Materials styled by Space Studio

Written by

06 October 2021

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3 min read

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Material boards, inspiration boards or mood boards—whatever you like to call them—are the foundation for a cohesive interior scheme. We asked Space Studio's Anoushka Dekker to show us how to put one together.

What's important about putting a materials board together?

Design is always constant and fluid with trends, environment, and locations. Materials are everywhere and form the basis of everything. As designers we crave to discover materials that are new, bold and unique. [We] visualise projects and how these materials might be used and hoping [we’ll] find a client brave enough to use it.

This is where it starts, with a dream, a material that is unique and can guide your design.

How do you work with clients to put a scheme together?

[We] share your dream, translate your vision, and complement with your dream material. Give it contrast and create a balance of harmonious materials that want to belong together.

What's important about putting a materials board together?

Design is always constant and fluid with trends, environment, and locations. Materials are everywhere and form the basis of everything. As designers we crave to discover materials that are new, bold and unique. [We] visualise projects and how these materials might be used and hoping [we’ll] find a client brave enough to use it.

This is where it starts, with a dream, a material that is unique and can guide your design.

How do you work with clients to put a scheme together?

[We] share your dream, translate your vision, and complement with your dream material. Give it contrast and create a balance of harmonious materials that want to belong together.

Senior creative at Space Studio, Anoushka Dekker put this materials board together to reflect the materiality of the local awa and volcanic landscape.

Tell us about how you themed this board.

Behind every design concept there is a story. The design context was taken from the locality of a historic awa (stream) that provided safe passage through the volcanic landscape. A lighthouse that will provide a gateway marker into Auckland and the building itself, the waka (vessel).

How do you mix texture?

A space provides an experience that can be felt, heard, and seen. A sensory expression of hard and soft, cool and warm, rough and smooth, comfortable and sharp. A variety of material textures allows you to control the experience of a space to suit your design.

Space Studio senior creative Anoushka Dekker

How do you combine colours for a cohesive palette?

The atmosphere needed for this space was comfortable, welcoming and approachable.

An even balance of cool and warm. The cool tones of icy stone, blues shades in the stains, fabrics and paint colours, combined with the warmth of brass and timber, pink stones and orange tones all complement each other for a cohesive palette.

How do you select paint colours?

The paint selected in this project is for complementing and giving the key materials and textures space and significance. It’s in the background, it's subtle, it's soft, it’s a carrier and connector and seems to disappear.