Brief: Create storage option and elegant wow factor upon entering open space. This Cb2 console was the ideal piece to both create storage options and tie all open spaces together. We kept the decor simple and bright. The West Elm frameless mirror was the perfect final touch!

Inspiration for a timeless home design remodel in London

Making a real impression by designing & building with exceptional people is exactly the effect JL Design & the client as owner-builder have achieved with “Scarborough House” in Scarborough, NSW. The brief required the dwelling to take maximum advantage of stunning views over the ocean & nearby escarpment cliffs. The residence was also to be a contemporary modernist four bedroom family dwelling, maximising built external living & pool areas. The client was extensively involved with the overall design, & carried out material selection, interior detailing and selection of fixtures and fittings. This collective method guaranteed a result where the client as the builder, through continued personal investment throughout the design and construction achieved a stunning result. The concrete, steelwork, windows, timber & various forms of cladding, joinery and concealed lighting are all custom made hand crafted elements. The design called for minimal tolerances, requiring a high level of skill and cooperation between trades. “Scarborough House” features BlueScope Colorbond monument matt ribbed wall cladding with rendered & ‘rendered look’ areas in off-white. A vertical feature hardwood timber screen to the side of the entry softens the ‘industrial’ feel, giving a modernist external appearance. Carefully calculated overhangs allow a passive solar solution to heating & cooling, with efficient reverse-cycle air conditioning required only during weather extremes. Internally, timber floors to the upper living areas give a feel of comfort & warmth. The warm, substantial character of the dwelling is carefully composed by means of the clarity of the detailing, a palette of tactical natural materials and the careful manipulation of light.

Client: Private Residence In North London Brief: To supply & install oak wood flooring to areas
Living room - traditional living room idea in London

Client: Private Residence In North London Brief: To supply & install grey stair carpet with black border to stairs
Example of a mid-sized transitional carpeted u-shaped mixed material railing staircase design in London with carpeted risers

The client’s brief was to create a space reminiscent of their beloved downtown Chicago industrial loft, in a rural farm setting, while incorporating their unique collection of vintage and architectural salvage. The result is a custom designed space that blends life on the farm with an industrial sensibility. The new house is located on approximately the same footprint as the original farm house on the property. Barely visible from the road due to the protection of conifer trees and a long driveway, the house sits on the edge of a field with views of the neighbouring 60 acre farm and creek that runs along the length of the property. The main level open living space is conceived as a transparent social hub for viewing the landscape. Large sliding glass doors create strong visual connections with an adjacent barn on one end and a mature black walnut tree on the other. The house is situated to optimize views, while at the same time protecting occupants from blazing summer sun and stiff winter winds. The wall to wall sliding doors on the south side of the main living space provide expansive views to the creek, and allow for breezes to flow throughout. The wrap around aluminum louvered sun shade tempers the sun. The subdued exterior material palette is defined by horizontal wood siding, standing seam metal roofing and large format polished concrete blocks. The interiors were driven by the owners’ desire to have a home that would properly feature their unique vintage collection, and yet have a modern open layout. Polished concrete floors and steel beams on the main level set the industrial tone and are paired with a stainless steel island counter top, backsplash and industrial range hood in the kitchen. An old drinking fountain is built-in to the mudroom millwork, carefully restored bi-parting doors frame the library entrance, and a vibrant antique stained glass panel is set into the foyer wall allowing diffused coloured light to spill into the hallway. Upstairs, refurbished claw foot tubs are situated to view the landscape. The double height library with mezzanine serves as a prominent feature and quiet retreat for the residents. The white oak millwork exquisitely displays the homeowners’ vast collection of books and manuscripts. The material palette is complemented by steel counter tops, stainless steel ladder hardware and matte black metal mezzanine guards. The stairs carry the same language, with white oak open risers and stainless steel woven wire mesh panels set into a matte black steel frame. The overall effect is a truly sublime blend of an industrial modern aesthetic punctuated by personal elements of the owners’ storied life. Photography: James Brittain

Client: Private Residence In East London Brief: To supply & install funky carpet to stairs!
Staircase - mid-sized modern carpeted curved mixed material railing staircase idea in London with carpeted risers

Client: Private Residence In East London Brief: To supply & install striped carpet to stairs
Staircase - mid-sized transitional carpeted curved mixed material railing staircase idea in London with carpeted risers

Client: Private Residence In Central London Brief: To supply & install Amtico to room
Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen remodel in London

Client: Private Residence In North London Brief: To supply & install carpet to living areas
Elegant hallway photo in London

The brief for this design project was to create an outdoor space that could accommodate a busy active family. Important features were the pool and outdoor showers, outdoor kitchen and dining area.

Client: Private Residence In West London Brief: To supply & install grey carpet to stairs
Inspiration for a transitional carpeted u-shaped wood railing staircase remodel in London with carpeted risers

Eagerly awaiting retirement, a New England-based client acquired a property in a former office building in central Lisbon. Artfully refurbished by Frederico Valsassina Arquitectos, the façade is composed of geometric strata of medium-gray panels alternating with weathered vertical staves. Our studio’s brief was to furnish and equip the interior of the vacation home to converse with the architecture, so family and friends visiting Lisbon would stay in an elegant, private setting, filled with locally-made and designer items. Upon entering, a small shelf and mirror function as a welcome valet. The corridor opens to a cozy living room with lambent afternoon light let in by large sliding doors. Just outside, the balcony sports a café table and chairs set for an aperitivo. An enveloping sofa, produced in Portugal, and an organic recliner, create an intimate lounge area facing a classic, modular media cabinet. An artisan-made wool ottoman adds a beat of color; the lights speak in plump opaline glass and thin black metal rods. The glass top of the dining table fades into the space, leaving its sculptural, marine blue base; in a play of textures, the upholstery of the dining chairs coordinates elegantly with the smoked glass. Tile, oak, and stainless steel come together in a custom kitchen island, with additional counter space and convenient storage. As the interior is replete with oiled oak in the floors, baseboards, doors, and cabinetry, matching wood furniture warms the bedrooms. The vertical spindles of the beds recall the pattern of the exterior façade. Laptop work is accommodated by a small console desk with a chair clothed in burgundy. Acorn-shaped pendants, inviting bed linens and rugs, and undulating curtains, all in the warm white of the walls, form a nest for relaxation.

Client: Private Residence In North London Brief: To supply & install carpet to stairs
Staircase - mid-sized transitional carpeted u-shaped wood railing staircase idea in London with carpeted risers

This family throws some mean parties where large crowds usually sit at the poolside. There’s an entire section of this walk out second level that is dedicated to entertaining which also gives access to the pool in the backyard. This place comes alive at night with built in surround sounds and LED lights. There was just one issue. The kitchen. The kitchen did not fit in. It was old, outdated, out-styled and nonfunctional. They knew the kitchen had to be address eventually but they just didn’t want to redo the kitchen. They wanted to revamp the kitchen, so they asked us to come in and look at the space to see how we can design this second floor kitchen in their New Rochelle home. It was a small kitchen, strategically located where it could be the hub that the family wanted it to be. It held its own amongst everything that was in the open space like the big screen TV, fireplace and pool table. That is exactly what we did in the design and here is how we did it. First, we got rid of the kitchen table and by doing so we created a peninsular. This eventually sets up the space for a couple of really cool pendant lights, some unique counter chairs and a wine cooler that was purchased before but never really had a home. We then turned our attention to the range and hood. This was not the main kitchen, so wall storage wasn’t the main goal here. We wanted to create a more open feel interaction while in the kitchen, hence we designed the free standing chimney hood alone to the left of the window. We then looked at how we can make it more entertaining. We did that by adding a Wine rack on a buffet style type area. This wall was free and would have remained empty had we not find a way to add some more glitz. Finally came the counter-top. Every detail was crucial because the view of the kitchen can be seen from when you enter the front door even if it was on the second floor walk out. The use of the space called for a waterfall edge counter-top and more importantly, the stone selection to further accentuate the effect. It was crucial that there was movement in the stone which connects to the 45 degree waterfall edge so it would be very dramatic. Nothing was overlooked in this space. It had to be done this way if it was going to have a fighting chance to take command of its territory. Have a look at some before and after photos on the left and see a brief video transformation of this lovely small kitchen. See more photos and vidoe of this transformation on our website @ http://www.rajkitchenandbath.com/portfolio-items/kitchen-remodel-new-rochelle-ny-10801/

Beechwood sits on the edge of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in Oxfordshire. Employing high-quality materials, simple detailing and robust forms, the design produced a contemporary and sustainable home appropriate to its context. The materials used in the project push conventional design boundaries but sit together harmoniously in the woodland setting. Blue/black engineering brickwork combine with pre-weathered Corten steel cladding, enabling the house to bleed into the landscape. Implementing energy saving solutions was integral to the success of this project and was a key part of the client brief. The design followed best practice in nine categories of sustainable design: energy and CO2 emissions, water, materials, surface water run-off, waste, pollution, health and wellbeing, management and ecology. Beechwood achieved a Level 4 certificate under The Code for Sustainable Homes.

Client: Private Residence In North London Brief: To supply & install carpet to living areas
Inspiration for a timeless hallway remodel in London

The BG winery was the subject of a renovation in order to improve for the needs of its visitors. The famous and delicious wine presentations and tastings are the main attractions at this fabulous place. Therefore, we placed the bar in front of the entrance to be directly seen when entering. As a decorative element it is featuring displays of soils. Because the groups of visitor vary in size, but also because the space is used as an exquisite breakfast area for the guests of the nearby inn, we came up with a new idea: The division of the space by a glass wall. Consequently, this results in an event space or a private dining room. The convertible approach adds flexibility and dynamic to the whole place. Furthermore, we enabled the large hallway of the winery going towards the restrooms to be used as a wardrobe for larger gatherings. Meanwhile, the additional room serves as a VIP lounge for only the finest guests. The design team took everything into consideration while preparing layouts, developing individual objects and finetuning details: clients’ needs, the nice location and the usage of the attractive space. We designed in detail all furniture elements, while using reclaimed wood from old wine barrels for table tops and accent walls. In this regard the winery as a location of joy and community feels and breathes authentic. The whole interior design is rustic with fine touches of modern, resulting in a suiting atmosphere. As for the color scheme, we proposed a pastel blue as a contrast to the reclaimed wood. Touches of color in the Patchwork tiles around the bar area and a mixture of hand-made lamps mix to roud up the rustic vibe. Share your ideas for your location with us in a brief introductory call, free of charge.

This family throws some mean parties where large crowds usually sit at the poolside. There’s an entire section of this walk out second level that is dedicated to entertaining which also gives access to the pool in the backyard. This place comes alive at night with built in surround sounds and LED lights. There was just one issue. The kitchen. The kitchen did not fit in. It was old, outdated, out-styled and nonfunctional. They knew the kitchen had to be address eventually but they just didn’t want to redo the kitchen. They wanted to revamp the kitchen, so they asked us to come in and look at the space to see how we can design this second floor kitchen in their New Rochelle home. It was a small kitchen, strategically located where it could be the hub that the family wanted it to be. It held its own amongst everything that was in the open space like the big screen TV, fireplace and pool table. That is exactly what we did in the design and here is how we did it. First, we got rid of the kitchen table and by doing so we created a peninsular. This eventually sets up the space for a couple of really cool pendant lights, some unique counter chairs and a wine cooler that was purchased before but never really had a home. We then turned our attention to the range and hood. This was not the main kitchen, so wall storage wasn’t the main goal here. We wanted to create a more open feel interaction while in the kitchen, hence we designed the free standing chimney hood alone to the left of the window. We then looked at how we can make it more entertaining. We did that by adding a Wine rack on a buffet style type area. This wall was free and would have remained empty had we not find a way to add some more glitz. Finally came the counter-top. Every detail was crucial because the view of the kitchen can be seen from when you enter the front door even if it was on the second floor walk out. The use of the space called for a waterfall edge counter-top and more importantly, the stone selection to further accentuate the effect. It was crucial that there was movement in the stone which connects to the 45 degree waterfall edge so it would be very dramatic. Nothing was overlooked in this space. It had to be done this way if it was going to have a fighting chance to take command of its territory. Have a look at some before and after photos on the left and see a brief video transformation of this lovely small kitchen. See more photos and vidoe of this transformation on our website @ http://www.rajkitchenandbath.com/portfolio-items/kitchen-remodel-new-rochelle-ny-10801/