STEP INSIDE LIVING SPACES


Urban Calm


When architects were given a brief to create a tranquil living space in the heart of fast-paced London, they looked to Atkinson & Kirby to provide a flooring solution that would meet and exceed requirements.


Flooring manufacturer Atkinson & Kirby has helped to recreate the tranquil ambience of a “remote monastery in Belgium” in a domestic studio flat in the heart of Clapham, London.


The project, titled Urban Hermitage, is a 26m2 room adapted


for an artist to live and work in and was designed by Spheron Architects and executed by Ashville Inc.


Completed in 2016, the micro apartment/studio is simply a single room on the first floor of a Victorian semi-detached house, but has been transformed to an open-plan, contemporary room to act as a tranquil space to remove the owner from the busy hustle and bustle of London life.


The brief for the project was to provide the client, a London based artist, with a space to work and live, offering a comfortable living area in an unusually small space. The artist wanted the designers to recreate a monastery, which “sits in a valley hermetically cut off from the intrusions of the outside world.” He commented: “Back in London, outside the window of my room is a world full of business and noise. I am wondering, if it is possible to recreate that monastic ambiance that I experienced, to live a life of bucolic solitude, within my tiny room?”


Making sure to fit with the specific brief and requirements of the client, Atkinson & Kirby supplied its Concept range of flooring, which is made in the UK, for the project, helping to add depth and character to the room. The final outcome, which reflected a rather minimalistic interior, benefitted from the addition of the Concept range as it provided a more natural feel to the room, which was a stark contrast from the light shades and colours used across the rest of the project.


The space was styled to fit the intended ‘monastic ambiance’ of the brief by including wall to ceiling mirrors, light wood cabinets and white net curtains. Alongside these features, the addition


26 | Tomorrow’s Retail Floors


of an exposed concrete wall completes the melancholic feel that was the key criteria for this specific project.


The updates to the studio have meant that it now epitomises the simplicity and tranquillity of a religious retreat, offering the client a space to suit their unique needs and style requirements.


The Concept range of flooring is available in a strikingly varied colour palette, making it a style that can suit any space, particularly for use in a domestic setting. Being such a bold design, the Concept range acts as a key focal point within a room, with the darker shades helping to add depth, and the lighter hues refreshing any space to help uplift and add light to a room.


A spokesperson for Spheron Architects said: “Our client is very pleased with the final outcome of the project, as they feel the compact room has been transformed into a space which encapsulates the feeling of remoteness, creating a secluded haven in a busy urban setting.”


Josh Burbidge, Business Development Director for Atkinson & Kirby, said: “We are thrilled with the final outcome of the Urban Hermitage project. The Concept range of flooring chosen by Ashville Inc. has really helped to add warmth to the room, and the high-quality finish of the product means it will stand the test of time. Without the inclusion of the Concept range, the room would not have had the same depth and drama, as the pale, minimalistic colour palette selected for the project worked seamlessly with the addition of the darker timber flooring.”


www.akirby.co.uk www.spheronarchitects.co.uk www.ashvilleinc.com


www.tomorrowsretailfloors.com


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