design et al are delighted to announce that Morpheus London have won the Luxury Residence – London Award within The International Design and Architecture Awards 2017.
Ashberg House is an exceptional and unique new build 8,400 sq ft residential property, inspired and designed around the Ashberg diamond. Morpheus London’s design brief was to create a truly unique residential property by combining carefully considered design concepts with highly skilled craftsmanship and intelligent use of space and to set this home apart from any other luxury residence within London. Ashberg House was named after and takes influence from this extraordinary stone, not least in its glass architectural aesthetic and faceted interior details, but also the precise and exacting construction methods employed.
From its very inception, the design of Ashberg House considered all aspects that may inform a way of life. All spaces were designed with a unity in mind, bringing together all rooms within the house; the chandelier, hand crafted by glass couturiers, serves as a linking element between the first, ground and garden floors. Framed in its own glass display box above the dining table and composed of over 140 leaves in graduated coloured glass, the Falling Leaf Chandelier imitates the external foliage of the trees found in the garden, ensuring the connectivity of Ashberg House’s interior and exterior, enhancing further the numerous vistas and views between rooms. This leaf motif continues in the Master Bedroom Suite, which spans the entire first floor and features a beautiful bespoke hand-crafted headboard covering an entire wall in the master bedroom. Designed by Morpheus London, the leaf motifs, hand embroidered in silk, have been commissioned from Fromental and the design itself is influenced by the horizontal branches of a tree framing the bedroom terrace and carrying a calming sense of nature through into the bedroom. The hand painted silk was overlaid onto a paper and then incorporated into the whole joinery piece of the headboard, crafted from stained eucalyptus and polished nickel.
As well as this incorporation of unity and the natural form into the design, it was vital during the conception stage that the kitchen maintained synergy with the living area throughout. The kitchen joinery and the living area joinery therefore has a unified style for a seamless appearance, creating a cohesive living and dining space. The kitchen is the heart of the house at Ashberg House and the openplan environment encourages the perfect gathering space. This space is further enhanced by the striking garden at the back of the house, with a comfortable yet sophisticated design. The 43’ x 13’ ft heated swimming pool, complete with Ozone water purification technology, was inspired by esteemed sculptor Richard Wilson’s permanent and site specific installation 20:50 in London’s Saatchi Gallery. The Ashberg Swimming Pool takes the home’s overarching theme of “play on light” and expands on it further. A full length riven slate wall descends into the water and a black polished ceiling was installed, contrasting with the light stone floors, and designed to frame the pool area and mirror the ripples on the water’s surface beneath. Floating limestone steps leading into the pool maintain a sense of zen-like tranquillity. The feature plaster wall behind the day beds is inset with a large-scale motif to resemble light refracting through glass. In addition to the swimming pool, a complete Spa area has been installed featuring a bespoke Drom UK Steam room system, a drench shower, dedicated changing areas and an independent climate controlled environment.
Every detail and element within Ashberg House has been designed to the highest standard, with the majority of furniture pieces being designed bespoke for the property. The interior architecture of this residential property has been carefully considered to maximize the flow of natural light around the space. The modern architecture juxtaposed with softening interior demonstrates how this design offers a sense of balance and proportion; rough textures against smooth, light finishes contrasting with dark, more feminine elements against the more masculine, the exterior blending seamlessly with the interior, references to water and fire, resulting in a design that offers a great sense of tranquillity and wellbeing.