About this Design
This double-height interior negotiates scale through restrained material contrasts and an insistence on tectonic clarity. The open plan centers on a round dining table and mixed-upholstery chairs set slightly left of center, which anchors the lower volume against a two-storey blue‑and‑gold mural. The mural functions as both focal plane and datum for the sculptural cantilevered staircase: marble-like treads read as floating platens against the vertical wood slat backdrop, while a glass balustrade provides visual continuity and subtle specular highlights without disrupting sightlines.
Structurally the stair asserts itself as an independent element. Each tread cantilevers from a concealed steel spine; the perceived lightness is aided by the thinness of the glass balustrade and the vertical stainless fixings that pick up the pendant lights’ slender profiles. The stair’s marble finish is calibrated to read as a dense, tactile counterpoint to the matte light-gray porcelain tile that flows across the entire floor plane. Tiles show delicate grout joints—narrow and slightly shaded—to emphasize scale without creating a grid that competes with the room’s horizontals.
Wood plays a disciplined supporting role. Warm vertical wood slats behind the built-in shelving create rhythm and shadow modulation up the double-height wall, their grain aligned with recessed ceiling beams to produce a coherent longitudinal direction. The built-in shelving itself is recessed and backlit, the warm LED strip lighting bathing objects in a low-angle glow that accentuates texture rather than color. Where wood meets stone—on the kitchen island and the stair treads—reflections are warm and directional: morning ambient light pours through the glazing, producing long, softened shadows and gentle highlights on the wood trim. The glass balustrade captures faint reflections of the city sky and interior fittings, lending depth without glare.
Lighting here is primarily ambient morning light filtered through expansive glazing. The natural light is purposely soft; it grazes the vertical slats and mural, animating the gold leaf motifs while keeping overall tones neutral. Artificial lighting is discreet—LED cove in the ceiling and under-counter strips—used to bolster the wood’s warmth after the sun’s angle flattens. Furnishings favor low profiles and soft curves, creating a calm conversational plane beneath the stair and allowing the architectural components—the mural, slats, stair, and continuous matte tile—to remain the composition’s protagonists.