Insights into my Swanley Village Project
26 August 2021

It has been a little while since my last blog post.  I have been pleasingly swamped with work, and occasionally a ball gets dropped, and this time it has been my blog.  Not the best of timing, as my blog is currently up for an award in The AMARA Interior Blog Awards 2021!!  So, if you do enjoy reading my blog then please do vote for me. 

Voting is also currently live for The International Design and Architecture Awards, and I am absolutely thrilled that my Swanley Village Project has been shortlisted in the Living Space London category!! 

A luxury interior design scheme where contemporary meets traditional in this connected living and dining room.
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I had such fun working on this project.  I was brought in to work on this project by the husband of the couple, who is a builder and regularly works with interior designers, so he could really appreciate the magic that an interior designer can work.  The wife of the couple was very nervous of using colour and pattern in her home, so I am delighted with the final result, and the brave steps that she took with the support of my hand holding.

Aesthetically the clients requested a ‘contemporary-meets-traditional’ style for their inter-connected living and dining room, reusing some of their existing, brown furniture where it fitted nicely into the scheme.  They were looking for a calming space that felt bright and airy.  To support this feeling, I suggested using a palette of greens, a restful colour indicative of balance and harmony, and light, off-white colours.  The dark wooden floor grounds the scheme, and a mix of natural materials add a connection to nature.

Nicola Holden Designs - sustainable contemporary interior design - elegant dining room
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The clients wanted a cohesive scheme for the two rooms, which are used predominately for entertaining, and for cosying up in front of the TV.  The spaces needed to be able to accommodate eight to ten people.  Ample storage was required using bespoke joinery solutions.

The clients had struggled with the layout of the living room following the addition of an extension some years previously.  They wanted a room layout that made the most of all of the space available, but still retained flexibility depending on the different uses of the room – intimate TV watching, or conversations in smaller groups, as well as being able to accommodate larger gatherings.

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The living room seating area is laid out in two zones, where adults and children can be in the same room but have their own distinct areas.  However, the layout and choice of furniture also means that the spaces can be easily re-arranged and used as one for bigger events.

Bespoke joinery was specified for the niches either side of the chimney breast in the dining room, and also in the drawing room to accommodate the TV.  The design incorporates a pull-out desk that can be discreetly hidden away when not in use.

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The finished scheme is not only aesthetically pleasing but would also supports my clients’ well-being using biophilic design and colour psychology.

If you have a space that could do with a magic touch, then please do get in touch!

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