Marble Bathrooms

Posted on January 15, 2015 by yasmin

Trends come and go in Interior Design, like with fashion, but classically beautiful materials always seem to come back in favour. Marble is typically associated with opulent bathrooms of the past but had been less used than other stones in more recently designed luxury bathrooms. There has, however, been a resurgence in the popularity of marble and designers are now incorporating the classic carrara marble into even the most contemporary of bathrooms. Below are some images that demonstrate its’ versatility as a material as well as its classic and timeless appeal. The below bathrooms utilise marble to create an overall contemporary look. The first image features dark wenge wood alongside marble floor tiles as well as mosaic marble wall tiles in the shower. The clean lined marble basin, in a simple and streamlined design, again shows how this material can be used effectively in a modern context.

Contemporary Marble Bathroom

The designer Isaac Mizrahi’s bathroom below, features a complete take on the carrara marble look- using the material for walls as well as surrounding the bath. The overall clean lined look, focuses our attention on the marble itself and its striking beauty.

Contemporary Isaac Mizrahi Bathroom

Here are some more examples of contemporary use of marble in bathrooms. The first image below shows grey marble used for the flooring and bath surround, with a smoked glass screen to create a wet-room shower area.

The second image shows an almost all- marble bathroom with a circular egg bath at its’ centre.

grey marble, contemporary bathroom, smoked glass

Grey Marble, Smoked Glass

marble wall tiles, egg bath, contemporary bathroom

Marble Walls & Floor, Circular Egg Bath

Another simple but effective use of carrara marble is featured below in a wet room shower. We particularly like the cut out ledge on the wall.

Marble Wet Room

The grey marble used in this contemporary sauna- look shower below, is linear marble where the grain runs vertically.

Linear Grey Marble Wet Room Shower

Another option when looking at ways to incorporate marble into your bathroom, would be to opt for marble products as opposed to the more typical choice of walls and flooring. This marble bath by Lapicida is the ultimate luxury bath and will be a real focal point of your room.

Lapicida Marble Bath

Or for a less costly approach to using marble products, look to these beautiful marble accessories for your bathroom by US brand, Waterworks.

Marble Bathroom Accessories

Luxury Handles & Details

Posted on December 17, 2014 by yasmin

A key aspect of Interior Design is remembering that small details can really make an overall look. One such example of these details, are handles. This is never more true than with a kitchen or on bespoke cabinetry- where changing an ordinary handle for an unusual or beautifully designed one, can completely change the aesthetic.

Using texture on handles is a great way to add interest and add a sensory element to your design. Some materials that can achieve this are: Suede, Leather, Shagreen, Horn, Wood and Glass. See examples of these materials being used in handles, in the below images.

shagreen handles, luxury handles, bespoke cabinetry

Shagreen Leather Handles

horn handles, luxury handles, door handles, bespoke door handles

Shagreen Leather Doors & Horn Handles

glass handles, luxury handles, bespoke door handles

Square Glass Handles

leather doors, horn handles, bespoke cabinetry,

Dark Leather Doors & Dark Horn Handles

wood handle design, luxury handle design

Wooden Pull Handle

horn handles, luxury handles, bespoke cabinetry

Dark Horn Handles

Horn Handles

Another option for creating interest is to use recessed handles for a clean lined look. This works particularly well when creating contemporary cabinetry with wood, such as in the below images.

Recessed Handles

wood cabinetry, bespoke cabinetry london, luxury cabinetry london

Recessed Handles Wood Cabinetry

recessed metal handles, luxury leather doors, bespoke handles london

Recessed Metal Handles, Leather Doors

Lastly, consider the form and shape of your handles- we love the below examples of unusual handles that focus on design and shape. Consider the surface the handles will be used on and choose something that will complement and add impact to the overall look.

Brass Handles

Recessed Handle

Brass Handle

Home Office Design

Posted on December 2, 2014 by yasmin

Over the last decade, we have seen a significant increase in the number of clients looking to create a home office. We put this down to a number of factors, but most notably it is advancements in technology that have made this possible. People are increasingly opting to work from home, where possible- to improve their work/life balance or just to avoid time wasted in commuting. This meaning that the home office is less likely to be used just occasionally and can often be where many hours are spent during the working week. More thought is going into the design of a home office than ever before and in this blog post we explore different ways of approaching the space.

How we design your home office of course depends greatly on your working needs. An architect or 3D designer will require perhaps more table space for physical projects than someone with a more computer-based role. We will take your working hours, your preference for light and any other factors that could affect the space you need and want to work in. Ultimately this is about creating the most conducive space possible for you to work your absolute best- boosting productivity and concentration.

Our job as interior designers for a home office is to strike that perfect balance between functionality and aesthetics.

Here are a few points to consider when designing your home office, a ‘checklist’ of key aspects:

– Space for Laptop, Printer Storage

– Office that inspires and motivates

– Lighting

– Privacy- if your work is of a private nature, you may require sound proofing

– Electrical points- ample for laptop, phone and any other electrical devices

– Desk size

– Ergonomic chair- very important when you are using an office often

Of course the look of your home office will be something you will place emphasis on and to help guide you in your design, we have included a number of inspirational images. The below images are largely traditional Home Office’s with a focus on luxury furniture and beautiful materials.

luxury home office, traditional home office, bespoke home office, opulent home office,

Luxury Traditional Study

masculine home study, luxury dark home study, traditional home study

Masculine Dark Home Study, Oversized Ceiling Lights

elegant home office, feminine home office, traditional home office

Elegant Home Study

Next we look at ‘Classic Contemporary’ images- that blend of a contemporary aesthetic, referencing a timeless interiors style.

Classic Contemporary Dark Wood Home study

classic contemporary study, white home study

White Home Study Nook, Iconic Furniture Style

dark wood study, classic contemporary study,

Dark Wood Classic Contemporary Home Office

black and white study, class contemporary study

Monochrome Desk Nook

Lastly we have included some contemporary images of Home Office ideas- where minimal design using materials such as glass and metal have been used as well as contemporary furniture design.

contemporary office design, bare concrete walls

Concrete Walls and contemporary office chairs

minimal office design, contemporary office design, knoll office furniture

Minimal Contemporary Office Design- white walls, glass desk, Knoll Chair

contemporary office design, retro office furniture

Contemporary Office Design, Retro accents

elegant wenge home office, contemporary home office

Elegant Contemporary Home Office- Dark Wenge Wood, Minimal Design

We hope this feature will help you design your very own home office or will inspire you to get in touch with us, here at KR Interior Design where we would be happy to discuss your Home Office project.

Staircase Design

Posted on November 26, 2014 by yasmin

In this blog post, we will be looking at the various types of innovative and traditional staircases that you can implement in your interior project. The key is to work with the natural assets of your space and make the most of any original features, where possible.

This is a largely image based post as we have found so many incredible stair cases for you to admire. Some of these designs are contemporary- in new buildings that have been created and where you essentially have a blank canvas to create your ideal staircase. Other images show original period staircases with timeless, elegant appeal.

contemporary staircase, modern interior design

Contemporary White Staircase

Sculptural Staircase

Contemporary Opulent Staircase

The below images demonstrate contemporary staircases that could work very well in a period setting. The first image shows an exposed brick wall with an industrial vibe. Contrasted with this rawness, is the fragility of a floating staircase with glass shield. This juxtaposition works well in creating a unique look.

The second image conjures the concept of an elegant, large period home, yet the staircase is distinctly modern with its white block curves and contrast wooden treads. The unpainted wood gives an earthiness to an otherwise strictly opulent, classic look.

The third image features a staircase as well as an elevator, with glass and stone being the main materials. This site is in fact a church, which highlights how this contemporary look can be an ideal pairing with such an old building. The glass combined with the dark wood, creates a timeless and harmonious look.

floating staircase, contemporary staircase

Contemporary Floating Staircase

Dark Wood Tread on Staircase- Classic Contemporary

contemporary staircase, church conversion

Church Building, Glass Staircase

The next couple of images we are focusing on, look at how optical illusions can be created with a staircase. The first image shows a minimal, contemporary look with glass and white treads, to create a floating staircase. The combination of transparent and all white, makes the space take on an other worldly aura.

The second image features a duo contrast wall with the bottom of the staircase in black, to tie in with the black treads. The effect of this is that the last three steps merge into the floor and are almost invisible. A staircase really is an element you can experiment and have fun with.

Floating Contemporary Staircase

black white staircase, contemporary staircase

Contrast Staircase

These last two images are of beautiful staircases of a bygone era, that evoke a sense of place and time. Keeping these traditional staircases, however, needn’t prevent you from creating an overall contemporary look. In both these examples, the walls and flooring is kept neutral and minimal which offsets the opulent ironwork.

Parisian style staircase

Traditional staircase

In many properties, the staircase will be the first thing you see on entering- so take time to maximise impact and choose the right option for your project.

Cloakroom Design: Contemporary

Posted on October 23, 2014 by yasmin

As you may have noticed- if you are an avid reader of our blog! We have already recently blogged on cloakroom design. However, we felt that the image inspiration we used previously, was overall fairly traditional. For a recent project, we have focused more on contemporary interiors and thus wanted to share with you some of what we researched.

In the images below, it is clear to see the impact and benefit of using great lighting in your cloakroom. It is usually a small space you will be working with, and a variety of lighting will create interest and drama. In the image immediately below, the dark materials combined with the single down light over the orchid, makes the space feel both cosy and dramatic.

Cloakroom Lighting

lighting in interiors, luxurious lighting, cloakroom interiors

Light Box Effect

The Kelly Hoppen image above is another great demonstration of effective cloakroom lighting, combined with interesting materials. Here she has used glass panels over white walls to create an almost lacquer look. The floor up-lights reflect off the glass to make the space feel hospital clean and at the same time warm with a glow.

We also love how the use of down lights and the inbuilt shelf, makes a ‘light box’ effect which highlights perfectly its’ contents. Here she has displayed beautiful coral but really you could use anything that you wanted to- a collection of bowls or vases would work just as well. It is important to balance out your look, however, and in this particular room, the natural aspect of the coral off sets the clinical look of the lighting and materials.

When choosing your materials you will have a plethora of options. One aspect to consider is whether you may want to match tones on tones or instead to opt for contrasting colours and textures. Below are examples of both ways of approaching this. The image immediately below demonstrates matching tones of Grey, in both the wall tiles and then a slightly darker grey wood for the floating sink unit. The floor tiles also are in the same colour group, albeit slightly lighter than the wall tiles. The overall look is very subtle and yet also effective. It is a timeless and contemporary look that is neither overtly feminine nor masculine and would work very well also for a shared bathroom.

grey cloakroom interior, luxury cloakroom,

Grey Cloakroom Tones

Below is an image showing how a contrasting look can also be a great option for a cloakroom. White walls and floor tiles, combined with dark Wenge wood for a floating sink unit and under shelf, creates a stark contrast. The benefit of this approach is that you can make a bolder statement which may be preferable in a small cloakroom space. It also works well for displaying accessories to have a dark shelf with a white space behind.

monochrome cloakroom interior, luxury cloakroom interior

Contrasting Colour in a Cloakroom

When designing your contemporary cloakroom, a great way to inject a style statement is with a beautiful and unique sink. See the grey limestone sink below for a perfect example of simple, yet brilliant design.

luxury limestone sink, luxury cloakroom sink

Grey Limestone Sink

Finishing Touches- Personalising Your Interior

Posted on October 2, 2014 by yasmin

It is at the end of an interiors project, that you realise how the finishing touches really add to the overall effect. You will notice how all renowned interior designers will have signature touches they will add to a space- Kelly Hoppen often uses Orchids and repetition in ornaments- so 3 of an item as opposed to just one, to add impact. Whereas Louise Bradley will use her famed tassle cushions and lamps, to make a room feel special and ‘lived in’.

Here at KR Interior Design, we favour a number of different brands and products which we choose for their high quality and aesthetic. Something we often like to add to a room are diffuser reeds, which allow you to scent your space without always lighting a candle. Our absolute favourite for diffusers is Linari- the fragrances for which are all created by German designer Rainer Diersche. The scent that we continue to revisit for its’ intoxicating beauty, is Sogno. It is not just the scent, however, that lures us to Linari- it is also the stylish and simple packaging with elongated bottles that we also love.

Stunning Linari Scents

Linari Diffusers

Another favourite brand, is Linley. This British brand produces furniture, bespoke cabinetry amongst other things- but it is their Accessories that we particularly favour.

Beautiful wooden trays for an ottoman, cufflink boxes, cigar humidors and decadent gifts such as a luxury picnic hamper are the sort of products you can find there. Below are images of some of our favourites: a photo frame in macassar ebony, a grey leather round tray and another tray with a spirit level in the lip- ideal for not spilling drinks!

Linley Macassar Photo Frame

Linley Wood Spirit Level Tray

A key living room accessory in our opinion, is a luxurious throw. Preferably go for cashmere for the ultimate in opulence and comfort- see below a Grey cashmere throw from Oyuna and also an Hermes cashmere throw.

Grey Cashmere Throw

Hermes Cashmere Throw

For your coffee table and surfaces, don’t forget to add ornaments and special hardback books. Below are examples of Faux Coral which, like flowers, can help add a natural element to your home.

Faux Coral Ornament

Faux Coral Ornaments

Lastly a few images to inspire you in how to arrange your accessories. The key thing to remember when adding personal touches is that they should be unique to you, so don’t rush it and only add in things you love.

Luxury Hardback Books & Flowers

Making an Entrance: How to Create a Picture Perfect Hallway

Posted on August 28, 2014 by yasmin

The impact of a great hallway is not to be underestimated. This may be the last thing you think about when designing the interior of your home, but in our opinion- it shouldn’t be. Pages of interior magazines, books and blogs are dedicated to Kitchens, Bathrooms and Bedrooms and so little focus is on the Entrance Hall. When you think about it, this is what inspires first impressions when people visit your home and it is also what you see first every day when you come in. What would you like to see when you first open your front door?

A clean, uncluttered and design inspired entrance is the objective and this can be achieved with any size of space. See some ideas below that we love and you can take as inspiration for your own entrance halls. The combination of a console table and mirror is a timeless look with enduring appeal. A mirror will reflect light and create the illusion of more space as well as being great for a quick check of your reflection as you dart out the door.

High impact entrance hall: Orchids, Mirror & Console Table

Louise Bradley Design: Contemporary console table, Art work, Flowers

Contemporary Entrance Hall: Floating Unit, Artwork & Flowers

Your choice of console table in your hallway, will guide the overall style and impact most on the look. Choose something you won’t tire of easily and that epitomises your style. We like the below consoles for their craftsmanship and aesthetic. The first image is a uniquely designed traditional table, the second image is a contemporary lacquer table with metal legs by Villiers and the last table is a Taylor Llorente Macassar contemporary console. Certainly more than just somewhere to lay your keys…

Traditional Console Table

Villiers Contemporary Console Table

Taylor Llorente Contemporary Console Table

Another option for an entrance hall, besides using a console table- is to create a seating area. Below are two images of how this can be done successfully. A bright sofa will make an instant impression on the eye- combine this with wall lights and a long mirror to finish the overall look. We also love the gold finished bench in the below image, which ties in with the frames on the wall hanging above it, for a touch of old-world beauty.

Bright sofa in entrance hall for instant impact

Gold finished bench with art work for a Romantic entrance hall

Do not forget to add personal touches to your entrance hall design- this is an opportunity to share and display your taste. See some ideas for accessorising in the Dom Edizioni images below: Art work, Ash tray, Magnifying Glass, Books & Lamps.

Dom Edizioni: Hallway accessorising

Lighting in your hall way is not an aspect to skip over. Ideally think about multi-purpose lighting options- you may want to opt for dimmable spot lights as well as a table lamp that can be left on when you anticipate guests. Wall lights are another fantastic option for layered lighting, that do not require the space of lamps. See the image below for a beautiful example of hallway lighting.

Elegant Hallway lighting

Last of all, remember to consider the overall style of your home when designing the hallway- it should reflect the look of the property and lead into the themes you have chosen within.

Kitchen Focus: Adding Style and Comfort to a Practical Space

Posted on August 6, 2014 by yasmin

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Great kitchens are one of our passions here at KR Interior Design, we spend hours upon hours collating inspirational ideas and piecing them together to form our dream spaces. The multitude of options and styles is both simultaneously exciting and can also be overwhelming as you plan and design your own kitchen.

We recommend looking at many styles of kitchen and really assessing your needs before you start designing, as a kitchen is an expensive room to replace- ideally you should aim to choose a style that you will like in a minimum of 5 years time.

In this blog post, we are focusing on the design aspects of a kitchen that elevate it from a purely practical space. Beautiful lights, stools and how to create sociable dining areas.

Below is a beautiful pendant light option from CTO Lighting. Using pendant lights in a kitchen is a great way of adding an elegant and opulent look. Chandeliers are also a fantastic addition to a kitchen, adding a luxuriousness to the overall aesthetic.

CTO Lighting Pendant

Beautiful lighting in Mowlem Kitchen

Mowlem Classic Kitchen with Chandelier

A way to make a kitchen feel less like a place for purpose and more relaxed, is to hide equipment and also to add unexpected materials. Below are examples of how this can be done beautifully. The first image shows a stunning wood kitchen in a Royalton residential property. The units are cleverly designed to close and hide the oven and other appliances, so you can dine without these distractions. It creates an overall sleek, contemporary and comfortable look.

Royalton Kitchen- Units to hide Appliances

The Mowlem kitchen below uses mirror as a splash back which is an unexpected use of materials in a kitchen, that works very well. Mirror is a brilliant choice for creating the illusion of space by reflecting the room and also practical as it is easy to clean.

Mowlem Kitchen, Mirror Splash back

Most homes will find a kitchen/diner is used most often as opposed to a separate dining room. A kitchen with the facility for informal dining is a real necessity for most people, so creating sociable and beautiful kitchen dining spaces is an important aspect of our design at KR. The dining area in a kitchen can be either stools along an island or a perhaps a banquette style dining space. Below are some examples of great seating areas in a kitchen.

Sociable Round Table for Kitchen Dining

Elegant, Contemporary Kitchen Seating area

When choosing your chairs, benches or bar stools, opt for style and comfort, such as those found at the Sofa & Chair Company. We often use their simple, elegant and well-made designs in our interior projects. Below are some examples of great kitchen chairs and stools that we love from The Sofa & Chair Co.

Buttoned Bar Stool, The Sofa & Chair Company

Hugo Leather Bench, The Sofa & Chair Company

Elliott Dining Chair, The Sofa & Chair Company

In Bloom: How Flowers can make an Interior Project

Posted on July 28, 2014 by yasmin

Whilst on a recent work trip, Amanda and myself at KR, passed by the incredible Flower Wall at Sloane Square. This remarkable feat of a vertical garden has transformed this corner of London and passers by are stopped in their tracks to admire and take in this beautiful sight. The garden by Treebox was commissioned by J Crew- to tie in with the launch of their new store. The garden which includes over 9000 nectar-rich flowers, such as Lavender, Salvias and Verbena was intended to attract bees and raise awareness for the plight of the honey bee. This installation is only intended to be temporary, so do try to see it soon, before this amazing sight disappears. Treebox are attempting to make the site permanent- we signed a petition whilst we were there to hopefully secure it as a fixture at Sloane Sq- sign the petition too if you’d also like it to stay!

Treebox designed vertical garden, Sloane Square

This got us both thinking about the impact of flowers on interiors as well as being a great mood elevator. As all great interior designers’ know, the right floral arrangement can completely transform the interior of a room into a home and a welcoming space.

Below are some images demonstrating great floral choices for the spaces they are in. Place flowers on a table, in front of a mirror to reflect the image of flowers in the room. For high impact choose tall flowers in a tall vase to create a focal point.

Beautiful lilac flowers in a traditional home

White Pretty Flowers in Ralph Lauren Vase

These pretty flowers above in a stunning Ralph Lauren vase, also demonstrate an overall more traditional look. The flowers appear bountiful, like a country garden. Another lovely country look is below in a bathroom setting- using a a metal jug in this way, creates a more laid back look.

Country Bathroom Flower Arrangement

A favourite look that we are inclined to use time and time again- is a smaller vase with short neat stems. This is a good way to incorporate flowers in your home in a more contemporary/classic setting. See the images below for examples on how to do this successfully.

Neat short stem flowers on desk. White Peonies

White Hydrangea in glass bowl

In a modern home, Orchids are a fantastic way to add a green touch without being overly feminine. Kelly Hoppen is one of many interior designers that use orchids frequently in interior projects, to great effect. See the images below for inspirational ideas on how to use orchids in a contemporary setting. As Kelly Hoppen has done in the below image, repeating the same flower/vase combination can add to the overall impact and create a strong contemporary look.

Kelly Hoppen Orchid Arrangement

Orchid on entrance hall table

Orchid on Dining Table

An unusual flower concept that also creates a contemporary feel, is using oversized vases and setting the flowers at ground level- here is an image of how this can be incredibly effective.

Kelly Hoppen flowers on ground

The fantastic aspect of using flowers is that they can be added and taken away easily- so mix up your display regularly and why not reflect the changing seasons in your arrangements.

The Dressing Room: For a Young Woman

Posted on July 1, 2014 by amanda

We never quite intended to do 3 blog posts on dressing rooms, but we had such a wealth of ideas collated and we didn’t want to skip over any, in case one of these images was just what you needed as inspiration!

This is Part 3 of the Dressing Room feature and the final instalment- this time looking still at a Woman’s dressing room but with a focus more toward a younger, more relaxed style. This ties in for us with the project we mentioned previously, where we are designing both a Mother and Daughter’s separate dressing rooms. This weeks’ images and ideas are predominantly for the daughter.

With a younger Woman’s dressing room, we have taken some greater design risks and opted for a more eclectic style. The key aspects still need to be in place: a seating area for doing make up, clothes storage area etc. Below are some ideas for how you could arrange a seating area. The first image shows how a seating area that lends itself to socialising is a fun addition to a younger dressing room, especially given how friends are so often a part of the getting ready process. The colours: pink, ivory and gold alongside the modern art work- is a fantastic combination.

eclectic dressing room, contemporary dressing room

Dressing Room Seating Area

For a neutral but still young dressing table combination, use some scandinavian influences, such as the chairs featured in both images below. Scandi design lends itself so well to creating a clean but trend inspired overall look. We love the dressing table adornment on the below image: minimal flowers, perfume bottles and some choice lotions and potions, make this a personal and unique look.

contemporary dressing room, young dressing room

Contemporary Dressing Room Inspiration

modern dressing table, white dressing table

Contemporary Dressing Room

Creating a space that fits with the style of your home is key. If your property is of a more period style, then why not let that influence your dressing room. The next two images look at a French/Rustic style with painted white wash floor boards and antique furniture and accessories. The antique bird cages are a beautiful detail to the space featured.

rustic dressing room, white wash floor boards

Rustic style dressing room

French style dressing room

Lastly, clothes storage is another area where we feel there could be differences between a more sophisticated dressing room and a younger one. Below are two very different dressing room approaches to storage- a very sleek and high finish option and something more bohemian and relaxed. Both young, fun and suitable for a girl’s dressing room.

Sleek, young clothes storage idea

Open clothes storage

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