Inspired Studio Style
Inspired studio style
Published in Design & Décor By Deana Luchia
Interior Architect and Designer Davina Preca has created a fantastic bachelor pad in this studio apartment. The clients wanted a second home for their son, the brief was straightforward: an apartment that was contemporary and understated with all the mod cons necessary and desirable for easy living. With the apartment being just 70 square meters in size, it was imperative that the space remained uncluttered and functioned well.
What Davina delivered was precisely that and more: this beautiful apartment is a wonderfully male space, with neutral colours and interesting textures, all of it ultra modern and extremely practical.
Having studied Interior Architecture and Design in England, Davina is more than an interior designer: she can take a project from a shell stage and see it through to the finished, furnished result – from concept to realisation. This means everything from working out the spacial layout of a property to choosing the handles on a cupboard door.
Some clients come to Davina with a clear idea of what they want, others come with a vague notion, or an overload of ideas. she spends time with them, helping them to work out the function of the property, as well as their needs.
With the bachelor pad, the concept emerged from the space having a long corridor that opens out into an open plan area of kitchen, living space and terrace space, overlooking a marina. Visually connecting each area was the key to creating a home with a light and airy ambience.
Creating a welcoming, serene home out of a blank canvas was the result of careful planning. Also elemental in attaining the desired look, was the choice of materials and colours in the property.
One particularly stand out feature in this apartment is the rough stone finish on one wall of the long corridor. This is a fabulous look, very masculine, modern and utterly striking. The stone finish transforms the whole feel of the place. It’s no longer just a corridor leading to a room somewhere but an important and attractive feature in itself. The wall is highlighted using recessed floor lights, whilst a gap between the wall and the ceiling gives a feeling of space. High gloss Bianco Ambra flooring was also chosen with space in mind, opening up the apartment as it does.
The colours in the property are natural tones – think a mixed palette of brown hues with a touch of the grey stone finish. Brown creates a warm feeling in an apartment. Here, there’s the dark brown of the oak in the kitchen, lovely mocha tones that were used on the walls and for the leather dining chairs and then rich shades of chocolate that were used throughout the apartment. The glass tables and the silk fabric were used as a contrast, adding a touch of lightness to the place.
No bachelor pad would be complete without an array of gadgets and high-tech toys. Fittingly, then, it comes as no surprise to know that the clients were keen to add a touch of high-tech luxury to this pad.
State of the art gadgetry includes a Sonos Zone Music Player – a wireless multi-room digital music system – and an incredibly cool bathroom that boasts speakers as well as an lcd screen which makes for the ultimate bath time soak. There’s also a very chic wine cooler in the kitchen.
The furniture for all projects are handpicked by Davina together with her clients. In this pad, with space so precious, it was essential that each piece selected not only look beautiful but also earned its place by serving a purpose. Davina’s own favourite piece in the apartment is the Rolf-Benz sofa that is built around a brushed stainless steel frame. While its continuous shelf gives it a very unique look, it also has a practical function. The crystal wall light is another item she’s quite taken with. The client chose the light, as according to feng shui, it signifies harmony. It gives the entrance a magic sparkle – that little bit of something extra, which says a lot in a property as fine as this.
