Contemporary Meets Traditional by Nicola Holden Designs

https://www.thedesignawards.co.uk/international-design-architecture-awards/nicola-holden-designs-2/

Nicola Holden Designs have been Shortlisted for Living Space – London Award in The International Design & Architecture Awards 2021.

Nicola Holden Designs have created an elegant living and dining space, designed for wellness and infused with natural colour, pattern and texture. The clients wanted a home that was not only aesthetically pleasing but would also support their well-being using biophilic design and colour psychology.

Nicola Holden Designs

Aesthetically the clients requested a ‘contemporary-meets-traditional’ style for their inter-connected living and dining room, reusing some of their existing, brown furniture where it fitted into the scheme.  They were looking for a calming space that felt bright and airy. To support this feeling, Nicola Holden Designs suggested using a palette of greens, a restful colour indicative of balance and harmony, and light off-white colours. The dark wooden floor grounds the scheme, and a mix of natural materials add a connection to nature.

The clients wanted a cohesive scheme for the two rooms, as both are used predominately for entertaining, and for cosying up in front of the TV.  The spaces needed to be able to accommodate eight to ten people. In addition, Nicola Holden Designs had to ensure that ample storage was incorporated which was created using bespoke joinery solutions.

Nicola Holden Designs

The clients had struggled with the layout of the living room following the addition of an extension some years previously.  They wanted a room layout that made the most of all of the space available, but still retained flexibility depending on the different uses of the room – intimate TV watching, or conversations in smaller groups, as well as being able to accommodate larger gatherings.  The living room seating area is laid out in two zones, where adults and children can be in the same room but have their own distinct areas.  However, the layout and choice of furniture also means that the spaces can be easily re-arranged and used as one for bigger events.

Nicola Holden Designs

For Nicola Holden Designs, one of the key aspects of this project was gently persuading the client to be braver in her material choices, and to add colour and pattern to the scheme. The design incorporates all of the aesthetic and practical elements that the clients requested, as well as incorporating design for wellness to support their health and well-being.

Nicola Holden Designs


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