October 2016
Top three trends for 2017
17/10/16 11:51 Filed in: Property
Trends are notoriously hard to predict but we placed Viki Lander, Creative Director at Ensoul Interior Architecture, on the spot to provide decor with an insight into her top design trends for 2017.
Inject Personality
Whilst 50 shades of grey continues to dominate the interiors world we are seeing a move away from this to create interesting and personal homes. Smart use of colour, pattern and texture brings a space to life. With imagination, bravery and application and by using paint colours, striking wallpapers and wall coverings, textured or patterned rugs and carpets, all can transform a blank canvas into something very special.
The addition of beautiful furniture, carefully curated accessories, photo and books on tables and shelves, bold and personal art, interesting light fittings and lamps will all add the finishing touches.
Go Bespoke
The ability to design a home to your precise taste can transform a property. Something that ‘just looks fine’ but doesn’t work very well, can be altered into something life changing.
Refurbishments are fundamentally about reconfiguring space to suit personal lifestyles. Over time needs change from owner to owner and also for the same owner as well. Children arrive and grow up, jobs change or increased home working drives demand for a home office. All these create a requirement to reconfigure a living home, and make the best use of space and technology.
Bespoke areas, and an increasing trend for unique furniture introduces a sleeker look and an opportunity to use more interesting materials. At Ensoul we are seeing more special projects requested; such as a 3.5m long Calacatta marble dining table; an Onyx bar and an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, all currently on our drawing board.
Add Lifestyle
With work and life pulling in so many directions and smart phones upping the ante, there’s a definite trend for putting in more enjoyable lifestyle elements into the home and garden to unwind and relax wherever possible.
Where space is not an issue, walk in dressing rooms, fully equipped gyms, swimming pools with spas, cinema rooms, bars and temperature controlled wine rooms have all become must haves for today’s luxury properties. Where space is an issue extensions are being constructed to accommodate them.
Smart technology has really come of age in the home, but the smartest item we recommend is to install commercial grade IT network for super-fast broadband and IP telephony. This provides fantastic download speeds, seamless home working and with the advantage of a lower phone bill.
No longer just a Californian or Australian phenomenon, the ‘Outdoor Kitchen’ has become a great attraction for those wishing to enjoy BBQs and outdoor living all year round. So what’s involved? Think fitted kitchen runs with lots of stainless steel in the form of grills, fridges and cocktail stations; infra red heaters for much needed heat during the colder months; sliding glass doors and louvred roofs to create both inside outside options. Add fabulous furniture inside, to lounge, dine and party with family and friends.
essence info
Ensoul Interior Architecture is an award winning firm providing turnkey refurbishment and architectural services across Surrey, Sussex and selected Home Counties.
Website: www.ensoul.co.uk
Email: transform@ensoul.co.uk
Telephone: 020 3637 0700
Room with a view
07/10/16 20:28 Filed in: Property
It’s not always and only about how large a house is, whether it offers floor plans inviting visitors to enjoy sea breezes, mountain mornings, or the pastoral peace of the countryside, views do matter. Jane Pople finds some houses with the most spectacular panoramic views. This stunning collection of properties, most situated on challenging terrains, offer great views and all are true pieces of architectural genius.
House Holman
Picasso inspiration - Australia
A top the 70-metre high cliffs of Dover Heights, Australia, rising steep over the ocean, stands the futuristic structure of the House Holman private residence with a crisp white silhouette cutting in the vast background of the deep blue sky. The house has been developed by Durbach Block Jaggers Architects who have designed its plan inspired by Picasso’s surreal painting The Bather. Indeed, the structure of the building develops in a complex series of meandering spaces that arc, fold and stretch in response to landscape and views. The rough stone walls of the lower levels cut into the cliff, forming a solid base, and continue along the cliff edge to form eccentric terraced gardens and a vase-shaped rock pool.
Pretty Beach House
Modest name, top excellence - Australia
Pretty Beach House is a sophisticated, private guesthouse offering top quality services, modern amenities and luxurious ambiance, a private chef for exclusive gastronomic experience, breathtaking panoramic views, exciting private boat trips and a Zen-relax spa. The best part is that the house is designed, built and purposed to make guests feel at home in an intimate, safe and authentic environment, nestled in the serene and quintessentially Australian bushland. The property features a guest-shared main house and four exclusive private pavilions, all developed and furnished in a sophisticated style of charming elegance and luxury.
Black Desert House
The shadow of the mountain - USA
Pretty Beach House is a sophisticated, private guesthouse offering top quality services, modern amenities and luxurious ambiance, a private chef for exclusive gastronomic experience, breathtaking panoramic views, exciting private boat trips and a Zen-relax spa. The best part is that the house is designed, built and purposed to make guests feel at home in an intimate, safe and authentic environment, nestled in the serene and quintessentially Australian bushland. The property features a guest-shared main house and four exclusive private pavilions, all developed and furnished in a sophisticated style of charming elegance and luxury.
Panorama House
An idyllic dream - India
In an attempt to bring humans and their residences into a more intimate unity with nature, the team of Ajay Sonar has developed the Panorama House and placed it atop a small hill against the background of the Gangapur Dam in Nasik, India. As in an idyllic dream, the Sahyadri Mountain frames the beautiful scenery and incorporates the building within. With panoramic glass walls framed by a simple pigmented concrete cuboid shell structure, the house stands almost invisibly amidst the landscape, matching the colour of the surrounding soil and mountains, and allows residents to enjoy the magnificent performance of weathers and seasons in a picture perfect view.
The Summer House
The ‘living’ rock - Norway
The Summer House, designed by JVA, stands among the rugged rock formations and huge boulders lining the coast of Vestfold in the southern part of Norway. It is a low elongated structure, looking itself like a ‘living’ rock for being perfectly adjusted to the surrounding terrain in terms of shape, scale, material and colour. The overall shell of the building is divided through cuts-in to allow for wind shielded outdoor areas protected by the house itself. The house offers an infinity pool and a large terrace overlooking the spectacular North Sea, protected from harsh sea winds by a glass wall, which allows unobstructed panoramic views.
Mirage
Aegean dream - Greece
Walking along the edge of the steep, rocky shores of Tinos Island and enjoying breathtaking views to the Aegean Sea, there is a sight that will stop the wanderer and make him consider whether what he sees is a mirage or reality. A large piece of a water mirror extends to the horizon, vanishing and merging with the seascape, creating a stunning mirage vision. Yet it is very much real: an architectural masterpiece created by Kois Associated Architects and integrated into the landscape as if it was part of it. The rimless pool itself is a roof covering the large open space living area, while the rest of the premises are built into the rock itself, ‘disappearing’ into the scenery. Local building techniques and materials have been used to ensure proper temperature regulation and protection from weather and solar radiation.
9010 Hopen Place
Matthew Perry’s Residence - USA
Located atop Los Angeles’ luxurious ‘Bird Streets’ neighbourhood, the Hopen Place Residence is known as one of the most prestigious properties on the Hollywood Hills and home of the actor Matthew Perry, star of ‘Friends’. The amazing three bedroom, four bathroom, 4,000 sq. ft. residence is a sleek architectural artwork, developed for a lavish Hollywood lifestyle, and boasts top-of-the-line amenities, deluxe interior design and unparalleled comfort. A custom made sliding glass wall opens the living area and leads into a sensational central courtyard featuring a solar and gas heated spa, revealing stunning jet-liner city views to downtown LA and the Pacific Ocean over the blue cascading waters of a dazzling ‘wet edge’ infinity pool.
essence info
Websites: www.amara.com and www.adorable-home.com
This article is contributed by Adorable Home Magazine and first appeared in The Lux Pad, www.amara.com/luxpad.