This Kornhill Plaza dwelling by De Stijl Interior Design overcame its layout challenges to become a stylish, functional modern home.

Client Brief

The apartment is home to a family of three. The original kitchen layout failed to meet their needs, so they wanted to convert the enclosed kitchen into an open-plan design to enhance spaciousness and practicality. The flat also faced storage issues, requiring design optimisation for improved storage functionality.

Concept & Style

The home features a predominantly dark colour scheme, leaning towards an Italian aesthetic. The designer combined various materials, such as natural wood and stone textures, with glass, mirrored surfaces, and metallic elements to create a sophisticated yet textured ambiance.

Challenges
The primary challenge lay in the flat’s inherent layout. Tommy Ho from De Stijl Interior Design said: “The flat’s L-shaped configuration lacked squareness, making the living room and kitchen space planning particularly challenging.” The family’s preference for a large sofa, which protruded slightly when placed against the wall, further complicated the spatial arrangement.

Solutions

With structural alterations limited, the designer had to exercise creativity within constraints. Ho noted: “Although we couldn’t freely modify the layout, we transformed the irregular configuration into a distinctive feature through clever design.” The designer incorporated decorative elements at the television wall’s corner, creating a visual focal point. He added: “We installed a pendant light, complemented by curved metal elements and a custom-curved shoe cabinet, facilitating a more natural spatial transition and enhancing overall design aesthetics.”

To address the protruding large sofa, the designer added shelving to the feature wall behind it, both rectifying visual inconsistencies and extending the sense of space to achieve overall balance.

Tips

• For older properties, pay extra attention to water pipe and plumbing layouts before construction to avoid future installation and maintenance difficulties.
• When faced with irregular flat configurations, consider extending one side of the wall to subtly modify structural lines. This mitigates the awkwardness of asymmetrical spaces and creates a more balanced, harmonious visual effect.
  
  

• An integrated ceramic sink is recommended, allowing for customised sizing, flexible design, and a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.