Not one to shy away from darker colours in smaller spaces, Nicholas Residences’ designer Elaine Cecconi achieved a great sense of richness and comfort by setting darker browns and greys against off-white tones to avoid the forced drama of monotone designs.
“I think we always look for balance in any interior. We prefer materials that are more natural and we always try to balance warm and cool, light and dark so you never feel like you’re being enveloped by a room,” Cecconi said.
The kitchen features wide-plank laminate flooring that resembles hardwood but won’t warp in the humidity and an overall retro-inspired look that makes the kitchen a centrepiece for the space.
“Kitchens are so much a part of small living spaces so we’re always looking at ways to make them more like pieces of furniture than a straight run of cabinetry. We wanted to go for a ‘cocktail chic,’ 1960s look that really goes back to some of the cooler elements of the ’60s,” Cecconi said.
Engineered veneer cabinetry infuses a retro feel with modern practicality as the textured material is highly durable and doesn’t stain, unlike real wood, making it ideal in the kitchen used as a backsplash or bathroom wall covering.
To expand the bathroom visually, Cecconi installed a wall-mounted toilet and other space-saving elements like a floating shelf and kept the space comfortable and inviting with the help of dark grey porcelain tiles and elegantly unadorned faucets.
The whole suite benefits from a deliberate lack of over-accessorizing to keep things attractive and simple.
“It’s become almost a universal appeal for a lot of people,” said Cecconi.
