Excessive above London’s Canary Wharf – 57 storeys to be actual – are the penthouses of One Park Drive. These luxurious flats, with inside structure by Herzog & de Meuron, have been fastidiously curated with dressings and furnishings by Tom Dixon’s Design Analysis Studio – and so they’re an ideal instance of learn how to grasp minimalist consolation.
Amongst the concrete columns and sculpted staircases of Herzog & de Meuron’s stark structure, Tom Dixon has created an immersive inside design idea dubbed ‘House of the Collector’ by his furnishings. Distinctive artworks and bespoke designs culminate in a minimalist palette that is directly simplistically impartial but layered with nuance, and it is a look that we’re loving for a contemporary house.
To be taught extra about making impartial areas dimensional, wealthy, and rounded on this manner, versus simply ‘beige’, we caught up with the British designer. Right here, he shares his six suggestions for mastering a minimalist palette in your personal house.
Tom Dixon is a self-taught British designer and the Inventive Director of his eponymous model ‘Tom Dixon Studio’ which specializes within the design of lighting, furnishings and equipment.
1. Play with texture slightly than coloration for dimension
(Picture credit score: Canary Wharf Group / Pictures: Peer Lindgreen)
A fast look on the penthouses of One Park Drive reveals one stand-out function – an absence of vibrant hues. And but, for such a impartial coloration scheme, there’s nonetheless a miscellany of various tones that convey depth and dimension to the area. The trick, says Tom, is experimenting with texture.
‘We’re working in a reasonably slim area between minimalism and luxury, so we are likely to play rather a lot with texture slightly than coloration,’ he says. ‘Looking for further textural woods, leathers, or ceramics and treating them in a manner that is respectful of their origin was key.’
He provides: ‘We took the cue from this concept of supplies of their state of origin – our leathers should not brilliant colours or closely varnished, the wooden and the aluminum is utilized in a easy, trustworthy, and beneficiant manner. These will let you work with a palette of materiality and get numerous completely different tones, hues and reflection.’
In addition to introducing dimension to the area, these textures are additionally liable for the nice and cozy and comfy really feel throughout the flats. Woven rugs, smooth leathers, and reflective supplies introduce a softness that dramatically contrasts with the cruel concrete structure. ‘Provided that – as in most fashionable skyscrapers – there’s a whole lot of glass, a whole lot of concrete, and actually excessive ceilings, we had been looking for a manner of creating the areas really feel heat with out detracting from the minimalism,’ says Tom.
2. Take inspiration out of your pure environment
(Picture credit score: Canary Wharf Group / Pictures: Robert Rieger)
Each designer will let you know that the pure world past your private home’s 4 partitions is simply as necessary as what’s inside them. In a penthouse with floor-to-ceiling home windows, the cityscape past performed an necessary position in influencing Tom’s design.
‘From the climate patterns to the Thames estuary, you get this combination of nature contrasted with town, all of which could be very man-made, very concrete, and really gray,’ he explains. ‘Collectively they are a collection of muted colours that work rather well collectively.’
By taking inspiration from the views outdoors, the panorama interprets to the inside, the big home windows blurring the liminal area in between. ‘The furnishings was positioned to encourage the concept of searching and searching in,’ Tom says. ‘The place conventional homes or residing rooms might need a fire or tv to attract your focus, we tried to make it so there have been these two distinct vistas, in and out.’
3. Distinction supplies for visible curiosity
(Picture credit score: Canary Wharf Group / Pictures: Robert Rieger)
Minimalism is not simply stark or invariant supplies – these flats fantastically juxtapose the nice and cozy tones of picket accents with stable stone structure, evidencing the significance of distinction.
Embracing minimalism in inside design would not have not to imply bland and beige. To make sure your design is interesting to the attention, incorporate loads of contrasting particulars. ‘Tough and easy, shiny and matte, black and white – we nonetheless needed a whole lot of supplies to keep away from an excessive amount of monotony,’ says Tom.
(Picture credit score: Canary Wharf Group / Pictures: Robert Rieger)
All through the flats, metallic motifs are used to make an announcement. From lighting fixtures to furnishings trim, their reflective qualities are used to emphasise pure mild and add heat to the area. This trick, one of many oldest within the design ebook, is so easy but extraordinarily efficient.
‘Going again to that distinction between tough and easy, metals are nice as a result of they add a sharpness to that object,’ Tom explains. ‘A golden steel instantly softens it, however nonetheless, the impression is of a pointy and exhausting materials in opposition to which a few of the woods and textiles act as a counterpoint.’
5. Embrace classic and modern items
(Picture credit score: Canary Wharf Group / Pictures: Robert Rieger)
For a singular and personalised area, keep away from uniformity by your furnishings and as an alternative incorporate classic furnishings, heritage items, and any decor with private that means.
‘I am not professional the full look the place all of the furnishings you purchase is from one place and of 1 interval,’ says Tom. ‘Layering with a little bit of vintage, a little bit of artwork, some recollections out of your travels – that was a sense we needed to get throughout, that any person had assembled a private assortment of objects.’
As soon as once more, distinction is the defining takeaway, this time of previous and new. ‘Search for issues with age and patina and distinction these with the issues which can be new and glossy,’ Tom advises. ‘You get extra soul additionally from issues which have lived a bit.’
6. Do not depend on textiles for coziness
(Picture credit score: Canary Wharf Group / Pictures: Robert Rieger)
Take a better take a look at the One Park Drive flats and you will discover there is not a single cushion or fluffy rug in sight. Tender textiles are saved to a naked minimal, and but coziness and luxury nonetheless prevail.
An instance is within the eating room the place a cork desk, voile curtains, and rush fiber chairs are used so as to add an understated softness whereas nonetheless protecting with the minimalist theme. ‘They’re all made out of sentimental supplies and collectively they’re greater than sufficient,’ says Tom. ‘You do not want added ornament on high of that.’
Get the look
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Tom Dixon Metallic Candle, Internet-A-Porter
One of many latest additions to Tom Dixon’s ‘Eclectic’ house perfume assortment, this ‘Underground’ candle, obtainable at Internet-A-Porter, is impressed by wealthy subterranean scents. The metallic container guarantees to bounce mild round your room and provide a hanging distinction to the softer supplies in your inside design scheme.
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This jute rug from Rugs USA introduces simply sufficient softness by it is pure woven texture, and not using a want for prime pile textiles. The impartial shade will make an understated basis in any area, however is very supreme in minimalist areas the place it will not detract out of your decor.
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Leather-based footstall, Goal
This leather-based ottoman footstall from Goal is has a traditional and stylish design to reinforce your lounge furnishings, and an effective way of introducing texture. The oblong body has easy and clear strains excellent for a minimalist design whereas nonetheless bringing a way of coziness and luxury to your private home.
