Some thoughts on sun and shade to match the mood this month …
In Praise of Shadows is a beautiful, sensitively written book that has been given to me by two separate clients. It’s an essay on Japanese aesthetics written by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki in 1933 and yet – almost a century later – I've found it perfectly chimes with our own philosophy.
I took two things from the book. First is the idea that lightness and darknesWe spent a lot of time observing how colours evolved throughout the day and we tried to accentuate that rhythm with our chosen scheme. We created a bright and airy drawing room, as well as a darker, cooler family snug for siestas. To further enhance the play of light, we used a fresco finish on the walls which creates this sense of dappled shade. We also hung unlined, gauzy curtains that billow in the breeze – a movement that acts like a glass of cool water on the room. s become more beautiful when viewed in relation to one another. I do think it’s possible to become overly obsessed with achieving lightness in an interior. But, when it’s not a relative measure, it loses half its meaning.
We played with this balance in a recent project in Tuscany, which we’re looking forward to sharing with you in September. The light in Tuscany is just extraordinary, but it can also be overwhelming. (So overwhelming in fact, we had to set our alarms for 4 o’clock in the morning to avoid working in the glare of the midday sun.) There comes a point when you crave the coolness of a darkened room. Then, when the sun has lost its ferocity, the shadows lengthen and the light becomes bewitching.
We spent a lot of time observing how colours evolved throughout the day and we tried to accentuate that rhythm with our chosen scheme. We created a bright and airy drawing room, as well as a darker, cooler family snug for siestas. To further enhance the play of light, we used a fresco finish on the walls which creates this sense of dappled shade. We also hung unlined, gauzy curtains that billow in the breeze – a movement that acts like a glass of cool water on the room.
Tanizaki’s book also made me reflect on how homogenised our globalised world has become and how we, as a studio, feel duty bound to seek out what is unique and culturally specific to each region. At the moment, we’re lucky to be working on projects in Berlin, Lisbon and Amsterdam. In each city, we’ve uncovered local artisans, artists, dealers and independent tradespeople. Acting like a matchmaker, we are always seeking individual stories for our clients and I’m certain that it’s this combination that imbues each of these projects with their own distinct charm.
It’s this charm that we seek to bottle in our Nix collection. Our pieces have a story to them that we are proud to share. They aren’t mass produced, but thoughtfully made by family businesses that have honed their craft over generations. It’s this storytelling that creates meaning, and meaning is what creates a sense of home.
The Spirit of Collaboration
Collaboration is alive and well in our studio and on so many work-and-life-enhancing levels. Firstly, I have to mention Christine Van Der Hurd, who I met right at the beginning of my journey in interior design. She has been a constant source of inspiration and support to me and I’m eternally grateful to her for that. This October, we are launching a collection of rugs together in the US, and I wanted to acknowledge what huge fun it has been. Colour brings us both such joy: it tickles our imaginations and warms our souls and I can’t wait to unfurl the results of that process.
I have also recently started a new project for one of my very first clients. I designed her daughter’s nursery for her 15 years ago, and here we are still working together. This is another form of collaboration that I find endlessly fulfilling: spending time truly getting to understand an individual and their family over a period of years is a privilege.
The Homing In courses and consultations we offer are a microcosmic example of that relationship. Quite often they go on to become longer standing relationships, but sometimes I do drop into somebody’s life for literally just an hour. It’s thrilling to glimpse a snapshot of their homes and to be able to unlock something for them. It’s a really collaborative process and I’m endlessly amazed at just how quickly you can click into that process.
Whatever the level, I always learn something. That’s the nature of collaboration: it takes you to a place that you wouldn't or couldn’t reach on your own.
Memories & Mischief
For me, home is about meaning and memories, but – having recently spent some time away in Cornwall – I know that both can also be gathered in spadefuls on holiday. Our best days were the simplest: a sauna in a converted horse box on the beach, barbequing fish, bumping into old friends. One morning, still in my pyjamas, I snuck down to the beach with one of my oldest girlfriends, coffee in one hand, dog in the other. So simple, yet so precious. I think it’s that element of mischief that creates the magic. Something to bring home, I think.
NiX Turns One
We are going to be celebrating our first birthday in September. I can't quite believe how quickly the year has sped past! To mark the occasion, we will be hosting a Open Studio Weekend across the 13th - 16th September. From the Friday to the Saturday we will be hosting talks, mini consultations, and more, in celebration of the anniversary of NiX. Bring your friends and family, and join us for the festivities! Please look out for details and join us if you’re able.
