Switched on homebuilders are bringing architects and designers into the frame at an earlier stage to create rooms that match the lifestyle of their buyers.
Developers are often reluctant to let interior architects and designers anywhere near the inside of their homes until the rooms have been laid out. There is a common perception that architects focus on the facade to the detriment of the interior, producing spaces that may be inflexible and impractical to live in.

Now forward-thinking developers are letting architects design homes from the inside out. A new breed of designer is providing flexible spaces and contemporary looks to accommodate changing tastes and lifestyles, exerting an influence over everything down to the power sockets.

Gleeson City Living is one developer that has handed over the design reins to an interiors expert for its M3 new-build apartment scheme in Manchester. "We felt that the interior designer shouldn't just be fitting out a show flat but should be selecting colour schemes, light fittings, electricity points, kitchen units, and bathrooms in every apartment. We wanted the theme of the design to run through the building," says Suzie Dickens, development manager at Gleeson City Living.

Having an interior designer specify products alongside the architect was an eye-opener for Dickens. "The danger with developers specifying products is that they get stuck with a few suppliers and end up churning out the same brands. Linda Martin [the interior designer at M3] had a much broader view. She visited other countries and design fairs, and as a result the interiors at M3 are very up to date." The close liaison between interior designer and architect allows product specifications to be changed if better products are launched during the build process. The collaboration at Gleeson City Living is already bearing fruit - Gleeson's 32-apartment M3 recently picked up the gold award for Best Contemporary Interior Design in the Jaguar International Property Awards.

One practice allowing form to follow function is London-based interior architect Johnson Naylor. "Six months into build is too late to start thinking about the interiors," says partner Fiona Naylor. "Getting involved at an early stage allows us to generate the plan and dictate the footprint of the building." Naylor says the most progressive developers are thinking about the way people want to live and are allowing interiors experts to reallocate space to suit today's lifestyles. "We've found that people don't spend much time in the bedroom, so we tend to increase the amount of space for living and entertaining," says Naylor.

Movable partitions will be an increasingly popular method of expanding living spaces. At St James Homes' Mosaic in east London, Johnson Naylor is installing glass partitions that will allow the second bedroom to become part of the living space. At Copthorn Homes' Hoffman Buildings apartments in nearby Shoreditch even the bathroom walls are hinged. "Bathrooms don't have to be enclosed. It's nice to have a vista when you're in the bath," says Naylor.

Architect Steven Proctor of Proctor Matthews also believes interiors and architecture should be treated as one and says this can enhance living areas. "It's about carefully placing the static parts so that the living areas can be expanded." The central position of the service core at the architect's Greenwich Millennium Village apartments means a big living space can be created when bedrooms and living area partitions are removed.

Port Talbot-based Sunrise Interiors fits out show homes for a number of mainstream developers. Designer specifier Simon Cooper often suffers the consequence of badly designed interiors. "There's a huge problem with fitting furniture into finished homes. Nine times out of ten you can't put a wardrobe into a bedroom because of the position of the radiator. The way doors open into bedrooms inhibits where beds go and sofas often end up in front of radiators. We've even had starter homes where we haven't been able to fit a three-piece suite." Cooper says many developers are sympathetic to interior designers, but are hampered by bureaucracy and a lack of expertise. "What's frightening is how obvious design problems are but once it is rubber-stamped and rolled out you can be stuck with a housetype for years."

WHAT'S HOT?
Underfloor heating: leave the walls for furniture and pictures.
Linoleum: warm, hard wearing and easy to clean.
Attention to detail: just because switches and sockets are small they shouldn't be ignored.
Openings instead of doors: create new vistas and a sense of space.
Dedicated home office areas: cable spaghetti is unsightly in living areas.

WHAT'S NOT
Non-integrated appliances: stark white goods can ruin a carefully crafted look.
Post-formed laminated worktops: keep it natural.
Old-fashioned door furniture: no more lacquered brass.
Unintelligent homes: don't be caught out by the home working revolution. Install plenty of TV, computer and phone sockets.
Fussy fabrics: avoid imposingly over-the-top soft furnishings. Use varied textures instead.

Get the look

Bathrooms
Bathrooms will be larger and simpler. Concealed cisterns and single bath fittings incorporating taps, plug release and overflow will help to streamline design. At the upper end of the market developers will be unable to resist large power showers and body jets. High-gloss formica laminate panels are easy to maintain and will be a serious alternative to tiles in 2001. Kitchens
Don’t be mean with kitchen worktops. Those at Copthorn Homes’ Hoffman Buildings are 700 mm deep rather than the usual 600 mm. Mix the doors and materials in the kitchen, particularly those that form part of the living/dining space - avoid a clinical look. Stainless steel worktops are still in. They are what the professionals use and cooking is smart and popular thanks in part to the TV chefs. Colours
For walls Naylor suggests soft greys and sophisticated whites, with the occasional dash of colour to break up mass. Red is a current favourite. Other designers such as Nicholson Estates’ Sian Woodfine believe colour is making a comeback but only if walls are plain. Lighting
Lighting should be incorporated into the design from the start. “Wall lights pointing upwards aren’t necessarily the solution. It’s about the effects of the lighting not the light fixtures themselves,” says Naylor. Mezzanines
Mezzanines will continue to be popular but be careful. If they’re done badly they can butt into double-height rooms and create large low ceilings. “Sometimes the quality of the space is more important than square footage,” says Naylor. Consider a gallery if there isn’t enough space. Be inspired
Let travel, art and fashion influence interiors. It currently takes 18 months for catwalk fashions to reach the home. Mix materials and put them in an unusual context. Try mixing horizontal units with vertical lines. But remember, everything must be fit for purpose and have longevity.

Source

Building Homes