Category Archives: Blog

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A Pitch Less Ordinary

 

We’re just a little excited and pleased with ourselves here at DCD!

Most of our jobs come to us through the amazing and very valuable word of mouth, otherwise clients just seem to find us some way or another.  So this was a first for us: to pitch for a commercial job alongside other designers.

The client: an oil company, the head of which recently purchased an entire floor of a stunning period building in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.

The space: the building’s original ballroom with towering domed ceiling and enormous shuttered windows. The word ‘grand’ does not give this room credit!

The Brief: to create one of the most spectacular rooms in Sydney.  To provide a statement piece to impress, to reflect sophistication and success but on no account to be showy and with absolutely no bling!

Our concept was a contemporary take on an elegant English gentlemen’s (private) club, with leather chesterfields, antique partners desks and boardroom table to seat at least 20, to be mixed with modern leather chairs, gigantic Persian rugs, marble busts and statues. And of course not one, but five, 2-metre wide crystal chandeliers. Unfortunately the Swarovski crystal chandelier by Tom Dixon that I fell in love with is not quite large enough for the space, and this room commands something custom made!  All this muted yet sumptuous grandeur will be wrapped in a deeply contemporary take on a traditional colour scheme; dark charcoals, tobacco browns and petrol blues with a splash of pea green to partner the modern art work.

You can imagine how elated we were to find out that we won the pitch! Words cannot express how much fun this project will be!

A few inspirational images from our concept board below…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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And whilst the marble fitters install the final pieces of this superior kitchen into place, Poppy takes the opportunity to sample the comforts of the Andrew Martin cushions!

 

 

 

 

 

 

At last, the completed kitchen: practical, smart and cool!

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Progress has been slow and steady but at last the fabulous Poliform joinery has not only landed on our fair shores after it’s arduous journey across the Atlantic but has been carefully installed into it’s grateful new home. With the Miele appliances fitted snuggly into place and every small detail attended to by the plethora of plumbers, electricians, carpenters, ducting specialists, painters, floor sanders and builders (who incidentally, have each played their prescribed part to ensure an impeccable finish), all that’s left is to wait for the final beautiful touch: the ‘Atlas Grey’ marble bench tops.

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It is a truth universally acknowledged that a busy Interior Decorator in possession of an expectant client loves it when a plan comes together (to mix my literary and popular culture references!)

5 months ago a previous client returned to us with the immortal words ‘We’d like a new kitchen’, which, naturally, was music to our ears!  The brief entailed installing an entirely new kitchen and adjoining laundry room, painting the study and refreshing the ground floor floorboards. Being a huge ‘foodie’, the client wanted the kitchen to continue to be the soul of this family house, whilst combining leading edge functionality with a beautiful, contemporary look to accompany the rest of the recently redesigned house.

Over the coming months, after long deliberations with the wonderful and indefatigable kitchen planners at Poliform, designs were finalised, marble and appliances chosen and the exquisite cabinets ordered from Italy.  So, whilst the family are away on holiday this month, work has begun!

The first day installing a scheme marks the beginning of the end of a long design process, packed with decision after decision on every minutia and sustained communication both with client and work force. Co-ordinating tradesmen and craftsmen; setting and re-setting timeframes; amending, altering and tweaking the finer points of each element until every detail has been given due attention, the task list is seemingly endless. And however organised and practised you are, the sheer volume of responsibilities and people involved sometimes results in an element of surprise when it comes to installation day! Which is why I maintain that the copious amounts of anticipation and excitement at this stage of any project is tempered with a dash of trepidation!  Will it all go to plan? And most importantly, will the client be thrilled with the results? Because, call us fussy, but anything less than elation just doesn’t cut it!

The accompanying images show the before photos of the kitchen and laundry rooms, and as they are now, part way through the project.  We’ll post completed pictures over the next few weeks! And just to show you the look and feel of the whole house, I’ve also posted other before and after, completed during earlier phases of the project (more on our website under ‘Interiors’ tab).

Incidentally, you’ll be pleased to hear that, in true Green spirit of our times, rather than sending the cabinets and appliances to landfill, we sold the entire kitchen, lock, stock and barrel, on Ebay, dispersing it into homes across Sydney, where it has found another life.

Kitchen 1, before (image above) and during:

Kitchen 2, before and during:

Kitchen 3, before and during:

Laundry, before and during:

Dining Room 1, before and after:

Dining Room 2, before and after:

Exterior, before and after: