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Designed by Jonathan Tuckey, one of UK’s leading advocates for remodelling and radically transforming old buildings for modern use, comes a live-work space for Egg fashion boutique. A space where a white glazed bathroom with a bespoke wooden bath supplied by Studio Anna van der Lei opens to the mews in Knightsbridge and its exposed copper piping that doubles as a meeting room. Hands up if you would like to start your Monday meetings here? We certainly wouldn’t mind.
Close to the shopping landmarks on Sloane Street in central London, the Egg boutique is hidden behind the discreet timber shutters on a small mews, part of the ongoing reconfiguration of a series of buildings. Fashion retailer Maureen Doherty has created her vision of a shop that makes and sells timeless, simple clothes, accessories and objects.
The design embraces original features juxtaposed with contemporary and minimal elements to create exciting and dynamic new use for the Egg. Split over two levels, the ground floor serves as a boutique, while the top floor in the attic is a home for the owners. This two-sided brief had its own ambiguities that were overcome with minimal approach and clever storage solutions. Whilst modern residences boast open plan kitchens, this one is concealed behind cabinet doors that blend into the wall when closed.
Related: Remodelled & Radically Transformed Old Buildings by Jonathan Tuckey Design.
The success of accommodating both residential and commercial functions comes in the ingenious use of a series of containers. These boxes sit within the volume of the roof structure, and the exposed white trusses make an architectural statement with skylights maximising natural light into the spaces below. White walls and blonde timbers help bounce and reflect light on this top floor. “We have sought to carefully enhance the identity of the boutique while creating a distinct character and atmosphere for the new residence in the attic space above the shop,” says Jonathan Tuckey.
Keeping with the minimal approach, the colour palette is restrained and occasionally contrasted with dark grey tones, featured in timber floor boards in the upstairs living room with an open fire place and selected bathroom walls. The walls are painted white and deliberately kept bare, completing the simple look and allowing the pure enjoyment of materials, craftsmanship and its proportions. On entering the top floor, accessed via a timber staircase made up of a series of planks suspended above the hallway, small openings create surprising views through to adjacent rooms.
The white minimal aesthetic carries a sense of elegance and informal atmosphere, paying tribute to soulful ethos without compromising function or design. In the world of clutter and too many possessions, you have to agree that less is more. After all, Egg has been shortlisted for the 2016 AJ Small Projects Award for its unique character and inventiveness. Bravo.
[Images courtesy of Jonathan Tuckey Design. Photography © James Brittain.]
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http://www.yellowtrace.com.au/egg-fashion-boutique-live-work-space-london-jonathan-tuckey/