The Vision: A Space That Embodies Personality and Purpose
The journey started with Emma and Michael, a couple with contrasting design personalities and a complementary vision. For Emma, an artist, traditional rustic design was imbued with warmth and character. Instead, Michael had the opposite tendency to admire clean lines, smooth materials, and minimalist design. A home was to be a merger of their opposing tastes and a statement of comfort, creativity, and connectivity with nature and modernity.
I, as the architect, was to merge their conflicting tastes into one whole vision. The result must become an architectonic statement—a blend of styles that spoke about who they were individually and as a family.
Laying the Groundwork: Defining Flow and Form
Before going into the art of designing, the most crucial step was to put down how the house is being constructed. It almost had to be a basic structure that was open, flexible, and flowing. First, we connected the main living spaces—kitchen, dining, and living room—in an open-plan ambience that allowed for easy passage from one room to another, fitting together a disparate ensemble of styles.
The backbone of the house now became a neutral canvas upon which we started building. For the general outside structure, I kept a clean minimalist line, allowing it to feel most modern and spacious inside. Large windows would invite surrounding views, letting floods of light pour into the house. A neutral colour scheme of soft whites, light greys, and warm wood tones would be the backdrop for the inner-architectural melting pot that was to come alive in this house.
This is how the architecture was structured to accommodate different styles. It provides a large, open, neutral envelope for a space in which each room seems to become an independent expression of stylistic identity.