revealing five “core emotional needs” for happiness at home: pride, identity, comfort, safety and control.

“SO fill your living room with pieces you love,” says Emily Dunstan, home buyer at Heal’s (Tottenham Court Road, W1; heals.co.uk). “Express yourself with cushions, throws and art, with pops of favourite colours and patterns. Experiment with room layouts. Use nature for an easy refresh — glass vases of flowers or hanging baskets.”

Pulling the look together: a favourite piece of furniture — or two — in well-chosen colours sets the tone for the whole room. From Neptune, the Long Island sofa is £1,925 and the Eloise ottoman is £640 (neptune.com)

Colour pops: Velvet Dash cushion, left, £85, and Sun Lay cushion, £49, both from Heal’s (heals.com)

WHEN John Lewis quizzed 3,500 of its customers about their home furnishings earlier

this year, more than half said the living room was the most-used space in their home.

“Nowadays this really is a full-on room,” says Pip Prinsloo, head of design, home at John Lewis. “It has changed its use dramatically from just five years ago.”

From watching TV (96 per cent) to spending time with family (82 per cent) to eating a takeaway (33 per cent) to painting nails (21 per cent) and even singing karaoke (two per cent), the retail giant plotted 25 things we do on or around our sofas.

PLANNING YOUR LIVING ROOM MAKEOVERThe sofa is the linchpin in a redesign — at the very heart of living rooms. But first “zone” your room on a rough plan, for sitting/watching TV, eating, paperwork/studying, children playing and so on. That shows what furniture you need. Measure up carefully. Use masking tape on the floor to see how a sofa will fit.

Large families with space shouldn’t be afraid of a bigger, deeper sofa, says Charlie Marshall, director of Loaf (Battersea, Notting Hill and Spitalfields; loaf.com). “But avoid chipboard frames. Solid beech with screws and dowels are better.”

Jo Butters, creative designer for old-established Parker Knoll, says: “Shapely curves, rolled arms and turned legs suit period homes, while square shapes and corner groups are crisp and modern.” An upholstered velvet footstool now tops the John Lewis customer wish list.

A focal point can pull a room together. You still can’t beat that fireplace, “but how about a rug or favourite piece of art or furniture?” says John Sims-Hilditch, co-founder of Neptune furnishing stores (home design service at Fulham, Chiswick and Wimbledon; neptune.com).

He adds: “Or frame a view with floor-length curtains or a Roman blind in linen or velvet, with seating to enjoy it.”

Walls and furniture are the first layer. Then add colour splashes and texture contrasts — antique wood and white ceramic, for example, or brass and basketware, or velvet and chrome.

NATURE’S NEUTRALSAs for colours for walls and furnishings, think natural, for happiness, comfort and warmth, says Dulux creative director, Marianne Shillingford. “Wood, wicker, clay, leather, fleece and linen are the familiar materials we have used for our homes for millennia. These days, we call them neutrals, and they work effortlessly together and with every other colour.”

Enhance space with harmonious colours and light-reflecting surfaces. Dulux Light & Space paints in 10 delicate colours “expand” small, darker rooms. Research some clever storage — adjustable/stacking shelves, cubbyholes, boxes, baskets — cannibalise “dead” spaces under sofas and sideboards. Go dual-purpose with sofa/chair beds, extending tables and stools-cum-storage.

Lighting is crucial. Make a

statement with your central ceiling point and put it on a dimmer. “Then layer your light,” says Sally Storey, director of John Cullen Lighting, London’s leading lighting store with great demos and workshops in its Chelsea shop (johncullen lighting.com). Add task lights for reading, sewing etc, and table lamps for ambience. Place uplighters in corners and under windows, while LED strips can highlight shelves.

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