dk interiors, Diana Blanchard & Anastasia Antonova Design have been shortlisted for Residential £2.5-5 Million (Project Value) Award in The International Design and Architecture Awards.

The designers were enlisted for the complete redesign of a penthouse apartment within a classic stucco fronted terrace, this involved creating a lateral conversion over three properties. The brief was special and unusual, and required the introduction of a subtle Asian influence and wabi-sabi aesthetics into the apartment, whilst at the same time providing an appropriate foundation for late 19th century European art and contemporary furniture. This was achieved through the use of plastered walls, carefully applied in layers to create texture and patina, and a choice of colours that created a perfect foil for the artwork. The palette included celadon, jade, red and ivory, with accents of bronze and black, all providing a resonance of Asia without designing obviously in that genre.

The design brief also needed to allow for state of the art lighting and AV and a spa suite that included sauna, steam room and gym. Other aspects of the brief included the creation of a wine room to hold the clients’ vintage collection, special joinery to house exceptional Asian sculptures and bespoke oak flooring whose colour echoed the beautiful tones of the wood seen in traditional Japanese buildings. The kitchen was also designed in this colour, connecting the horizontal and vertical planes, to give a sweeping feel of space and Zen-like calm to the open living arrangement of the main reception.

The classic façade of the building conceals the undeniable modernity of the penthouse. But, situated as the property is, overlooking a verdant garden square, the design links the exterior and interior sympathetically. There is synergy between the square’s trees and organic forms and the penthouse finishes, timber flooring and the living wall, which has a water feature coursing through it. In addition, a secret garden has been designed on the roof, which directly links the two open, green spaces.

The request for an holistic emphasis at the heart of the project included furniture made in organic shapes from sustainable materials, natural fabrics and recyclable metals, and a biophilic wall in the yoga room. This unusual brief resulted in the penthouse not only looking unique but displaying a tactile, vibrant connection to nature and eco consciousness.

dk interiors, Diana Blanchard & Anastasia Antonova Design

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