TRADITIONAL DESIGN: a contemporary twist

Some clients have extremely contemporary tastes while others prefer traditional space layout, antique furniture and ornate fabrics and wall papers. One of my current jobs falls in the latter of these categories. The room I am using as an example is a traditional dining room. The following are some of the suggestions I put forward to place the client's taste for traditional full length curtains, chandeliers etc. within a more contemporary framework. A Victorian style mahogany dining table and matching chairs were previously purchased by the client and will clearly be the most prominent items of furniture in the room.

A traditional Cole & Son wall paper (dusty pink grey with silver pattern) sets the early 20th century tone.

Porta Romana's Lartigue ceiling light brings a slightly contemporary twist to the equation.

The crinkled silk like dark fabric from Villa Nova (top colourway) adds drama and sets the background for the tieback in nickel to stand out.

The Fabricant pole (gun metal paint finish, not black as shown in the picture) tilts the balance back towards a more traditional take on window dressing and so does the

matching tieback (part of the 2009 Fabricant collection).

A possible alternative to the above

pole and tieback could have been


this Fabricant plain timber pole with

simple cap ends


and a Jason d'Souza clear tieback

RENTAL PROPERTIES: keeping it simple

Having tried a number of different solutions the basic formula revealed itself to be the best: keep it simple! "Simple" may mean neutral colours, which will allow any colour scheme the tenant may wish to introduce, but it also means:
- durability v. quality issues should be carefully considered (in the kitchen shown above a laminate worktop was preferred to real wood, which requires regular maintenance, but a 40mm thick "top end of the market" product was selected)
- quality materials, fixtures and fittings should be used: they pay off in the end
- pay attention to maintenance issues (allow for inspection panels and ease of access to pipework etc., comply with regulation regarding labling of all fused switches)
- generous and well equipped storage spaces should be provided in proportion to the number of bedrooms in the property
- wiring should be laid and sockets (power, TV & phone) should be as numerous as possible to allow for different furniture layouts without the need for later (surface and unsightly) additions

Simple rules always work best.