Sourcing

One of the most underestimated roles for a designer is product sourcing. This is a task that we at Icon Interiors take very seriously so that we can ensure that our clients get the best deals both in terms of value and product selection.

We recently went on an intensive whistle stop tour of Milan with our agent there. He had arranged for us to meet a selection of manufacturers that specialise in lighting made from beautiful crystal glass and furniture from wood that has been nurtured and where “Made in Italy” really means what it says. The factories that we toured have been privately owned & run by families for generations and it seems that each generation is more passionate about the design & quality of their products than the one before.
As one owner explained to us – a record on each piece of the furniture is kept from the moment the tree is cut down to the last person packing the finished article – each piece is that special.
Watch this space for more on the Milan trip.....

Refurbishments

There was a time when it was considered that all that was necessary to update a home was to replace the kitchen or the bathroom. Now with fewer good properties coming onto the market more home owners are prepared to reduce the interiors of their existing home to a rubble and start over.
At Icon Interiors we are finding that increasingly our clients want a more turnkey service and that is why we work closely with a carefully chosen group of Architects, builders, and other craftsmen.
There is a constant need for the design team to be part of a building strategy especially as there will be significant sums of money involved. Having one point of contact is cost-effective as the designer can then often achieve greater discounts.

Home owners today put a premium on the look of their homes, demanding more creature comforts and up to date gadgetry. To be taken seriously in this business you have to be able to deliver.

Thinking of renovating your basement?

Continuing our theme of Renovated Basements, at Icon Interiors we are seeing increased interest from our clients to maximise this often unused space. We recently completed this light filled basement in rural Hampshire. Our clients are busy professionals, with a young family, and both parents need to be able to work from home in a calm and relaxing space. We also included an area that could also accommodate the children when they were home as a place to study, relax and meet friends.

The painted floor-to-ceiling bookcases are accessorised with beautiful oak veneer and back lit to give it a soft ambient glow. The shelving has been arranged with various sizing options to accommodate a variety of books, DVD’s, CD’s and personal memorabilia. This means that everything can be organised and accessible. The Oak desk has been positioned to blend in discreetly rather than dominate the space. The Barcelona chairs add a fun design element.

Damp Basement ?

At Icon Interiors we were recently given a brief by our client in Somerset to turn their damp and unused basement into a home cinema and gym area.
Over recent years we are seeing an ever increasing demand for more useable space in our homes.

Often the costs of extending your home are prohibitive, time consuming and undoubtedly at some point will require planning permission.

The result of the need for more space has created an extensive and widespread demand for the conversion of damp basement or cellar areas into dry usable rooms using the ever increasing variety
of basement water proofing techniques.

For one of the leading companies in this field see www.timberwise.co.uk
As a result we now see more demand for the conversion of damp basements or cellars into dry usable rooms. These have varied depending on the need from areas for the kids to play in, guest bedrooms , gyms and ever increasingly cinema room

Don’t let your basement or cellar remain a damp un-useable space.

The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Icon Interiors recently completed a project for a professional couple in a quiet West London mews apartment.

A sense of harmony runs through the interior as you step through the front door, enhanced by the Lutron lighting system by John Cullen

A bespoke Shoji door entices you into the elegant dining room adorned with a silk wall covering in taupe by Stereo.

A bespoke circular dining table in highly polished walnut dominates this space overhung by a Plafonniere in White Murano Glass chandelier by Bella Figura
.
The silk wall covering continues into the main living room which is luxurious throughout with bamboo carpets, a beautiful Helix sideboard by David Linley and a Canaletto sofa by Armani Casa covered in Cleveland fabric by Rubelli.

The silk wall covering theme was continued throughout the master bedroom in calming sage. The bespoke wardrobes in dark mahoganyhave mirroed glass doors that reflect the light around the room

Just as much thought went into the guest bedroom with navy silk wall covering and furniture by Armani Casa

Each bedroom has its own bathroom with glass mosaic tiles by Surface Tiles and fittings by Hansgrohe.

Multi room entertainment

Home Automation Systems – Total home automation means fingertip remote wireless control over your lighting, curtains and blinds, room temperature and air conditioning, security, WiFi, telephones, garage doors and gates.

Gone are the days when you need a different remote control to work the televisions and radios in every room. Today you can have the same flexibility with more choice and crystal clear sound and picture quality. Unobtrusive speakers and TV screens in every room. It is called a Multi-Room Entertainment system.

At Icon Interiors we are finding more and more of our clients converting basements into home cinema rooms thats when we bring in companies like SK Vision http://www.skvision.co.uk.

SK vision then totally integrate and test all the elements ensuring the controls are child’s play in the hands of the new owners.

Personal art commissions

Continuing our theme of bespoke artwork by Philip Mount, we are currently specifying this commision of Trafalgar Square in London. This artist has completed similar works featuring major captials around the world most recently New York. He will also consider commisions for other iconic cities.

The artist's style is fresh and dynamic and he describes his approach as achieving

a clear measured form derived from a seemingly unstructured and chaotic application by merging pre-determined intentional action with an intuitive response.

As you can see from the website http://www.philipmount.co.uk/ the artist will also take personal commissions reflecting the personalty and lifestyles of individual clients.

Why not commission your own piece of art!

It can be really frustrating trying to find that piece of artwork that really finishes off any project.

At Icon Interiors we are always building on our network of unique sources, and recently we met Artist Philip Mount who has worked extensively in London, New York and LA.

‘When visiting galleries it can be really hard to find pieces that are perfect for your space, so when you commission something everything is taken into consideration, from the furniture to the books on the shelf, so the finished piece is unique and personal to you.

Bathrooms - no longer the room to hide away

Leading Japanese bathroom manufacturer" Toto" has recently launched in Europe.

When it comes to their bathroom Icon Interior's clients want to be inspired and see something exclusive, with Toto we can achieve just that.

Our clients see the bathroom no longer as simply a ‘functional’ space in which to cleanse – it is now considered one of their most essential rooms in the home. They need a place to escape from their hectic lifestyles, and the ‘new’ style of bathroom offers a space to relax and refresh in. Bathroom products have transformed into sculptures, and with the advances in manufacturing, materials and technology almost anything is possible.

Good design improves quality of life, and having it in every aspect of the home is certainly becoming more sought after.

"Bespoke" a fashionable term

At Icon Interiors we strive to offer our clients a one-of-a-kind interior finish to their project. One way that we achieve this is by encouraging them to venture down the "bespoke" route.

Take the leap and you will have the joy of owning a piece uniquely made to suit your tastes and space. The commissioning process itself can be quite rewarding if not addictive. Jonathon Baring combines contemporary design with traditional craft-based methods. All pieces, materials and colours are tailored to the clients' requirements.

There are no longer any boundaries when using glass

At Icon Interiors we are being asked more and more for bespoke glass products, be it in bathrooms, kitchens or the complete side of a house.

Firman Glass offers a unique product. It takes a plain sheet of glass and shapes it, curves it and toughens it, making anything from a simple toughened glass door to a major piece of structural glasswork.

Firmans Glass despite its small size, offers all the skills and expertise needed for glass processing and installation.

The limits on glass sizes are being pushed, and its only right that one of the companies responsible can do it in-house.

Beds don't have to be boring

At Icon Interiors we pride ourselves on offering only the best to our clients, so that said it goes without saying that our first step when sourcing a bed is Savoir Beds.

Savoir Beds go back to 1905 when the No 2 bed became known as ‘The Savoy’. The company was bought by the Savoy Hotel in the 1930’s and remained within the group until 1997 when it regained it's independence. Savoir beds are still to be found in the worlds premier hotels today.

Made to measure: the worlds most perfect sleeping system. A Savoir Bed can be made to any size or shape. It can stand alone, be upholstered, have a headboard or the sprung base can be made to fit into an existing frame – a four poster perhaps, a bateau lit, or a more contemporary design. When you order your bed your name goes on it to ensure all your personal requirements are built in to give you exactly the right combination of size, shape, support and comfort.

Beautiful Wallcoverings by Stereo

Walls covered in silk are an unashamed luxury.

The character of hand spun, hand woven wild silk creates a look that distinguishes silk wallcoverings from any other.

For a recent client who has a Mews property in fashinonable Marylebone, Icon Interiors introduced them to Stereo Wallcoverings from their beautiful silk range of wallpapers.
We paired the Navy blue silk with black furniture for a contempory bedroom, and in the elegant sitting room we used the Taupe with sumptious Santos Rosewood furniture.

Product Feature - Linley

We like to use Linley funiture for high end residential interiors,for its exquisite quality and finish.At Icon Interiors, we particularly like the elegant and unique Helix design, because of its simplicity and indviduality.

Although buying a Linley product may seem expensive today it is the antique of the future, to be handed down through the generations.

Dare to Dream

We were invited to design the Dare to Dream Ball for the St James’s Place Charitable Foundation, which raises much needed funds for charities in the UK and overseas. Icon designed the Dare to Dream theme and galvanized a fantastic team of people to make this dream come true. The St James’s Place Partnership and guests raised over 500,000 pounds for the Foundation. See the website www.icon-interiors.co.uk for more information.

Beautiful Kitchens

As well as working with high end contemporary kitchen companies, such as Bulthaup and Alternative Plan, we can also offer a bespoke kitchen design service. These kitchens particularly appeal to clients looking for a hand made product, using all of the skills of traditional English cabinet-making.

These beautiful painted kitchens evoke a sense of understated style, with feeling of permanence and timelessness. They can be accessorized with contemporary fittings and will work with most interior schemes and architecture