In Conversation with Yellow Cloud Studio
Words: Eleni Soussoni and Romanos Tsomos
Photos: Yellow Cloud Studio
Inside the designers mind – going green by Yellow Cloud Studio
From Manufacturer to Designer to Home
Following on from our interview with Tim Bayes of Kast Concrete, here we see how the design team at Yellow Design Studio approached an uninspiring bathroom, and why they choose Kast Concrete basins.
What was the impetus for the project?
We were asked by the owners to completely re-imagine the en-suite bathroom of their master bedroom, while keeping their existing bath-tub.
Why do you feel the bathroom needed to be re-designed?
The bathroom had never been actually “designed”. Very little thought had put in both the choice of materials and layout, so it was just a white bathroom, with white tiles and white furniture, a bit scattered around.
Tell me about the layout and how this came about?
Given the size of the room, we wanted to offer the clients the luxury of having his & hers basins, clearly separated by the bathtub and separate shower for ease of use, while neatly tucking away the toilet.
What led you to position the bath in the middle of the space?
With such a large bathroom at hand, we had the luxury of positioning the bathtub centrally, and perpendicular to the old fireplace. It creates a clear axis and separation between the two basin areas and celebrates the space. The bathtub is the only item that we had to re-use.
What were the important technical and practical elements?
Its essential to think of the plumbing while considering layouts – you want to ensure things work very well for a long time. Also don’t forget about privacy, it’s important to feel at ease at any time!
How did you decide on the new bathroom design (colours, layout, etc.)?
As always, we had a conversation with the clients about their personal preferences and needs, and showed them examples to establish some of their favourite features and style. In particular we decided to go with natural, earthy materials with texture like polished plaster, concrete and handmade cement tiles to give the space a luxurious holiday feeling.
How did you go about choosing the items/furniture/accessories?
With the concept design signed off by the clients, there was a very specific vision set for the final result. Consequently it was easier to select and source all the items needed to make the design a reality. Having said that, as always it took a lot of time to actually find every single element, which had to fit the specs, the design and the budget. it’s a time consuming process, with loads of back-and-forth!
The overall design feels so light and fresh, which elements were particularly key to achieving this and why?
We aimed at creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere so opted mainly for raw materials with a natural colour palette and textures.The polished plaster and concrete sinks set the basis for a warm environment, and are complemented by pale green and broken white, concrete tiles, and matching units. White Calacatta Marble hexagon floor tiles lighten up the space, while matt black elements such as the taps, towel rail and industrial glass doors create the necessary contrast for the entire spatial composition.
I’ve used polished plaster in projects myself for its softness. What led you to make this choice?
A warm grey plaster was important to balance out predominantly white and black design. Most of the bathroom is polished plaster, created by Ray from iPlaster (www.iplaster.co.uk).
I particularly love the screen/doors? What do they bring to the overall quality of the space?
The doors separate the bedroom from the bathroom so it was important to allow light into the bathroom, to make it bright and airy, and establish a relaxed and light atmosphere, so we opted to replace the opaque wooden sliding doors for these translucent crittal windows. Again, they were bespoke made by the contractor.
At last, bathroom lighting is so much more imaginative these days. Tell me about these lights?
Their geometric simplicity and tactile materiality fit perfectly into the overall design, without standing out too much and retaining the relaxed character of the bathroom. The hanging lights are Michael Anastassiades by FLOS – bought from Clippings.com
Tell me about the patterned tiles;
The pale light green cement tiles are from Bert and May and are the only element of colour and ornament. They are handmade cement tiles, which had to be sealed off properly for their final finish.
Where did you buy the flooring?
Mandarin Stone
Where did you buy the basins?
Kast Concrete Basins
Where did you buy the drawer units? What are they called?
These were made bespoke for this project by the contractors Rimi Renovations (www.rimirenovations.com)
See the project before and after shots below.
