THE CLIENT
We have been working on a home for a professional couple with a young family. The client found me via social media, first Facebook and then Instagram.
She was looking for a designer with principles that aligned with her own; namely sustainable and ethical interior design.
It's nice to be approached by a client via social media; it doesn't happen often as most of our referrals come via word of mouth and recommendations.
The homeowners had employed a contractor prior to hiring SVM. It didn't go well. They were let down, the company went bust and couldn't finish the job.
It is so disappointing to hear these types of stories that happen much too often.
This time around, they decided to hire a professional interior designer to give them peace of mind. SVM made the vision a reality, chose the contractors from our trusted team, and liaised between the two to ensure the whole project came together seamlessly.
THE VISION
The client wanted to create a home, based on the 'Wabi-Sabi concept.
Follow this link to our blogs offering an in-depth explanation of what Wabi-Sabi is, its principles, and how to implement them into your interiors.
In brief, it means:
Wisdom in natural simplicity - appreciating the beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete" in nature. The fleeting nature of time and decay.
Think of the fading of autumn leaves. Students of the philosophy are taught
to seek beauty in the most fundamental and natural.
Wabi-Sabi Inspired Interiors & Materials
THE DESIGN PROCESS
We created this image of the living room based on these design principles, I'll explain a little about those principles and how we approached it.
Everything was stripped out, apart from the fireplace, they wanted to keep it stone; a natural material. We then built a picture of the room by layering, function and aesthetics.
MOOD BOARD
All Wabi-Sabi principles work in tandem to create a more peaceful, authentic and healthy home
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FLOORING
We decided upon a wide 240mm straight plank (not chevron) engineered wood, with a good veneer wear on it, from Trunk Floor. Their 'character' finish with random knots is slightly imperfect, lending to our wabi-sabi principles. This supplier is my go-to flooring company because they manufacture in Ireland and finish by hand offering many colour options. Pricier than some online suppliers, but worth it.
WALLS
Wabi-sabi focuses on raw textures. Materials like wood, stone, leather and metal are embraced for the way that they age and stain, rust and wear. How, even after the toll of time, they become more beautiful.
That is why we have used limewash paints as they are a gorgeous way to add some depth and texture to the walls. Beauwerk does them beautifully. Their paints forge a connection to nature on a fundamental level. They are completely natural - made from clay, minerals and beautiful natural pigments.
Beauwek Limewash Paints
We are having a specialist paint the limewash on the wall, even though it looks like a randomly applied finish, these types of techniques never are. We are using One & Maike who specialize in wall treatments, with the main contractor prepping the surface for them beforehand.
Another finish worth considering is micro-cement, which has a rougher texture and a weathered & worn look, exactly what we are after for a wabi-sabi inspired interior.
LIGHTING
Lighting is discreet but functional, with accessories kept to a minimum and simple but beautifully conceived furniture in natural materials, forms and finishes. You will see by the renders the use of natural and live wood, raffia, metal, glass and wool.
FURNITURE & HARDWARE
I particularly love this Movimento coffee table with the charcoal effect top that our client found. Movimento create unique pieces, pushing the boundaries of form and function.
We do, of course, use many different suppliers depending on the style our clients are trying to achieve.
The hardware for the doors are black, as are the doors. The boldness of the contrast between the black and beige provides visual impact. We use Buster & Punch hardware with less expensive options by Heritage Brass.
From our tried and tested team of experienced contractors, we decided on one which was right for this project. I cannot stress enough how important it is to hire the right contractor, it will make or break your project.
If you are looking for a "One Stop Shop" when it comes to the design and management of your home we can put the right team together for you and deliver a hassle and stress-free project.
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Copyright Disclaimer: Not all photos used here are mine, all rights are reserved to the copyright owners. Sourced from Instagram,Pinterest & SVM Interiors.
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