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Leading the way in the design industry in Greece, Gianna Barkaba Interior Design was established in 2008 by interior designer Gianna Barkaba to help people to create the beautiful spaces of their dreams. As the company’s principal designer, she is highly qualified, having studied in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece, and also in Florence, where she achieved a Master di Architecture di Interior Design at Instituto per L’Arte e il Restauro Palazzo Spinetti. In 2006 she worked in Florence at Studio Progettart as Ian interior designer and has been working as a freelance furniture designer since 2008. She founded the company with the belief that it is essential for everyone’s well-being to create inspiring spaces that bring happiness to her clients’ lives.

The company has studios based in Athens and Igoumenitsa, Greece. It prides itself on taking on any project using its unique approach and ideas combined with over a decade of experience. They undertake interior design and architectures while also specializing in custom-made furniture, construction design, and art curation. Services include the presentation of 2D plans, plumbing and electrical plans, 3D designs, and custom exterior design for garden and outside areas.

Gianna Barkaba Interior Design prides itself in taking a holistic approach that results in balanced design, careful choice of suitable materials, and a style that fits its client’s needs. Starting with personalized consultation, the firm is committed to offering every customer a unique and stress-free experience while creating a space that reflects their tastes, style, and desires.

This dedication is clearly demonstrated by Villa Oneiro in Paxos, Greece, and is why the panel of experts at Luxury Lifestyle Awards has chosen Gianna Barkaba Interior Design as the winner of an award in the category of Best Luxury Residential Interior Renovation 2022  for Villa Oneira in Greece. The villa is on the beautiful island of Paxos, which sits in the Ionian Sea just south of Corfu. Set in a beautiful garden with abundant olive trees and a sparkling pool, the traditional Paxos house has undergone a total renovation and interior decoration, bringing it up to date while retaining its rustic style.

The neutral color palette blends perfectly with the whitewashed exposed brick walls, whitewashed beams, and stone floor tiles. The kitchen and bathroom have strong custom-made elements with a handpainted wash basin and toilet and a 120-year-old marble sink that complements the feel of the old Paxian house. There’s also a beautiful garden with a large pool and plenty of comfortable seating areas for alfresco living. A worthy award-winning project with an interior that offers the best stylish, relaxed living in the Greek countryside.

Find out more about Gianna Barkaba Interior Design and its wide range of services, by visiting www.giannabarkaba.com.

About Luxury Lifestyle Awards 

Luxury Lifestyle Awards is a global award selecting, recognizing, celebrating and promoting the best luxury goods and services all over the world. The goal of the company is to connect people with the best of luxury. LLA has evaluated more than 10 000 various goods and services in 400 categories from 60 countries and analyzed the results to give you a TOP list of the best of the best in the world. Such world-renowned brands as Chanel, Dom Perignon, and Ferrari were proudly named winners. The victory brings companies status and recognition, global promotion and exposure to an entirely new market of customers. 

For more information, please visit: https://luxurylifestyleawards.com/ 

The Eav’s Group is a promising real estate developer and designer. The Group was founded in 2018 by Jonathan Eav, executive director, and a passionate designer with an incredible flair for combining balanced blends of classic elegance with that of contemporary sophistication. His works of art are shrouded in his impeccable craftsmanship and attention to detail. With all this being said, it is no wonder that the group’s residential debut project, 107 Queen’s Gate in London, is deserving of a Luxury Lifestyle Awards for Best Luxury Apartment Interior Design, 2022.

Jonathan Eav is a graduate of London Guildhall University, where he received a Master of Arts degree in art, design, and visual culture. He has worked in a number of architectural companies based in London. In 2006 he returned to Hong Kong to join his family’s business known as Asia Commercial Holdings Limited.

Jonathan’s burning passion for real estate investment and design led him to establish The Eav’s Group in 2018, under the portfolio of the family business. Since then, Jonathan has been a key contributor to the ever-growing expansion of his firm’s reach into various key world markets, such as China, Hong Kong, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Jonathan is not only known for his creativity. His finely attuned business-savvy judgment and ability to think quickly put The Eav’s Group at a huge advantage in the selection of their properties. The goal for Jonathan, when selecting a property to invest in, is what he likes to call a rare find. This means looking specifically for features that are prominent and bold, which he can work with. This knowledge and ability to select the perfect projects, not only creates investments that will continue to add to the ongoing success of The Eav’s Group, but also instills a confidence within their buyers of their exclusive properties.

The same passion also led to the establishment of Jonathan Eav Atelier, a division that offers its clients a bespoke interior design service for both commercial and residential properties. Every detail is personally tailored to suit every possible need and want of the client, all while maintaining the timeless class of Jonathan Eav’s design.

This philosophy is very apparent in Jonathan’s exceptional debut residential project at 107 Queen’s Gate in London. This exclusive and luxurious apartment, in the sought-after area of South Kensington, is fully renovated with lavish magnificence, avant-garde features, and meticulous attention to detail. This exquisitely showcased residence served to create an extravagant, custom-tailored interior intended only for the discerning few, who appreciate the grand design of living.

The spectacular, heritage residence, dating back to 1874, has a prestigious and desirable address. Conveniently located in the heart of London, affording the new owner the opportunity of stately living, a mere stone’s throw from appetizing eateries, internationally recognized museums, art galleries, theatres, world heritage sights, and luxury retail.

The impressive palatial, and contemporary, two-bedroom, two-bathroom, south-east facing corner apartment boasts charming views of the private manicured Onslow Gardens, which can be enjoyed from French doors opening onto the balustraded balconies. The rooms are generous and oversized, each with double doors and high ceilings of almost 4 meters, as opposed to the standard height of 2.4 meters. The result? An abundance of natural lighting throughout the apartment, adding to the grand design, and sense of space.

Throughout the renovation, the integrity and heritage of this Victorian building have been considered. The original architrave has been retained and restored while the old cornicing was completely removed and updated with carefully chosen cornices, as a nod to the building’s legacy. The precision-cut chevron flooring ingenuously combined with artistic, custom-designed mosaic makes a bold statement of old meets new as well as timeless style and luxury.

The unusually large bathrooms are light and airy and are intended to offer a sanctuary and Spa-like experience. The design layout enables residents to feel pampered, with the finish including clean-living amenities that reflect progressive modern hygiene standards, including a urinal.

The property also features bespoke handmade joinery and furniture that introduces bold touches, from the handcrafted bar and wine storage counter that utilizes Verde San Denise marble to the striking full-height brass bookcase that has an unusual and eye-catching matt gold coloring. Fittings and fixtures throughout the apartment are state-of-the-art, as are the Gaggenau appliances for the kitchen. This extraordinary extravagance is further combined with commissioned artworks, gym membership, and concierge service of the highest standard.

All in all, a serene space of timeless elegance where charm and nostalgia are blended aesthetically, with contemporary comforts. This superb and stylish home is a premium property, walk-in ready, intended for the connoisseur, accustomed to the finer things in life and seamless living, or for the serious buyer looking to add to their investment portfolio.

“I would like to thank the professionals at Luxury Lifestyle Awards for choosing our debut project, 107 Queens Gate in London for this award. This distinguished award affirms the value and impact of our work.”, Says Jonathan Eav.

See examples of their projects and find out more by visiting The Eav’s Group website at http://www.theeavsgroup.com/

City Road, London sub penthouse bachelor apartment design by Cigal Kaplan

My favourite type of property to design is a bachelor pad, so we were absolutely delighted when we appointed to this project.

The brief was to create a contemporary space, with an emphasis on functionality. The client has a mixture of eclectic tastes and interests, and we were keen to show this off within his home. This made our design totally unique and presented us with an additional challenge which we always love, as it’s so important to push your creativity as a designer. At the same time, we all agreed the property’s main selling point is its gorgeous view, overlooking the entirety of central London, so we really wanted the space to be both personal and emphasize the beauty of our client’s surroundings.

We worked within this brief and prioritized each room’s design with its purpose. For example, we knew that the living room would be the ‘relaxation area’ so we created a neutral colour scheme and injected colour using things like the client’s vinyl, artwork and books. These kept things feeling relaxed and personal but still interesting. Keeping the walls white and simple allowed for this, and we used a number of natural and man-made materials to elevate this feeling of ordered intrigue. 

One big challenge here was to create a totally custom, huge TV unit spanning a large wall. This is always intimidating because some large pieces like this have to be sourced elsewhere, and here we designed and purchased the whole unit in Greece. Thankfully everything went to plan, and it now serves as a completely functional, yet beautiful addition to the room. All the cabling for the tv, av and speakers are all hidden in carefully designed but hidden pipework. We wanted the large comfortable sofa facing the TV and the view, which is in the opposite direction, so we also created a bespoke sofa which was added to the main L shape sofa so he can enjoy both aspects comfortably and it’s also perfect for cocktail parties and entertaining. This was all sat on a bespoke wool rug with gold leaf detail which tie in with the rest of the open plan sitting and dining spaces.

The client is an avid cyclist and he wanted us to incorporate an indoor cycling space. The challenges with this sort of very ‘practical’ room is that they are often tough to decorate beautifully, however we decided that using wooden slats as a storage unit and decorative piece was an on trend, inexpensive yet modern idea. This added a wonderful amount of texture in the space and highlighted the client’s personality and allowed him easy access to some of his most prized possessions – his bikes!

We wanted to keep the rooms textured yet relaxed, so we went for lots of leather finishes, plush carpets and silk bedding, as well as linen wallcoverings. This creates a feeling of luxury amidst the rest of what is quite a masculine scheme. We still had to think about the practicalities though – so we put in a large bookshelf in each room for the client’s convenience, and to add that attention to detail that we pride ourselves on. Our client is a self-described big reader, and enjoys reading in the morning and before bed, so It’s essential when designing a space to understand how your client lives, and to design around this. There are niches in the sofa and coffee table for additional spaces to hold books and magazines for him.

A balcony is a luxury space in London so to have two is a bonus and can be found in the living room and master bedroom, so it was essential that the scheme here also matched with both rooms. We opted for a deep green side table with natural wood on top to add a cool mix of both contemporary and traditional styles. This pop of colour also allowed us to add a sense of lushness in an outdoor space that is otherwise dry and lacking in natural greenery, and adds a lovely point of interest for anyone lucky enough to be looking at the view albeit 34 stories up!

Cigal Kaplan 

www.cigalkaplaninteriors.com

700 words.

Photography: Philip Vile

The adverse effects of climate change and global warming, destruction of habitats, endangered species, and unbalanced ecosystems are all caused by the negative impacts of human activities on the environment. Because of this, different sectors are now innovating ways to be more eco-friendly. The field of architecture’s response to this dilemma is the growth and development of green architecture.

What is “Green Architecture”?

Green architecture is a movement to counteract the environmental impact of humankind. This is a shared philosophy of architects worldwide to be more mindful of nature when working on a project. However, green architecture doesn’t mean humans need to sacrifice their lifestyle for the environment. On the contrary, this type of architecture uses technology to restore the harmonious relationship between humankind and nature without compromising the comfort and convenience that humans enjoy now.

What are the famous green architecture techniques?

There are many ways to apply green architecture, like using renewable and sustainable energy sources, designing calamity-proof buildings, and upgrading old facilities with new technology. Below is a list of the most used techniques in green architecture.

Green roofs and roof gardens

This architectural style utilises the space on the roof of homes and buildings. For example, green roofs use a waterproof membrane so you can plant herbs and flowers directly on the roof, while a roof garden follows the same concept but uses pots and containers. Both techniques can cover a roof fully or partially. You can even put a recreational spot or a rooftop cafe alongside your plants. In addition, green roofs and gardens produce local food and spices, lessen air pollution, and make the buildings more beautiful.

Eco-friendly walls

There are different techniques to make walls eco-friendly. One example is a green wall with soil and water delivery mechanisms inside to cater to vegetation growth. Green walls can reduce urban heat, improve building insulation, absorb stormwater, and give a stunning indoor or outdoor view. Another architectural and engineering technique is the retaining wall system which uses eco-friendly and durable materials. Retaining wall systems are also designed to prevent soil erosion and soil pollution.

Rain gardens

A rain garden is a fantastic rain catcher. It features a water drainage system that collects rainwater and directs it to a garden. The garden will then soak and purify the water. As a result, the clean water will flow to rivers, lakes, ponds, canals, and other bodies of water with fewer pollutants. This technique helps lessen water pollution and decrease urban heat.

Light shelves

A light shelf is placed near windows to reduce flares and allows more natural light to enter the room. It also makes the room warmer, which is energy-efficient for cold places. A light shelf is often partnered with blinds, smart windows, or other control mechanisms for warmer areas.

Final thoughts

The field of green architecture keeps on growing as companies and business owners can see its benefits. The possibilities of a greener and more sustainable future are endless; these green architecture techniques are just a few examples.

The Society of British and International Interior Design (SBID) is back with its industry-acclaimed interior design awards for 2022.

Entries opened for 2022 with Early Bird rates, inviting designers to submit before 14 March to take advantage of exclusive entry pricing.

Set to champion the world’s most skilled and accomplished creative professionals as the UK’s home for interior design excellence, the SBID will celebrate another year of outstanding interior design solutions with the 13th annual edition of the esteemed SBID International Design Awards.

Equipped with an assembly of expert judges, the judging panel features a host of revered industry figures from some of the most exciting companies at the forefront of design, media and business. With Global Digital Director of Architectural Digest, David Kaufman; Executive Editor for ELLE DÉCOR (US), Ingrid Abramovitch; Dean and Professor of Architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Sarah Whiting; and CEO of Rigby & Rigby, Iain Johnson (to name a few), entrants have a unique opportunity to showcase their work on the SBID Awards’ global stage and exhibit designs directly to an audience of distinguished professional peers, press and potential clients.

With award categories spanning both the commercial and residential sectors across Interior Design, Product Design and Fit Out, SBID welcomes entries from all corners of the professional design community, who work together to drive industry standards and produce the exceptional interior environments that shape the way we live, work and play.

Entries will close for 2022 at 5pm (BST) on 23 May 2022.

Visit sbidawards.com to find out more!

From a comforting and cosy family meal to a Friday night dinner party with friends, the winter and festive months are all about entertaining. Starting with the dining table, it’s the foundation of any well-designed dining room. It’s functional but it also provides an attractive focal point and helps to ground the room. You can either create impact and make a bold statement by choosing a more contemporary design or go more luxurious with a marble-top option – either option will add a superior and welcoming finish to any interior.

For those who love entertaining, an extendable dining table makes for a versatile option as it will allow you to easily seat more guests without compromising on style. This can then be complemented by introducing a lovely table bench or plush seating. It’s important to make sure your dining chairs not only look the part but feel comfortable too. For spaces that require kitchen-diner configurations, select a bar stool that will perfectly offset your cabinetry – this is a great opportunity to create visual contrast whilst adding an insta-worthy finishing touch to the space.

You can also take your dining room to the next level with a coloured chair design  – this will add a hint of playfulness and will help to inject personality into the space. Choose from bold pink colours to rich blues in either a faux leather or velvet fabric, the design possibilities are truly endless. To finalise your dining room for winter entertaining, you can add in hints of luxury by accessorising the space with rugs, ambient lighting or high-quality dinnerware for the ultimate in modern living. You can also make mealtimes more memorable with unique glassware or pretty champagne, tumbler and wine glasses. Across the dwell range we have a superior choice of dining room furniture designs that will add the perfect finishing touch to any space.

dwell

www.dwell.co.uk

0345 675 9090

3 Excellent Reasons to Renovate your Bedroom

No matter how much you love going out to socialize or spending time working at the office, there will always be that one place you can’t wait to get home to – your bedroom.  This is the room in your house that you can call your personal space, a place to relax, forget about the daily stressors around you, and rest. Time spent alone is precious as we are constantly around people anywhere we go. While that may be enjoyable, you will want to have privacy in a comfortable and conducive place for unwinding and recharging.

Although the bedroom may very well be the essential room of the house, we typically take it for granted when we start making renovations at home. Instead, we focus on the living room, kitchen, or bathroom when it comes to redecorating. While these rooms are essential, your bedroom requires as much attention as it is where you get the respite and the much-needed sleep you need to have the energy to perform your best daily. Thus, you should treat your bedroom to a facelift and even invest in fitted bedrooms and wardrobes from www.myfittedbedroom.com and give it that stylish look and make your bedroom neat and organised.

Here are some excellent reasons to renovate your bedroom.

1. You sleep better

Doctors recommend that we sleep 7-8 hours a day to stay healthy. Sleep is essential to build up energy, heal cells, and recharge after work and other activities you do each day. Your bedroom is where you spend your sleeping hours, so it must provide you with the comfort you need to have a restful sleep. If you are uncomfortable, you will find it challenging to get your much-needed rest, making you feel too tired to carry out your daily activities. Additionally, your health suffers when you lack sleep.

• It is your haven

Your daily life can be pretty active, from your job to your family responsibilities and chores. You know that everything needs to be done, so you do your best to accomplish what you need to for the day. It is no surprise that you feel exhausted and would want to have the time and place to rest without disruptions from the outside world. Your bedroom is that private place. If you are not happy with the way it looks and not comfortable within its confines, it defeats its purpose of performing its function. Remodelling your bedroom will transform it into a pleasant room where you can leave your cares behind and enjoy your privacy in an ideal environment.

• It makes you happy

After completing the renovations, you will find yourself feeling happy about the result. Your bedroom is how you imagined it to be, and you will love every minute you spend there. You will also find yourself in a more positive state of mind, from entering your bedroom and being greeted by a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere to leaving it feeling energetic and ready to start your day.

There is a sense of satisfaction from renovating your bedroom, and you may find yourself wondering why you didn’t get it done sooner. Therefore, if you feel that you enjoy spending more time inside your bedroom, you may want to start getting your renovations on the way.

After a year of virtual events, Surface Design Show is getting ready to host the design industry again enabling people to meet, be updated on the latest surface materials and designs, be enthused by its unique content and educated by a range of talented speakers who have come to tell their inspiring design stories.

The dates to remember are 8-10 February 2022, and the show will take place at the Business Design Centre, London.

With 100 exhibitors already signed up to participate, including over 25 New Talents, the UK’s leading event for architects and designers to explore the best in surface material innovation is getting ready to make up for lost time and is back with some much-loved areas as well as some new ones for visitors to discover.

Many of the exhibitors will bring to the show an abundance of new product launches, inspired by the theme ‘Sense of Place,’ with the goal of putting humanity and the planet’s wellbeing at the heart of all decision making.

In the realm of new product launches, Armourcoat, a decorative surface finishes specialist, has just announced the launch of its new natural clay lime plaster ‘Clime,’ adding to their ever-growing sustainable product range.

Surface Matter will also be displaying its sweet materials pop-up shop stand. The stand is inspired by Surface Matter’s material studio in London Fields which is described by architects and designers as a ‘sweet shop for materials.’ Visitors to the stand will find anything from LED lights sprinkled like 100s and 1000s, to chocolate bars made of compressed paper composite Richlite and circular Plasticiet lollipops.

There will be a comprehensive talks programme with over 50 speakers from diverse design backgrounds. New for this year are the ‘Legends Live’ sessions, taking place on the Main Stage and involving industry leaders interviewing someone in or connected to the industry who is their ‘Legend’.

Highlighting again at Surface Design Show will be Light School and its content partner, Light Talks, together they are the home of architectural lighting. Surfaces and lighting are natural friends – to bring out the best in surfaces they need good lighting. For architectural lighting suppliers this is the opportunity to influence architects and interior designers in the role lighting can play in their future projects. This year’s Light Talks theatre will be organised in partnership with the Institution of Lighting Professionals and iGuzzini.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy the Stone Gallery, which in partnership with Stone Federation GB, brings to Surface Design Show an exclusive preview of natural stone. The Stone Tapestry, curated by Squire & Partners, is a bespoke installation piece exploring innovative textures, light, colour and pattern to create a tapestry of inspiring materials from around the world.

Italy’s Confindustria Marmomacchine will, for the first time, be bringing a pavilion of 10 natural stone companies to exhibit in Stone Gallery.

One of the highly anticipated and unique parts of the show is the New Talent section. Supporting new talent is a key focus for Surface Design Show. This year over 30 participants, will display a range of sophisticated and innovative designs, from textile designs featuring augmented reality to 3d tiles of eco resin and waste materials. Many of the participants this year also show a recurring focus of using natural materials and dyes.

New Talent is curated by Trendease International and held in Partnership with Canon UK.

Each year visitors also look forward to Surface Spotlight Live, a focal point of inspiration for designers to touch and compare the very latest material prototypes. Sustainability is the key for SSL as developers look to bring to market an extraordinary range of materials.

Surface Spotlight Live will highlight the Show’s ‘Sense of Place’ theme and will be curated again by trend and colour expert Sally Angharad and held in Partnership with CD (UK).

The Show will also host the presentation of the prestigious Surface Design Awards, recognising and rewarding the most impressive use of materials in, and on, architectural projects worldwide. Judged by some of the leading names in the industry, the 2021 edition had 107 entries spanning 15 different countries. There are 12 Awards divided into 8 different categories with an interior and exterior surface for the majority, with each project being judged on a variety of criteria including materials used, type of surface, sustainability, and aesthetic design.

New for 2022 is the Architectural Photography category which will recognise the most outstanding photography achievements in architecture and interior design. Both amateur and professional photographers are invited to enter this Award.

Partners for the 2022 Surface Design Awards include Armourcoat, Business Design Centre and Mass Concrete.

To stay informed and receive an email notification when visitor registration opens, sign up for show updates here: www.surfacedesignshow.com/contact/keep-me-posted

Excitement is building around the reopening of events and Design London is gearing up to welcome the architecture and design community to London’s new favourite neighbourhood, North Greenwich, for its inaugural event. Taking place from 22-25 September, Design London, will be the largest official trade destination at this year’s London Design Festival marking a new phase for what was formerly known as 100% Design, the U.K.’s longest running trade show dedicated to design.

The dynamic and propelling show will be housed in Magazine London, a brand new, state-of-the-art venue on the Greenwich Peninsula overlooking Canary Wharf and just a short walk from North Greenwich Station and the shiny new Design District Continue Reading

Big announcement: the Hospitality Design Show is back and taking place at the ExCeL, London on the 28th & 29th of September! The following expo is the UK’s leading hospitality event for the design trends, ideas and innovations that are inspiring the industry’s creatives. The Hospitality Design Show promises a surplus of design innovations, insights and educational content, ensuring hospitality businesses effortlessly sync functionality and style. Continue Reading