design et al are delighted to announce that ALJ Studio have been shortlisted for Cityspace (Apartment/Penthouse) Award within The International Design and Architecture Awards 2018.
The project design brief was to create a unique one-off property, fit for the lifestyle of a modern family. The design and specification had to be high-end and luxurious but still feel like a real home. One of the key points of the brief was to think big. From oversized architectural features, to large pieces of art, this project has many large-scale items. ALJ Studio designed 2.9m height x 1.5m wide sliding doors, a 3.5 x 3.5m sofa, a 1.6 x 1.6m coffee table, a full height fully clad fireplace designed with a recessed 85” TV for the living room, a full height 4m wide headboard for the master bedroom and a huge walk in shower with 1 x 0.8m rain spray system in the master bathroom.
The designers went for a timeless look for the hard finishes in the property – dark stained oak chevron floors, taupe silk wallpapers, dark joinery with leather inlays and antique bronze trims, bookmatched marble clad feature fireplace in the living room a wide selection of rare marbles in the bathrooms. In the entrance hall, the designers used white marble and mirrored bespoke joinery to lift the space up and attract more natural light. They have then added colour accents to key areas using soft furnishings and accessories, creating elegant yet striking interiors. The designers were asked to create a serene and relaxing master bedroom, so ALJ Studio went with whites and taupes for the colour scheme, using off white silk wallcoverings, light grey joinery, cream silks and velvets for the bespoke headboard and introduced a touch of burnt orange and gold to add the luxurious feel.
ALJ Studio designed a large chef kitchen and dining room, that opens up to the staircase hall and living room, providing a well-connected entertaining space, which works for both day to day life and more formal settings. The large sliding doors were used to create the open feel for this floor, which also allow for privacy should the family so wish, which was one of the key requirements. The ground floor of the property, due to its openness, creates a stunning connection between the South and North facades and allows you to see both fantastic views of Hyde Park and the Bayswater side at the same time.
For the designers, one of the key features of the project would be the spiral staircase area running across 4 floors with a specialist lit up feature wall behind it. It was also one of the hardest aspects of the design in the property, which involved many specialists. The project architects and engineers have put a lot of work into getting the shape right from the design side. As the staircase is floating from the back, it creates the feel of a large house rather than an apartment, giving you the opportunity to look 12 metres up.
ALJ Studio worked closely with a specialist painter to create a bespoke finish for the feature wall behind the staircase. It was hand painted and applied on site and then finished with metallic bronze brush strokes. The wall runs up alongside the staircase and has vertical channels with light strips from both sides, elevating the paintwork and making the subtle texture of the finish come through.