Creating a Home that Reflects You: The Kaiko Design Approach to Interiors

Understand the crucial role of concept development in design projects. Learn how architects and interior designers approach it differently, and how Kaiko Design Interiors prioritizes the client's needs to create a personalized narrative that transforms spaces into homes.

PORT STEPHENS HOUSE I - FIREPLACE

The concept is so important because it's the foundation of every design project and it's something that informs every aspect of the design.

Fundamentally, it's how we approach problems and come up with solutions. I'll be talking about the difference in how we approach problems. Of course, this is based on my personal observations. I am an Interior Designer, small business owner, and advocate for great design. I truly believe that good design can change lives.

Kaiko Design Interiors – background

I went through the traditional process of becoming an Interior Designer; a Bachelor of Design - Interior Design, work placements, many years employed at two highly regarded Australian studios, and now in my own practice, based here in Sydney. Our focus is great residential interior design – be that a kitchen or bathroom renovation or a full new build. What sets our work apart is the concept or Narrative as we refer to it, but more on this later.  

How do Architects vs Interior Designers develop the concept?

At a really high-level architects design the building and interior designers design within that shell or envelope, but there's also a lot of in-betweens and a lot of architects do interior renovations and we as interior designers often engage certifiers for small extensions to existing homes. There is a lot of nuance to the way we approach design problems in either profession. Perhaps in its simplest form the biggest difference is that architects typically derive their concepts from external sources and interior designers derive their sources from internal sources. Let’s look at this in more detail.

What is a concept?

A concept is an idea that becomes the foundation and identity of every design project, and it drives it forward. It's the idea that informs the different aspects of your building or interior.

In every step of the design process and whenever you're stuck, you can refer to the concept to get some clarity in your direction. It's also a really good way of embedding meaning into the project that's beyond just the building or the space itself. Hence why at Kaiko Design Interiors we refer to it as the narrative. It is essentially the story of your home, retail store, bar or restaurant. Most importantly, it's a tool to engage you as our client

How do Architects develop the concept?

When you see an architect presenting their work, they typically start off by describing the context and the problems or opportunities they see on the site or the program. This is all the physical or social constraints of your project. Bjarke Ingels is one of the most convincing architect presenters. He is so successful because he distils the problem into a clear series of diagrams or images and uses this to develop the functional or material strategy, which forms the basis for the concept. Suddenly complex problems can be explained and understood in a series of simple block models or diagrams. But this isn't the case with just large buildings, even small-scale architecture needs a clear concept or narrative – and as I mentioned before this concept is almost always dependent on an external or site-specific source. The broader and more flexible the concept is, the better because it can be tied to a lot of different aspects of the design.

How do we at Kaiko design Interiors develop the concept?

Largely all the above applies but with one added layer, you, the client. Not only does the interior design concept need to speak to the context or location of where the building is, the building itself, and the way the architect has resolved those set of problems but now we as interior designers need to understand how you, as our client, want to feel in the spaces and how you want to live there. We look at the make up of your family, do you have small children? Are you retired? Do you entertain a lot? The focus is on these intimate factors with lesser importance placed on the broader context. I’ll give you an example, recently we completed an apartment here in Sydney’s Darlinghurst, quite a historic part of Sydney. The apartment is part of a sensitive redevelopment of the old Gate Keeper’s Cottage opposite the National Art School. Consulting with our client we came to understand that this apartment was to be a refuge from work and the busyness of the city below. A place to relax and unwind. The concept centred around this idea of “Home in an urban environment”. Now, this client was drawn to dark, moody colours and materials, so we lowered the light level by adding dark cabinetry and paint and also installing a fireplace – which is a traditional symbol of gathering and storytelling. We connected the interiors to the building itself through the use of repeated lines and grooves. This is relevant as the building has external louvers to block the strong Australian sunshine. These louvers cast very dramatic shadows at different points of the day into the apartment. So, these lines have been incorporated into joinery, wallpaper and even down to the decorative accessories with a custom rug.

Whether you’re an architect, interior designer or perhaps you are considering working with us, I hope that by reading this I have given you some valuable insight into our world.   

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