Tag: contemporary design

Seaside Contemporary Residence: Regalia

Our inspiring interior design for today comes from a sleek seaside contemporary residence in an ultra-luxury Miami high rise. This full-floor condo resides high within Regalia, a 46-story residential tower overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. The 7600-square-foot residence features floor-to-ceiling glass walls providing 360-degree unobstructed views of the ocean, city, and bay. Wrap-around terraces offer 2,100-square-feet of outdoor living space to enjoy the magnificent view.

The high-rise condo serves as a family’s beach-front vacation home. Miami-based design firm Britto Charette completed the interiors with luxe furnishings and finishes edited to sublime simplicity. The sophisticated minimalist design allows the visual focus to remain on what’s outside while enjoying the quiet comforts inside. The design team added flooring, dropped ceilings, created bespoke pieces, and custom furnished the entire home, including the living room, dining room, kitchen, four bedrooms, and five bathrooms. They tailored every detail of this contemporary residence with the very best to suit the family’s wishes and lifestyle.

The designers worked diligently with their construction experts to ensure the walls and ceilings had perfect 0-degree, knife-edge profiles. They applied LED lighting along the baseboards and tucked it into ceiling lines to create a serene ambiance throughout. Such attention to detail gives the rooms a light and airy feeling with ceilings that appear to float.

MIAMI SEASIDE CONTEMPORARY RESIDENCE

In the living room, custom-designed soffits, lighting, and wall-covering compliment the built-in media wall. Contemporary furnishings, including sofas by the Italian maker Poltrona Frau, gather on a custom geometric patterned hair-on-hide rug. Britto Charette’s award-winning PUQUIOS glass accessories and WASI porcelain and gold sculptures highlight the room.

“We are a high-energy, multi-lingual design team and we thrive on creating luxurious interiors for our global clients.”

A Michael Dawkins sculpture centers the space between the open plan living and dining area. A dining table and chairs by Helman Chang Furniture gather on a hair-on-hide rug beneath an elegant chandelier.

“Our team is inspired by the confluence of cultures, fashion, art, and emerging technologies that make our home city of Miami a design destination.”

From the dining room, one passes through the reading nook on the way to the kitchen. Casa Desus chairs group with tables from Roche Bobois on a Surya rug.

The kitchen features custom cabinetry manufactured in Italy with marble countertops and a large island. Miele appliances gather with Subzero refrigerators and 100+ bottle wine cooler to create a chef’s dream.

The elevator entrance gallery passes through the center of the apartment. Every room in this sleek contemporary residence boasts phenomenal views and opens to the wrap-around terrace.

The master bedroom occupies a corner ensuring maximum panoramic views. A bespoke bed and side tables stand against a custom-finished feature wall. A Custom Couture rug lies below while a chandelier by the Italian company Barovier & Toso suspends above.

The serpentine terrace wraps all the way around the entire contemporary residence providing 2,100 square feet of outdoor living space. The designers created various gathering spots with outdoor furniture by Gandia Blasco.

A second bedroom includes a bespoke bed and side tables with a Cattelan Italia desk and Knoll chair.

A third bedroom holds two bespoke double beds against a custom finished wall. A Vibia light fixture hangs above the headboards with a hair-on-hide rug by Kyle Bunting on the floor.

The Regalia stands on an acre of sunny beach perfectly at home with palm trees and rolling waves. This is the second residence completed in the high-rise by the design team.

“We create luxurious, jaw-dropping, high-end residential interiors and we create them in a timely and professional manner.”

That concludes our design inspiration, my friend.

For more spectacular homes completed by Britto Charette, be sure to see:

Marquand: Refined Contemporary Design

Firethorn: Contemporary Mou n tain Retreat

Modern Classic Design: Golden Mile

SEASIDE CONTEMPORARY RESIDENCE INSPIRATION

Britto Charette is a licensed and award-winning interior design firm specializing in ultra-luxury residential Britto interiors. From their studio in Miami’s world-renowned Wynwood neighborhood, founders Jay Britto and David Charette create custom furniture, accessories, and turnkey interior designs for a global clientele. The designers are adept at handling complex design themselves on challenges and pride working collaboratively to provide clients with a comprehensive and unsurpassed design experience.

Interior Design: Britto Charette

Photography: Alexia Fodere

Thank you so much for reading along with me today, my friend. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments. What do you think?

Have a great day!

April 2, 2018
Contemporary Lakeside Villa: Eric Kuster

This sophisticated contemporary lakeside villa is located within Domaine du Lac, on the banks of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. The high-style villa serves as a family residence created with sleek and comforting interiors by the Netherlands-based, international interior designer and luxury lifestyle purveyor Eric Kuster. The home is custom finished to the highest of standards, with over 10,000 square feet spread over three levels.

The owners of this villa are repeat clients of Eric Kuster, who designed another home for them nearby. The luxury lifestyle provided by the villa, with its five bedrooms, generous entertaining space, extensive leisure facilities and additional space for domestic help is superior even to a five-star hotel.

CONTEMPORARY LAKESIDE VILLA DESIGN

Large floor-to-ceiling windows and high ceilings merge the indoors with the outdoors, bathing the interiors with natural sunlight and providing unending views of the lake. The emphasis in the design of this contemporary lakeside villa was comfort combined with high energy. Every element considers the preferences of the owner with the finest details personalized to create an exact fit for the family. Kuster consistently exceeds the expectations of his clients. He succeeds by ensuring that individual elements are as impeccable as the whole. From every textile to each piece of furniture, and each artwork to every color combination, absolutely nothing is left to chance.

The designer’s signature laid-back luxurious design elements soften the architecture’s straight lines and acute angles.

“The best design is both serene and stimulating.” EK

To emphasize the villa’s beautiful location right on the waterfront, Eric Kuster used a lot of natural materials and a neutral palette throughout to help bring the outdoors in. The designer seamlessly combines and contrasts the earthy and glossy, raw, and refined, sober and sexy.

“Practical spaces can function effectively and look sensational- its not about style over substance, but style with substance.” EK

The lakeside villa features only the most elegant and sophisticated materials, highest quality fixtures and fittings, superior electronics, and intelligent technology. The ability to always find the perfect balance between classic and modern is a design cornerstone for Eric Kuster.

A ROOM WITH A VIEW WILL ALWAYS CALM THE SOUL

A palette of metallic grays and golds bring the luster of the lake indoors through the full height, slide away wall of windows.

Soft, luxurious textures applied to the walls, floors, and furniture enhance the comfort throughout the contemporary lakeside villa. Eric Kuster understands the importance of fabrics and materials. He layers various textiles that demand to be touched. Naturally, all are from his Metropolitan Luxury Collection which captures a contemporary style that expresses itself in glamor, luxury, and sensuality.

REFINED OPULENCE WHISPERS AND NEVER SHOUTS

The basement level holds the home’s entire leisure area. The spa, fitness center, pool, private cinema, and temperature controlled wine storage all share the space down here. Also, some of the biggest design statements are down on this level.

In the hammam, an onyx wall combines with rich gold and bronze mosaic tiles to create an exotic feel. The sauna combines an onyx wall with a mix of woods to create the sense of a Swiss mountain retreat.

Kuster’s guiding principles, as his work testifies, mean that he only works on that which he feels passionate.

“In the end, it’s all about quality and detail – and for my clients and me, only the superlative is acceptable.”

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

To see more fabulous homes completed by Eric Kuster, be sure to see my post:

Sexy Bachelor Pad Luxury Design

Contemporary Design: Eric Kuster

Eric Kuster Contemporary Lakeside Villa

For over a decade, Eric Kuster Interior Design Studio has proven to be highly successful. Eric Kuster develops and delivers luxurious turnkey interior design projects worldwide for high-profile clients. The studio has the skills, suppliers, and connections to execute these projects with speed and precision.

The designer’s extensive travels around the world inspire the Eric Kuster Metropolitan Luxury Collections. His craftsmanship, eye for beauty and creative vision combine to create dynamic pieces of furniture, luxury home accessories, and beautiful textiles. Each Metropolitan Luxury interior design collection conjures up the warm embrace of a high-end hotel room. They invite everyone who experiences them to indulge in the most pleasurable aspects of life.

Today’s Contemporary Lakeside Villa is featured in the designer’s book Eric Kuster Interior Design. In addition to exclusive residences from Curacao to London, his projects also include yachts and hotels, as well as commercial projects, ranging from legendary Amsterdam club Jimmy Woo to Barcelona’s Camp Nou Stadium. Indulge in this beautiful book to experience Kuster’s sumptuous environments for yourself and discover unique interior design inspiration.

Interior design: Eric Kuster

Photography: Paul Barbera

Thank you so much for reading along with me. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments. I hope enjoyed this inspiring Contemporary lakeside villa and its fabulous interiors.

Have a great day!

November 4, 2016
Bespoke Design: Contemporary Luxury

Bespoke design has become the fundamental ingredient in the creation of the finest luxury interiors for contemporary living. This residence is a perfect example of carefully considered and uncompromising luxurious bespoke design. For our design inspiration today, we look to London’s ultra-exclusive One Hyde Park development in Knightsbridge. This 4,500 square foot residence has been completed by the award-winning luxury interior design firm Casa Forma to serve as a comfortable holiday home for an international family.

Bespoke Design is the last word in contemporary luxury!

Casa Forma’s designs were inspired by and are synergistic with the buildings Modernist and Art Deco-inspired architecture. Their primary focus was on practicality and ease of function, resulting in a smart and sophisticated contemporary design. At the same time, the design team focused on creating a timeless style and a unique living experience with the incorporation of the best of luxury bespoke design. This isn’t just any apartment after all. These are among the most expensive apartments in the world, and it was very necessary to create ultra-special interiors that reflect that. The interiors realized here are a product of the design team being enabled to fully develop each detail with ultimate precision using the finest materials, finishes, and processes to their exacting bespoke standards.

BESPOKE DESIGN INSPIRATION

Upon entering the home, one steps into a long central corridor that extends through the apartment, connecting to the main living area at the far end. This corridor is the primary passage route from which all the other rooms flow. Casa Forma developed two types of bespoke designed paneling features to highlight this main hall. On one side, high-gloss sycamore panels with an Ombre color gradient add light and subtlety. On the opposite, an Art Deco-inspired map of Hyde Park’s pathways simplified into geometric shapes, creates an abstract design that serves as the focus. The map combines metalized panels with multi-tone resin fill and bronze trims connected by bronzed mirror panels with triple bevel edges.

The interior design in the main living area focuses on maximizing the incredible open views over Hyde Park. Floor-to-ceiling, triple-glazed glass windows and doors make up the three outer walls. The double-volume living room divides into two seating areas with the furniture layout arranged to best take in the light and view. The designers completed the interior wall with sliding panels made of dyed goat skin tiles set in rosewood interspaced with mirrored panels with Deco-style beveled glass relief.

The entertainment system tucks away out of view behind the sliding wall panels. A novel turntable resides in a unique niche concealed by a commissioned eglomise painting. A deluxe bar with LED lighting details also hides behind the panels. The rooms mood and use can change completely by adjusting the panels.

The formal dining room’s luxurious design includes a feature wall created with silver and gold leaf panels. The opposite wall features bronze and glass cabinetry framed with a back-lit mosaic of tortoiseshell and tiger eye. How is that for your original bespoke design details? Above the table, a grouping of blown glass lighting pendants provides the room with a warm amber glow. You can imagine just how extraordinary this must look with the lights low for dinner.

The spacious contemporary kitchen is Baulthaup designed and equipped with Gaggenau appliances.

One of the original four bedrooms now serves as a sexy study that doubles as a games room. The room has a sleek, contemporary finish. Casa Forma bespoke designed the magnificent units lining the walls which were then made by skilled craftsmen in Italy. The designers used stained solid Indian Rosewood with a piano high-gloss finish complete with bronze trim. The room can still act as a guestroom for the kidskin leather sofa converts into a bed.

The designers reconfigured the en-suite bathroom linked to the study to include a Swedish dry sauna. This detail proved to be the biggest challenge of the entire project. The smartly designed building has the latest heat and moisture detectors which presented a problem. Casa Forma ultimately perfected the design, and the small yet complex feature is a hugely successful addition.

The home’s guest powder room features a unique bespoke created wall finish. Silver and gold leaf gesso, treated with an acid wash to render a distressed look covers the walls creating depth and texture.

Casa Forma completed the bedrooms with designs that embrace both style and elegance to provide the ultimate in comfort. The bespoke designed wall units continue in here with their rich high gloss finish and Art Deco-inspired shapes. Luxurious hand painted silk covers the walls accented with beveled glass finished mirror panels. The neutral color palette used throughout the rest of the home continues in the bedrooms. Each bedroom has its own spacious en-suite marble bathroom.

Custom rugs, sumptuous fabrics, expert lighting, bespoke furnishings and a state-of-the-art home automation system complete the home with a smart, absolutely original luxurious design. Such attention to detail is typical for a residence within One Hyde Park. As residents, the owners also have access to the development’s multiple world-class high-end facilities.

Designed by Lord Rogers, the Pritzker Prize-winning architect, One Hyde Park is the first Residences at Mandarin Oriental in Europe. When originally built, the press proclaimed that it was one of London’s most prestigious residential addresses. With striking design, exemplary service, luxurious facilities, and impenetrable security ensuring privacy, the homes within One Hyde Park tend to be the preference of a certain discerning international high-net-worth audience.

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

If you would like to see more fabulous London residences that feature spectacular bespoke design details, be sure to see my articles:

Glamorous Luxury Design: Elicyon

Timeless Interior Design: Boscolo

Casa Forma’s Luxurious Bespoke Design

The award-winning luxury interior design firm Casa Forma provides a comprehensive interior and architectural design service. Headquartered in London, their experienced team of interior designers is world-class experts from the fields of decorative and structural design. They place importance on understanding the needs of their clients for a personalized service delivered to an uncompromising standard.

Interior Design: Casa Forma: Luxury Interior Designers London

Photography: James Balston

Thank you for reading along with me today. I trust you enjoyed and found some inspiration in the gorgeous bespoke design details used to create this unique family residence by Casa Forma. Be sure to let me hear from you in the comments.

Have a great day!!

September 24, 2016
Glamorous Luxury Design: Elicyon

This spectacular residence, a five-bedroom apartment located within the prestigious One Hyde Park building, situated in the heart of cosmopolitan Knightsbridge, has been completed by the luxury interior design studio Elicyon. The flawless contemporary luxury design has been executed with opulent materials and exquisite bespoke craftsmanship to create a remarkable city residence.

The homeowners, an international family, use the apartment for special occasions when they are in the city and want it to be a grand showstopper when they entertain. This unique property is an example of the ultimate in glamorous luxury design, and that is what makes it our design inspiration for today. Take a look!

LONDON LUXURY DESIGN

The homeowners are Baccarat crystal enthusiasts with quite an extensive collection of vases and lighting which Elicyon incorporated into the home’s interior design. Marble, mirrors, fine crystal, and exquisite finishes abound. It’s pure glamorous luxury design! Contemporary lines and symmetry define the home’s lavish interiors and the specialty pieces created to complete them. Every angle and detail are carefully considered and executed.

“We create tailored environments crafted with precision and care, that capture the vision of our clients.” Charu Gandhi/Elicyon

The double-volume formal living room holds two seating areas, each crowned with a grandly scaled glamorous Baccarat chandelier, created to mirror each other. Silver leaf finished ceilings softly scatter the light above, while high-contrast Italian marble floors reflect the room from below. Sculpted Lalique crystal tiles, inlaid and under-lit, further enhance the beauty of the floors. Custom furnishings of bespoke design complement the owners existing pieces to perfect the space they occupy. Every detail displays exquisite luxury design. Elicyon knows this is a must when creating homes for some of the world’s most discerning clients.

Elicyon brought in the specialty firm Interior ID, to create the joinery throughout the entire property to the highest specifications using incredible materials and featuring beautiful details. Interior ID, from its Notting Hill studio, controls each project from the first commission stages, through the creative design process and project management to delivery and installation. The firm has its workshop in Austria. With its extensive in-house facilities, they bring together traditional craftsmanship with state-of-the-art technology to create unrivaled bespoke cabinetry and fitted interiors. Renowned for their excellence, the company produces complex projects in many exceptional materials and finishes; wood, glass, metal, stone, leather, and textiles. Interior ID actively collaborates with many of the top names involved in the creation of luxury properties.

For the highly-specialized upholstery work, Elicyon brought in Aiveen Daly. Note the fabulous work done on the backs of the dining chairs, along with all the detail displayed throughout the home. Elicyon also included the beautiful couture artistry of Beaumont and Fletcher. I cannot begin to say enough about the extraordinary level of refined beauty this company creates.

Aiveen Daly’s couture-inspired work with furnishings and accessories feature in high-end interiors all around the world. Her studio uses luxurious embellishment and artful fabric manipulation techniques to adorn furniture and surfaces. Her work includes exquisite detailing such as delicate beading, pleating, and stitching executed on fine fabrics and supple leathers. Daly is one of London’s top go-to insiders for the most beautiful bespoke luxury design with home upholstery. She regularly collaborates with top interior designers, design studios, architects and other purveyors of luxury goods around the globe.

Beaumont and Fletcher provides the design industry with rare and beautifully designed textiles of unequaled quality. Their couture collection of extraordinarily luxurious fabrics feature flawlessly executed hand-embroidery on fine silks and velvet, with gold and silver threads. Some embellished with pearls and crystals, others inlaid with semi-precious stones, but each a true work of art. They also create fine furniture and accessories with meticulous attention to detail rendered with traditional craftsmanship in uncompromising quality. You really should take a moment and look at their website if you love exquisite beauty.

The beautifully created master bedroom displays intelligent design and bespoke detailing. Quilted satin covers the mirror framed, upholstered headboard. The custom bed coverings feature exquisite specialty detailing; intricate raised embroidery, hand beading, and tassels. It is so rare to find this level of couture finishing on home goods. The bedside tables have mirrored fronts, polished Port Laurent marble tops, patinated brass trim and shimmering gloss finish. Across from the bed, a floating marble vanity anchors the mirrored wall. The Baccarat chandelier and lamps complete the room with a jewel box perfection.

Above and in the photos below, we see two of the guest bedrooms. Both include a pair of twin beds united beneath a framed headboard in a specialist resin finish. Mirrors span the walls to the side to encompass the width of the bedside tables. The ceiling above stops just before meeting the wall to allow for soft lighting to glow from within. The bedside tables and other pieces about the rooms shine in polished high gloss lacquer. Some pieces have marble tops, with either patinated brass or polished nickel trim and handles. Each of the fully upholstered beds has integrated storage beneath them. Both rooms, as well as the other bedrooms, have their bespoke detailing for a luxury design.

That concludes our very glamorous luxury design inspiration for today, my friend. I hope you enjoyed the fine contemporary design of this home located within one of London’s most exclusive addresses. This residence was shortlisted for The Design Society’s International Interior Design & Architecture Awards 2016.

To see another fabulous residence completed by Elicyon, be sure to see:

Contemporary Luxury Design: Hyde Park

To see more glamorous interior design, you must check out:

Eclectic Luxury Design: Lori Morris

Iconic Luxury Design: Ferris Rafauli

ELICYON’S LUXURY DESIGN CONCLUSION

Elicyon is a Chelsea, London based luxury design studio. The award-winning firm creates tailored environments, crafted with precision, care and meticulous attention to detail in some of the most desirable, prominent locations in the UK and internationally. As a multidisciplinary studio, featuring highly professional Designers, Architects, and Project Managers, they provide a comprehensive, diverse, and extensive service that allows them to fulfill their client’s dreams and expectations.

Interior Design: Elicyon

Photography: Elicyon

Thanks so much for reading along with me today. What do you all think of Glamorous Luxury Design: Elicyon? I look forward to hearing from you in the comments!

Have a great day!

September 6, 2016
Boscolo: Contemporary Luxury Design

Boscolo is a multiple award-winning, high-end interior design and architectural practice based in London. For our design inspiration today, we are taking a look at the firm’s stunning Contemporary Luxury Design work. The design firm only recently came to my attention, and I am in love with what I see. It’s like sexy tailored menswear: clean lines, classical architecture, sophisticated use of a limited range of color, sumptuous fabrics, and luxurious finishes.

The company provides a complete, tailored service covering every aspect of the project. The design firm prides itself on its ability to create successful and impressive homes through their critical attention to detail, an empathetic understanding of their clients’ tastes and ambitions, and a precise awareness of timescale and budget.

I’ve put together a selection of rooms from four different residences for you to see. You are sure to be inspired!

Knightsbridge Contemporary Luxury Design

First we have Boscolo’s sexy, bachelor-style apartment located in the center of London’s prestigious Knightsbridge. The design team fully renovated the two-bedroom residence and completed it with a contemporary luxury design for a culinary client. The large, open plan spaces give themselves effortlessly to the regular entertaining of guests. Boscolo finished the home with a muted color palette that emphasizes black, gray, and antique bronze with finishes inspired by Japanese design. The sleek, contemporary kitchen serves as a key focal point in this residence. It functions perfectly for both live display cooking and prepping for dinner parties. The hip and urbane composition provides an ideal backdrop for an exciting lifestyle.

“At Boscolo we are committed to developing luxurious spaces that complement our client’s dreams and desires. We believe that every inch of a property is precious and needs to be treated with a deft touch to best reflect this.”

Ferncroft Avenue, Hampstead Apartment

Next, we have the Ferncroft Avenue first-floor apartment in a grand Victorian townhouse in charming Hampstead. A luxury development company commissioned Boscolo to completely refurbish the three-bedroom property for the purpose of increasing the net value. The design team architecturally restructured the property to adapt the spaces for modern life. While retaining as many of the original features as possible, the design group completed the home with a contemporary luxury design that would appeal to the international market. Sticking to a smart color scheme of whites, blacks, and metals ensured a polished feel in every room. Luxurious finishes and beautiful furnishings create a tangible luxury that transcends cultures and has a global appeal.

“Over the years, our multi-award-winning interior design team have worked across a wide variety of prestigious projects, from luxurious apartments and heritage buildings in some of London’s most sought-after postcodes.”

Hampstead Private Residence

“The serenity and stillness of this home were the perfect backdrops for works embodying humanity and vitality. Here you see hanging on the wall a piece which carries motion and grace within it; for us, it is reminiscent of dance. Complementing it is the sculpture on the cabinet, which materializes gravitas and austerity”

Here we have a large private family residence located in a private gated community in the heart of Hampstead. The home features classic clean lines which Boscolo accentuated to create a contemporary luxury design. Every setting throughout observes symmetry to create balance. To keep the space from looking too predictable, the designers used texture and pattern: luxurious rugs made of natural hides, velvet and silk pillows, marble side tables, metallic forms and lamps with sculptural metal bases.

“Grey is an incredibly exquisite, attenuated shade. Neutral, yet one with depth and softness; it adds subtlety anywhere you may choose to use it.”

Upper Park Family Residence

“We created a bespoke piece of artwork as a focal point for the dining area. Depicting a stark and barren landscape with intercrossing roads, it represents the journey of life and the choices one must make, whilst also delivering a sense of peace and calm.”

For our final residence, we have a five-bedroom, detached house located in Upper Park, just outside of London. The owners are followers of a spiritual movement with which came certain strictures. Boscolo created a home which exudes contemporary luxury design and a sense of zen, without any degree of ostentation. Beautiful and harmonious shades of white and gray complete the serene interiors with an elegant finish. The bespoke designed furniture and the quality finishes create the luxurious feel, without being too showy.

That completes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

For more contemporary luxury design, be sure to see:

Timeless Interior Design: Boscolo.

Contemporary Luxury Design: Hyde Park

Boscolo’s Contemporary Luxury Design Inspiration

UPDATE: Boscolo is now Bailey London Interior Design

Bailey is a London based interior architecture and luxury interior design studio specializing in delivering meticulously tailored residential and commercial projects. The studio’s high-end design services are tailored to meet each client’s needs that encompass total turnkey solutions for their client’s homes, delivering singular and distinctive designs which reflect their values of thoughtful design.

Contemporary Luxury Design: Boscolo – Bailey London

Photography: Christina Bull

Thank you so much for reading along with me! I hope you found today’s post educational and inspirational. Be sure to let me hear from you in the comments. What did you think of Boscolo’s Contemporary Luxury design?

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

May 20, 2016
Knightsbridge Contemporary Penthouse: Staffan Tollgard

This award-winning Knightsbridge contemporary penthouse features subtle bespoke designs and exquisite detailing. The luxurious residence provides it’s owner a restful haven in the city and serves as an impressive showplace where he can entertain with style. The striking sophisticated design, completed by the London-based Staffan Tollgard Design Group, features exceptional finishes and flawless quality throughout. For our design inspiration today, let’s take a look at this sleek home which won International Property Awards 2015 “Best London Apartment”, as well as “Best UK apartment”.

From the outside, one sees a stately row of preservation preserved, classic design, ornate red-brick Queen Anne townhomes lining a prestigious garden square. The residence is not a narrow arrangement of rooms on several floors though. It is a spacious single floor, bilateral flat created from the fusion of distinct properties spanning the upper floors of two townhomes. The reconfigured penthouse meets the desired contemporary objectives while respecting the heritage and grandeur of the original period architecture. The plan feels like it has just always been that way.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE CONTEMPORARY PENTHOUSE

One enters the Knightsbridge contemporary penthouse through a generously proportioned hallway designed to immediately convey status and to set the tone for the rest of the journey. The grand light-filled entrance hall immediately evokes a sophisticated tone with a limited color palette which runs throughout the property. The dramatic entry includes beautifully veined Fiore di Bosco marble floors with bronze inlay and dark slate borders along with textured silk upholstered walls. The original cornice from one of the apartments pairs with contemporary skirting and continues throughout the entire residence.

“We share a love of story-telling and a strong, shared belief that thoughtful, responsible and collaborative design can and should make people’s lives better.” ST

The existing classical proportions were maintained by placing the entertaining rooms across the front where the two original apartment’s principal rooms were located. These front rooms with their repeated windows and views across the gardens provide the perfect space for an open-plan cooking and dining area that could flow seamlessly through into a multi-tasking living/reception room. The owner is not only a good cook himself, but enjoys entertaining with a chef so a dramatic, commercial grade kitchen with dining area was a must.

The monolithic veined stone island acts as both a sculptural still life and a functional centerpiece creating an opportunity for interaction between the chef and diner along the extended breakfast bar. The kitchen is from the German manufacturer Eggersmann, with appliances from Gaggenau. The worktop, a natural quartzite sourced from Brazil, is clear of appliances, which are housed in concealed storage behind discreet sliding doors in place of a typical backsplash. The large capacity appliances and additional storage are also cleverly concealed. The kitchen’s sophisticated design allows it to both show and function well. The induction hob even has retractable ventilation to maintain the clean aesthetic lines.

The owner is an avid wine collector, requiring a beautiful solution for wine storage and display. A large internally lighted and temperature controlled 280 bottle wine storage unit was custom created and placed on the dining side of the room. The common wall between the two apartments couldn’t be moved due to the existing chimney flues but did allow for symmetrical openings on either side for passages between the dining room and the large reception room. The openings between these rooms emphasize the central feature of the space: the remaining chimney breast. This strong vertical plane, clad in Vals Stone and complete with a double-sided contemporary fireplace, adds function and focuses both rooms. The seamless flow of chevron wooden flooring with black slate borders and a bronze inlay ensures continuity from one space to another.

A key feature in the light-filled living/reception room is the large wall of bespoke designed cabinetry. As a central feature, the custom cabinetry displays exquisite detail. Bronze framed horsehair panels slide in front of warmly lit shelves with a polished plaster back panel. The sliding panels conceal/reveal the television and related equipment. Textured polished plaster covers the remaining walls. Contemporary furnishings upholstered in luxe fabrics gather on a custom rug to form the conversation area. The design group selected the very best of contemporary designed furniture and lighting for the residence.

The study provides a calm and serene workspace. Silk upholstered walls and a wall of bespoke designed cabinetry make it functional and high-style. Dark woods with bronze borders create a warm masculine feel. The chevron wood floor with black slate borders and bronze inlay really gives presence this smaller space. The bespoke designed desk with the leather detailing perfectly completes the look. You must be sure to check out the design group’s curated collection of contemporary home furnishings, lighting, and accessories on their website. They have a large selection of items like those used here in this home and much more.

The master bedroom in this Knightsbridge contemporary penthouse is a sublime dream. Clean lines and rich textures create a soft contemporary finish with rich tones contrasting with light neutrals. The upholstered paneled wall provides entry to the bath and dressing rooms on either side of the bed. Dark woods with bronze detailing form the custom bedside tables and the cabinetry. Coffered ceilings provide indirect lighting and conceal the drapery hardware out of site.

The bathrooms exercise subtle drama: characterful stone contrasts with modern ceramics from Armani/Roca with beautiful rose gold brassware accents. The sculptural tub is from Falpar.

The master bedroom closet/dressing area is fabulous and far larger than this photo shows. The design group had the space completed with back-lit glass panels and glass fronted doors on metal frames by Porro. Carefully planned lighting illuminates the functioning spaces. The stairs here actually provide access to the fire escape.

The quietly luxurious guest bedroom provides additional tranquil space. Silk moiré covers the walls with a silk rug on the floor. The guest en-suite bathroom and dressing area repeats the elements used in the master bedroom creating a unified boutique hotel feel.

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

To see more residences completed by Staffan Tollgard Design Group, be sure to see:

Contemporary Design in a Period Gem

Knightsbridge Townhouse Renovation

Staffan Tollgard’s Knightsbridge Contemporary Penthouse

Staffan Tollgard Design Group offers an award-winning architectural interior design service for an international clientele. The group works creatively and collaboratively to create bold, contemporary interiors that are eminently livable. The group’s over 100 high-end residential projects provide innovative and creative solutions for their client’s lifestyle needs.

Interior Design: Staffan Tollgard Design Group

Photography: Richard Gooding

Thank you so much for reading along with me today! I hope you enjoyed the sophisticated design and understated luxury created within this Knightsbridge Contemporary penthouse. Let me hear from you in the comments!

Have a great day!

January 29, 2016
Ambassador’s Mansion: Contemporary International

Today’s design inspiration comes from a diplomatic ambassador’s mansion overlooking the Potomac River in McLean, Virginia. The 20,000 square-foot wooded, hillside residence underwent a comprehensive renovation which included the altering and customization of nearly every floor, wall, and ceiling within. The personalized, art-filled contemporary home brilliantly mixes elegant internationalism with comfort.

Built into the hill and organized over four floors, the home serves for both private casual family living, as well as for public entertaining on a grand scale with separate spaces dedicated for each. Throughout, the mood is light with an open and airy flow and a warm, neutral color palette. The extraordinary level of customization and the quite sophisticated design details are where the ambassador’s mansion shines.

The renovation centered around the transformation of the interiors. The interior design primarily informed the resulting architecture. Los Angeles-based interior designer Joan Behnke came in to realize the owner’s vision with her signature level of understated elegance. David Cooper, principal of ACG Architects in McLean completed the architectural work, with BOWA, a McLean area contractor organizing and facilitating the project.

The opening photo shows the entrance foyer with its barrel ceiling and custom-finished walls. The entrance hall includes a Eurofase chandelier with cascading glass bubbles, along with an eclectic mix of art and custom furnishings.

AMBASSADORS MANSION RENOVATION

In the living room, four Ingo Maurer pendant light installations inject a contemporary feel in an otherwise traditional room. Behnke assembled a collection of furnishings, objects, and art that reflects the Ambassador’s youth, sophistication, and worldliness. The design’s mostly neutral palette of golds, creams, and coppers complement the dark, cerused oak floors. The furnishings gather on a rug by Tai Ping, here and in the adjoining room below.

Custom furnishings with clean lines are both contemporary and comfortable. Behnke designed and placed these throughout the public and private spaces. A pair of Pendant lights by Satori Light Sculptures illuminate the room. All the lighting fixtures throughout the home display a sculptural quality and function like jewelry. Each of the rooms designed for public entertaining has its own character yet flows together seamlessly.

The ambassador uses this stately dining room to host formal dinners. Behnke upholstered the walls with luxurious Alpaca wool from Peru. The cabinets feature a washi paper hand-made in Japan inserted into the face and lighted from behind.

A custom table and chairs furnish the formal breakfast room included in the renovation. In every case available, the architect created floor-to-ceiling windows as well as lift and slide doors with the ability to slide and stack to the side to take advantage of the natural views and open the interiors fully to the outdoors.

The media room includes a 108-inch television within a custom millwork surround, finished with eight coats of enamel. The designer furnished the room with a custom sofa and ottomans along with a sculptural iron table by Philip Norman. I love the trio of pendant lights of various styles.

The adjacent billiards room features a custom two-ton aquarium within a lacquered millwork surround echoed in the media room. A crane hoisted the tank over the house and lowered it in through the side. It is supported by a structural beam and maintained by equipment housed below in a separate 10-by-20-foot room. The colorful tank mirrors the habitat of a saltwater reef with lights that simulate sunrise, daylight, and sundown. The room also features a pool table custom created in Spain.

The home has a service kitchen for entertaining and catering purposes equipped with multiple stainless refrigerators, dishwashers, and cooking appliances as well as ample preparation space.

The ambassador also has a private kitchen located off the media room designed for casual meals and hanging out with personal friends. This kitchen features Caesarstone countertops and a custom eat-in dining bar.

The home office occupies the entire top level of the residence. It features a barrel ceiling and walnut built-ins polished to a furniture-grade finish. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors frame a perfect view of the Potomac.

The master bedroom is a haven of calm with access to the outdoor terrace. Behnke furnished the room with contemporary furnishings with clean lines and simplicity of form, custom-created to meet the owner’s taste and needs. Custom and bespoke designed furniture require more time and effort, but it is worth it to get what you want. Don’t you agree?

The master bathroom is the contribution of the second interior designer involved with the project, Tony Chi & Associates. It features Italian glass mosaic tile floors, limestone walls, and shagreen-covered vanities imported from France. Custom Verre eglomise designs in platinum leaf enhance the glass walls along the center leading to a sculptural limestone tub from Mexico. An open shower with both rain and waterfall fixtures connects to a traditional Hinoki wood Asian sauna. The designer took his design inspiration from the many luxury hotels that the ambassador has stayed around the world.

The owner frequently entertains his friends down on the lower level in the pool cabana space which opens to the pool and outdoor entertaining areas. The cabana includes a charming and relaxed lounge and dining area as well as a cloistered wine storage and tasting room.

A new glass balustrade system from Scandinavia envelopes the expanded pool terrace. A new wet-edge pool with three successive infinity edges and eight laminar jets shooting water across the surface replaced a standard version. The outdoor entertaining areas include an alfresco kitchen with a dining area and a fire pit with a seating area. The terrace appears suspended in the air along the treetops. It is a favored gathering place for visiting friends. The ambassador accommodates his guests in a self-contained, fully functional guest house.

The ambassador’s mansion exudes a delightful mix of contemporary international flavor. Most of the transformation was able to be completed in less than a year with the work occurring in three phases. In addition to the architect, contractor, and two interior designers noted, there were also subcontractors, craftspeople from all over Europe and the United States, art consultants, lighting consultants, civil and electrical engineers, and on and on. This completed home renovation is the product of well-executed collaborative design involving a team of professionals at the very top of their fields.

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

For more design inspiration from the principal interior designer involved with this project, be sure to see:

Beverly Hills Deco Villa: Joan Behnke

Beverly Hills Modern

AMBASSADOR’S MANSION ON THE POTOMAC

Architecture: ACG Architects

Contractor: BOWA

Principle Interior Design: Joan Behnke

additional Interior Design: Toni Chi & Associates

photography: James Tetro Photography

Thank you so much for reading along with me. I hope you enjoyed this mansion renovation and found it educational and inspiring. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments.

Have a great day!

October 23, 2015
Sexy Bachelor Pad Luxury Design

For our design inspiration today, we are taking a look at a dark and sensual penthouse apartment located in the International shipping center of South Holland. This urban residence, with its cosmopolitan style and luxurious interiors, was designed by the Netherlands-based, internationally acclaimed, interior design star Eric Kuster. The designer has created this sexy bachelor pad for a young single guy who wanted a sleek and contemporary design that was classic, yet sophisticated and edgy.

The owner requested a luxuriously appointed residence that would be a personal reflection of himself and his lifestyle. The home was to be inviting, relaxing, and indulgent. A place for entertaining with style, and maybe a little partying. Kuster responded with a design that seduces the senses with a mixture of fabrics and finishes, sights, and scents.

SEXY BACHELOR PAD DESIGN INSPIRATION

All the furniture used, along with the floors, doors, carpets, drapes, leathers, and textiles are from Eric Kuster’s collection- Metropolitan Luxury, and all are classic design hallmarks of the designer’s style. The combination of materials and textures give this sexy bachelor pad it’s luxurious and opulent ambiance.

Crocodile embossed and printed textiles combine with the softest velvet, satin, and fur, along with the thickest of carpet, for a luxurious feel that demands to be touched. Intriguing shadows and the moody combination of deep rich colors; black, gray, brown, and purple, give the space a dramatic effect.

The inspiring interior design plays with contrast for effect; light and dark, earthy, and glossy, dangerous, and fun. This contemporary design is indeed personal and intimate. Kuster has included plenty of statement-making pieces that reflect the personality of the owner. Indeed, this entire sexy bachelor pad is a reflection of an exciting life lived with style.

A high-gloss life requires a high-gloss setting! The designer created a sophisticated design with an edgy-but-playful mood. Metropolitan Luxury is all about taking advantage of what life has to offer, being yourself, taking a step into the unknown, and making it all your own.

“Luxury is about comfort and feeling content. Your possessions should be personal to you, creating a source of serenity in your surroundings! “ EK

Dark colors = Warm moods. This sexy bachelor pad feels like it is just on this side of dangerous. There’s an energy here that suggests – step through these doors, and you may never be allowed to leave. Although, with poetically glamorous interiors such as these, why would you want to?

“I believe everything made in love is beautiful!” EK

“I ABHOR VIOLENCE, BUT I ADORE THE SHAPE OF A GUN!” EK

“Beautiful people deserve beautiful spaces with beautiful things.” EK

INTERIOR DESIGN IS AN APHRODISIAC!

Interior design is about a lifestyle choice, and life is about enjoyment!

The unique atmosphere created here makes this an around-the-clock apartment.

“Embrace the day, but bring on the night.” EK

Eric Kuster designed the state-of-the-art kitchen by Barletti. The wood floors used throughout are from StudioDL. The doors are from Bodor, and the glass fronted fireplace is from Modus, all designed by Eric Kuster, who has exclusive lines with all of them.

That concludes our design inspiration for today my friend.

To see other fabulous homes created by Eric Kuster, be sure to see my post:

Contemporary Design: Eric Kuster

Contemporary Lakeside Villa: Eric Kuster

Sexy Bachelor Pad with Metropolitan Luxury

Since launching his business in the Netherlands in 1999, Dutch-born Eric Kuster has built up a reputation as a pre-eminent provider of luxury, glamor, and quality in high-end homes worldwide. Moreover, his interest in all elements of design has seen him apply his talents to developing multiple lines of luxury home furnishings, fashion, footwear, home fragrances, etc., as well as publishing large coffee table books featuring his work and a twice-yearly magazine. The designer’s label lives under the marque of Metropolitan Luxury. There could not be two words better suited to sit side-by-side and describe his inimitable style, which relies on the perfect balance of classic and contemporary, European, and international.

Today’s Sexy Bachelor Pad is featured in his Metropolitan Luxury Book XIV. This beautiful book shows the designer’s recent international projects and provides the reader with a fascinating look behind the scenes of the lives of the exclusive few; various trend-setting places and people, always state of the art. Kuster’s interiors are a combination of refined designs, stylish glamour, and a meticulous attention to the smallest detail. This book takes the reader on a voyage to the unique world of Eric Kuster.

Interior design: Eric Kuster

Photography: Paul Barbera

Thank you so much for reading along with me. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments. I hope you enjoyed this sexy bachelor pad with its luxurious interiors.

Have a great day!

September 8, 2015
Contemporary Design: Eric Kuster

Cliff House is a beautiful sea-side villa located high in the lush hills of Altea, Spain. The contemporary design luxury residence is built against a cliff, situated to provide breathtaking 180-degree views over the Mediterranean Sea. The 5,300 square-foot resort-like sanctuary spreads over multiple levels. This impressive home features awe-inspiring, luxurious interiors created by the internationally acclaimed interior designer, Eric Kuster, who drew inspiration from its beach front location for the interior design.

Kuster incorporates natural elements in the home’s interior design including coral and shell, as well as vases made from mother of pearl filled with driftwood. All these details emphasize the inescapable connection with the sea. The furnishings display the designer’s signature qualities: bespoke designs, contemporary lines, generous scale, with high-end fabrics, finishes, and ample cushions. Collectively, every detail harmoniously exists for one reason: to ensure a wealth of quiet comfort and pleasure.

CONTEMPORARY DESIGN INSPIRATION

The home’s grand, open-flow living area includes multiple seating zones, a spacious kitchen with a breakfast bar, and a formal dining area. This villa’s contemporary design remains soft and inviting. The interiors, though immaculate, do not attempt to intimidate. Kuster incorporated the right balance of coastal casualness that allows for uninterrupted peace and calm. White on white dominates, with an occasional splash of warm color for depth. The surfaces are well edited, and as always with this hot designer, very luxe.

“Natural elements- including vases made with mother-of-pearl and filled with driftwood- emphasize an inescapable connection with the sea.” EK

FIFTY SHADES OF WHITE

It is the abundance of natural light and the stunning views that make this home exceptional. These became the central theme that guided the home’s contemporary design. The large floor-to-ceiling windows throughout take full advantage and make the very most of these qualities. Thanks to expert planning and the positioning of the villa high up on a series of angles, one can see everything from inside, though without being able to be seen from outside.

A SPLASH OF WARM COLOR ADDS DEPTH

There are five bedrooms with spacious en suite baths. The master bedroom is a serene dream. It includes an enormous spa-like bathroom with an open shower, a large Jacuzzi tub, and spacious dressing areas. In a nod to the home’s location and identity, artisans created a dry-stone wall of the sort you find in the local hills. The bedroom opens onto a private courtyard.

“The fabulous view is integral to this house.” EK

The villa completes with a media room and a state-of-the-art fitness room. Additional amenities include inner courtyards, abundant terraces, gardened grounds, and independent service quarters. The residence has a 3-car garage. Of course, no Mediterranean dream home would be complete without a swimming pool. This multi-level residence features a fabulous infinity edge pool creating another stunning sight line.

It is only natural that Kuster’s inspiring interior design in this home has such universal appeal. This sea-side villa with its contemporary design and its stunning views combining with the spacious open lay out and the interior’s luxury design offer all the comforts of a resort, but with the individual personality that only a home can boast. Could one ask for more?

“I know I can deliver for clients who say they want the best of the best- after all, isn’t that what we all want?” EK

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

To see more homes completed by Eric Kuster be sure to see my other post:

Sexy Bachelor Pad Luxury Design

Contemporary Lakeside Villa: Eric Kuster

Sea Side Villa Contemporary Design

Eric Kuster’s luxurious interiors combine refined design, stylish glamour, and meticulous attention to detail. He has completed more than 600 houses and countless commercial buildings. The designer is arguably one of the most influential designers of the moment. His ability to strike a perfect balance between classic and modern design has put Kuster’s name on the map for nearly two decades.

These days we not only find him creating glamorous interiors for his A-list clients but also developing multiple lines of luxury home furnishings, fashion, footwear, home fragrances, etc., as well as publishing large coffee table books featuring his work and a twice yearly magazine. The designer’s iconic lifestyle brand, “Metropolitan Luxury” encompasses a style that at once embraces glamour, comfort, and sophistication.

Today’s residence is featured in his Metropolitan Luxury book XIV. With this book, Eric Kuster takes us on a journey that covers everywhere from Curacao to Vegas, Holland to Ibiza. While we can marvel at the glamorous diversity of his work, we can agree, too, that the recipe for true luxury combines beauty with space and comfort.

Interior Design by Eric Kuster

Photography: Paul Barbera

Architecture: Equipo Digitalarq, S.L. Architect Carlos Gilardi, and Pepe Cabrera

Thank you so much for reading along with me today. I hope you enjoyed the Contemporary design of this luxury sea-side villa.

Have a great day!

July 21, 2015