Our main goal as an interior design studio, is to make a home work for its occupants. Both practically and aesthetically. To accommodate their lifestyle, support their needs and maximise space to its full potential. There’s a power in thoughtful space planning that can open doors (quite literally) to a more efficient, considered and balanced home. That’s exactly what we did at our Sullivan project and the results are really special. Here, we’ve shared the story of this project, along with the 3D visuals that we created for our clients. We can’t wait to see it come to life!

THE PROJECT DETAILS

A family home in South Wales, the property had undergone major extension and modernisation work during lockdown in 2020. However, despite the additional space, the home was not working as well as it could for its owners.

Comprising a generous hallway with utility and WC, a living room which also acted as an office and a playroom, and a large open plan kitchen-dining-family room which opens out onto a large, newly completed patio and garden. The building has side access to the garden which could be reduced in width if necessary but retaining this access was ideal for our clients.

THE BRIEF

Hygge & Cwtch were brought on board to work on the design and space planning for the ground floor of the property.

Our clients came to us primarily because they wanted to make better use of the space. They needed a dedicated home office, as well as plenty of room for the family to connect. The ability to have family stay over and space for their young child to play, craft and grow were all specific needs that would make this family home work harder for them.

Despite their fairly recent extension of the home, they felt quite sure that the home would need extending further again to accommodate their needs. They were open to extending the footprint or adding a garden studio, but the idea of being able to achieve what they wanted within the space they already had was certainly appealing to them.

Crucially, they needed clarity on the purpose of each room. Their living room was a good size but was a very confused set up. Used for relaxing, playing and working – such a mixed-use room that no activity could be done well and therefore the space was not effective or utilised as well as it could be.

There was scope to improve the flow in and between spaces, as the two main rooms on the ground floor were multi-purpose and so the traffic through each room was high and neither space felt restful or intentional.

In terms of design, they wanted colour and as you know, that’s where Hygge & Cwtch excel!

SPACE PLANNING FOR FLOW AND PRACTICALITY

We began by conducting a feasibility study which uses 2D floor planning to map out all of the possible options to meet the brief. Taking all considerations into account, the feasibility study is all about looking at a space with fresh eyes. Using our expertise and knowledge of spacing, flow, balance and interior usability, this is our chance to get creative with space planning and come up with ideas that our clients may never have thought of.

This is also the point at which we figure out whether we can better use the space within the existing footprint, which is always a great starting point. The study may include options for extending if we think it could be a positive or necessary addition. Our focus at this stage in the process is giving our clients ideas and sharing expertise so that they can make a truly informed decision on how they can improve the layout of their home.

For this particular house, we delivered several possible layout options. The image above shows a snippet of our client’s preferred layout. The front room has been divided into two rooms with clear purpose and the kitchen-dining-family room has been rearranged to create clear ‘zones’ and a flow through the house which makes sense.

We were able to create the family-friendly, multi-purpose space that our clients really needed, with additional closed-off rooms with privacy and purpose. And we managed this without adding anything to the footprint of the home. A cost-effective, considered and practical outcome.

Ahead of building work starting, our clients decided to flip the two front spaces around, putting the work space just off the kitchen-dining room and a cosy, separate snug to catch the light at the front of the house.

THE INTERIOR DESIGN APPROACH

Kitchen-Dining-Family Room

Our clients love colour and, along with our signature Scandi-inspired style, we delivered this to full effect throughout their home.

A dual purpose island is the focal point in the kitchen, creating a space-saving dining bench as well as additional work surface and kitchen storage. The positioning of the dining table next to the kitchen is practical and creates plenty of space at the far end of the room for a comfortable family seating area.

We chose a cohesive palette of blues, greys and a vibrant yet warm orange on a fresh off-white background. Paired with natural wood and touches of texture and print – from the rug to the tiling on the kitchen island – there’s an understated attention to detail which elevates this family space. Clean lines and simple yet comfortable and practical furniture complete the minimalist, contemporary, Scandinavian-inspired style of the space.

Minimalist black Crittall windows and doors, alongside our clients existing smooth grey floor tiles lend a contemporary edge to the scheme. The modular Tylko cabinetry is a highlight of the room. It draws your eye to the colour and delivers plenty of versatile storage for this family’s needs. The large open seating area gives plenty of space for connecting, play and comfort.

The Office

Separated by sliding Crittal doors, the office feels like an extension to the family room but with enough separation to deliver an effective yet connected workspace. Benefitting from the light flowing through the back of the house, the office is small but perfectly formed.

Desks on either side of the small room maximises the space and provides a designated place for the children to do homework or craft, rather than always using the kitchen table.

The Snug

A consistent style and colour palette flows through to the front of the house. The snug retains the Scandi simplicity and blue, grey and orange colour palette, but with the warming addition of a deep purple and intentionally use of panelling. The depth of the colour and the texture from the rug and panelling behind the TV brings a level of cosy luxe to this room which really makes it feel like a real place to retreat.

Does your home work for you?

It was such a pleasure to work with this family on turning their house into a home that really works for them. Interior design is so much more than just making rooms ‘look nice’. It can truly transform the way you live and feel in your home. If you think your home could work harder, suit your lifestyle better or make you feel more comfortable and content, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch and let’s chat.