design et al are delighted to announce that 1.61 London have been shortlisted for Residential £2.5-£5 Million (Property by Value) Award within The International Design and Architecture Awards 2017.
1.61 London was asked to create an interior design that set a benchmark in luxury and opulence in this W1 property, situated in the heart of Mayfair off Park Lane. The brief was to deliver a full design and refurbishment scheme that was fluid with effortless transition throughout the different spaces. The client loved Palladian design and wanted to use this as a base structure for our elevation creation. Symmetrical wall elevations were thus intricately designed to meet this brief, using only changes of texture and materials to distinguish each area. These textures were employed to add the required depth and contrast in each space against the more muted colour palettes. 1.61 London’s client has an eye for the most intricate detail and therefore wanted us to ensure that even the smallest design feature was considered and worked seamlessly within the parameters of the scheme.
Structurally the designers were asked to strip back the property as much as possible and increase the floorspace and ceiling heights throughout. 1.61 London achieved a ceiling height of 3.1 meters which allowed them to create many of the intricate ceiling details, including the master bathroom polished plastered arch, (another palladium attribution). The client requested to keep the floorspace as open as possible in the entertainment spaces so that the area had an inviting social element. This was achieved by knocking out most of the walls in this section and only using duo sync FR glass sliding doors hidden in front of backlit onyx end panels, where they were required for fire regulations, to shut off the kitchen space from the reception room in the main living area.
The client has a collection of fine art and wanted these pieces to stand distinguished against the design background. Therefore, these spaces were kept simple and muted to maximise their beauty. The client also had a particular penchant for technology, wanting to be able to control all aspects of lighting and AV from Ipad & IPhone control. Therefore, the designers incorporated a full AV design throughout, including: integrated motor controlled blinds, full Ipad and IPhone controlled systems, Sonos and voice activation control to set lighting systems or mood requirements. By saying “film” for example, the lights dim down, the DVD player switches on and the blinds draw to make for perfect cinema viewing.
1.61 London’s favourite feature is the kitchen backlit onyx end panels sitting behind duo sync FR sliding glass doors. It sits as an amazing end feature to the kitchen. This was an extremely difficult and intricate detail to implement with no margin for error. The onyx finish was also used for the flooring material in the kitchen space which helped the texture translate and flow across the kitchen. The crystal white is offset beautifully against a mixture of bronze liquid metal doors, ostrich feather lacquered bass units and black glass wall units and picked up in the white glass back-lit splashback.
The fluidity of the design across each symmetrical elevation was one of the key constituents of its success. There was a limit to the elevation framing, where elevations do not border off areas, but run floor to ceiling. Wall elevations in the same finishes run from the ceiling down to the vanity unit tops and doors, augmenting the free-flowing feeling in the bathrooms. The lighting pops at different layers from floor lights to LED troffers, refracting effortlessly with reflective mirrors and glass to add interest where required and to pick out the different textures and shades. The finishes gradient through the property elegantly with a blend of taupes back dropped with whites and dark browns for depth. The design team at 1.61 London did not introduce accent colour, but rather wanted the textures to distinguish the different areas and provide the contrast.
The designers mix natural stone with polished plaster, paint against wallpaper, engineered wood flooring against metal profiles and carpet inserts. In the kitchen a mixture of liquid metal doors, ostrich feather lacquered bass units and black glass wall units. Each of these elements required specialised artisans equipped to implement intricate design requirements in their relevant materials. Intricate lighting with back lit onyx panels and diffused LED strip halos and cabinetry lighting. Cabinet makers to create and design bespoke units and pieces. Furniture makers built each bespoke element with our carefully selected upholstery fabrics and textures that tie in with the scheme.
The apartment is set between the vibrant Oxford street and Park Lane. Its modern and luxurious aesthetic blends perfectly with its location although it is also a quiet haven from all the hustle of bustle of the surrounding areas. This project was a full year of design and implementation work.