“Beyond creating a practical family house, we wanted to create a holistic and calming atmosphere,” says Peter Mikic, describing the 19th-century villa in London’s Notting Hill he updated for musical clients who required enough square footage for a harp and a grand piano. To maintain a tranquil mood in the living room, Mikic invented themes around a small range of natural materials — among them, bronze, parchment, silk and velvet (used, for instance, to cover a pair of armchairs in the living room inspired by Pierre Jeanneret). The juxtaposition of his custom metal coffee table with a pale sculpted silk carpet replays the light/dark contrasts that animate other pieces in the room — and other rooms, in a remarkably consistent interior.
“Making the bespoke metal coffee table was a particularly challenging process, due to the textured top. We sourced the largest piece of sheet metal we could find that could be manipulated to the texture we wanted.”
Design philosophy?
“It would be straightforward enough to pack lots of beautiful objects into a space and call it finished. But for me, it’s about using objects and works of art that are both beautiful and functional and combining them with bespoke furniture and accessories we design in the studio. In doing so, we’re able to create not only spaces that are wonderful to look at but ones that are completely usable, satisfyingly tactile and tailored specifically to the individuality of our clients, providing a sense of belonging.”
