The client is a London-based singer and an actor who has an eye for design and knows what she likes. Her request to Studio Kaimi was to create a home that provides a functional yet comfortable living environment and a creative garden studio space for her music and dance workouts.

One of the key requirements for the project was to create a comfortable open-plan living, cooking, eating area with a high level of functionality.

Due to the difficulties of working during lockdown and a desire to be as sustainable as possible, certain things were retained and reused. The kitchen was relatively new, so the cabinetry was painted, and new splash backs added to create a more contemporary vibe.

The inclusion of a new dining area with a frame TV (showing contemporary art when not being used as a TV) above a bespoke banquette, was a key part of the client’s brief. The banquette provides plenty of additional storage and a sound system. Subtle atmospheric lighting is provided by the wall light and table lamp. New parquet flooring was laid throughout to homogenise the space, adding to the feeling of openness and leads the eye through the glazed wall to the garden and studio.

Another essential part of the design brief was a cosy home for the client’s dog in the newly created study. Being an irregular shaped room, a dark teal colour was chosen to harmonise the space and the awkward corner created by a diagonal wall became the perfect little house for the dog to keep the client company while working.

The client had a clear idea of the colour scheme she wanted and produced her own image boards for the designer to interpret. Working with Lick paints, a very personal colour palette of vibrant, earthy and muted pinks with teal and green accents, is used throughout.

Large sliding doors in the living space reveal the garden studio which had to be acoustically sound so as not to disturb the neighbours and to provide an echo-free space. This is the client’s creative space – to compose, to dance and make music.