BONE INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO SKILLFULLY MAXIMISES THE POTENTIAL OF A SMALL APARTMENT
Bone Interior Design Studio’s creative design brings a small Green Point apartment to life.
The key to maximising a small space is to carefully consider every item that goes into your home and to select furniture that can serve multiple purposes.
“In small apartments things need to be multifunctional more often, and as user friendly as possible,” says Interior Architect Gill Deneys from Bone Interior Design Studio.
Bone Interior Design Studio had the honour of enhancing the space of a luxury hotel apartment overlooking Green Point and the icon Cape Town stadium. The exterior of the building boasts wrought iron balustrades, French doors and Juliet balconies, while the interior includes architectural mouldings on the doors, ceiling roses, and conrices which were all retained in the renovation.
The design team opted for a neutral colour palette for the makeover. “The space is quite neutral and muted” shares Gill before adding, “we went with a lot of natural materials and then looked at interventions thereof. We added a tan leather ottoman and black leather chairs intertwined with various timber finishes to give it a more textural appeal.”
“When working with a neutral colour palette you need to definitely start with a sample board initially, with swatches so that you can look at everything together. There are so many subtle nuances within a monochromatic colour palette. With the space and light on location all influencing that”, adds Gill.
The main feature in the apartment is the open plan area, including the dining room that doubles up as a work space. The cleverly designed unit serves as a serving station when entertaining and has the dual purpose of being a workstation with drawers for storage and a charging station. The area was stylishly finished off with a sculptural light, that adds a feature without overpowering the small space.
Gill offers advice for anyone wanting to revamp their space, “if you are authentic to the nature of the space, you stick to your original design intent and concept, follow it through, and then relate back to that throughout the project – you can’t really go wrong”.
Gill spared a few minutes to unpack what living better, the ethos behind what we at The Insider SA are striving to encourage, means to her.
What does ‘living better’ mean to you? / How are you aspiring to live better?
“In his personal apartment tour, Alvin Wayne, a NYC interior designer, described his home as a love letter to himself. This might sound cheesy but this captures how I feel about residential design perfectly, this has become even more apparent with us spending so much more time in our homes of late. We need to surround ourselves with people and things that we love, especially in our homes. This coupled with being very aware of our footprints and the toll we take on our planet is how I like to ‘live better’. Recharging in nature is as essential to me as having a home as a haven that has been curated with my love of design, be it practical, beautiful or just fun along with my eclectic sentimentality.”
What legacy would you like to leave behind?
“Through my work I would like to leave a legacy of client’s that are happy with the functionality of their spaces. A lasting aesthetic is not always achievable as it depends on the client’s brief and our ever changing rapid world so I like to focus on where we can adjust the build of the space to maximise efficiency and functionality. In a personal capacity I’d like to ease others’ journeys and where I can lighten their load. You can only experience so much joy in isolation, keep your people close and light.”
What piece of advice would you like to share with South Africa?
Do not take for granted where we are living. The people and the environment that we have on our doorsteps offer us so much joy and freedom within the difficult confines of our country that can be quite overwhelming. Take the time to breathe and soak in all the positives this country has to offer. You can always find an appreciative minute among the chaos.
Where do you go to escape and connect with yourself?
I think we all need a quiver of escapes that we can draw from depending on the circumstances we find ourselves in at the time we need them. A mental break listening to a podcast when you need a distraction and your environment doesn’t allow for quiet is a great escape. A slow moment with a loved one or beloved animal can bring so much peace and then of course the big one which is spending time in nature and for me in particular the ocean.
Do you have an encouraging quote for us?
Try not to get overwhelmed by tough situations, everything is manageable piece by piece while keeping calm. Supporting those around you and working as a team makes challenges less daunting and a far better learning experience for all involved.”
Are there any last comments / thoughts you’d like to add?
A stolen quote from the creative genius that is Nick Cave ‘Never play your good idea cards too close to your chest.’ A great idea shared can only be enhanced by those around you. Team work!
