Project Overview

The clients appreciation of art and collectables and their willingness to be bold was the basis of this project. Strong use of colour , playfulness and a narrative were elements drawn on to create comfortable,beautiful and livable spaces. This was reflected in overscaled, bright coloured display units in the hallway and the use of toille wallpaper dipicting modern day life in London by Timorese Beasties in the dinning room. The flow between spaces was the narrative that defined the way in which the clients chose to use their home ; from front room home office to the sanctuary of the back.

Organisation

caia_di_lizio interior design

Team

Caia_di_lizio design
Nicolina Caia and Tania Di Lizio

Project Brief

New paint colours and built-in wardrobes with a view to make it presentable for sale was the project brief.During this preliminary brief it was discovered that the clients liked where they lived but didn't like the feel of the house.
We identified the problems and convinced the clients that with re-configuration of spaces that included moving the kitchen from the centre of the house to the back, next to the dinning area.Adding a new en-suite, main bathroom and the addition of floor to ceiling steel framed windows overlooking the garden, would transform the house and make it a pleasure to live in.
And it did.They love it!

Project Innovation / Need

One of the clients worked from home and disliked the way his patients/clients had to go through the entire house to use the bathroom. Spatial planning was carefully considered not only for aesthetic criteria but also for functional needs.But the success of the spaces was also in the detailing and use of materials. Use of mirror and other reflective materials such as tiles and glass provided additional light.While beautiful pendants and bowling ball looking track lights provided a warm glow in the evening. We deliberately stayed away from recessed lighting not only for aesthetic reasons but also environmental.Our use of colour(some times bold) was a deviation from the monochromatric colour schemes seen in many contempory renovations.

Design Challenge

The challenge was to convince the clients to move the laundry to ouside to enable us to fit an ensuite as well as a main bathroom.But also to arrange the spaces so that the kitchen was no longer in the middle of the house(with no natural light) but well positioned near the dining room and living room at the back of the house with views to the garden.The client that did most of the cooking also wanted the kitchen to be a separate room but somehow still connected and not isolated from the rest of the dining and living areas.So we placed it just to the side of the dining room with no door so one could get glimpses into the kitchen while keeping it separate but also making it part of the dining area.The kitchen provided a place not only for cooking pleasure but a serene environment. Warm colours were used here with maize stone benchtops and dark Italian wenge veneer cupboards offset by a large horizontal window overlooking an exterior fish pond.
Working within the existing stucture was challenging. Manny sketches were done and rejected in giving importance to space and spatial allocations as well as capturing as much natural light as possible.The Bespoke hallway units and rug brought exciting colour and interest and a cheerful sense of arrival.

Sustainability

We double glazed all new windows and glass doors to prevent heat loss and to keep cool in summer.
All selected appliances were energy efficient.
Thick curtains in bedrooms also to prevent heat loss and to keep rooms cool in summer.
Wherever possible windows positioned to north orientation to capture warm winter sunshine.
Stayed within existing footprint of house.
Retained as much of the previous renovation as possible such as ceiling,floors and exterior walls.
Did not use high energy using recessed lighting