“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.”
Working on any project is a voyage of discovery. Design, like books, is a journey, a destination, a home – in the case of design, literally creating a physical space. For me, much of the beauty in a project comes from getting to know the client, from understanding not only the brief but who they are, where they’ve come from, their lifestyle, their needs – in other words, discovering their story.
This client - a busy working family who appreciates the aesthetics in life - actively engages with music, literature and the arts. Their grand piano thus takes pride of place amidst the library in this light, dynamic room, adding elegance with the crystal chandelier above it. A timeless design for a forever home.
Two desert photographs sparked the inspiration and vision for the room. Familiar with the client’s artwork, when I saw this empty space, I saw these two pictures across from each other. Fortunately, the client agreed, and their placement thus created the anchor for the room. It was natural, then, that we would design the bookshelves around the picture. The void opens up the space; the eye is then drawn from the photograph of the cactus directly across the room to the other desert landscape, creating a sense of movement and energy, with the piano adding its own beauty and vitality.
In my newsletter last summer, I spoke about the need for connection, to reengage with life, with friends and family, with places, after the long period of lockdown. While we are still re-emerging, finding a new sense of normality in April 2022, it is with a renewed sense of hope and joy that I enter this season of spring. New projects and exciting collaborations are on the horizon. I look forward to sharing those soon. In the meantime, I hope you too feel a sense of hope – and joy and anticipation for what connections and adventures lie ahead.
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Credit: Photography by Marcus Peel